Kristine Lilly on being the Queen of Caps, winning a World Cup at home, and upcoming 99ers movie

Kristine Lilly on being the Queen of Caps, winning a World Cup at home, and upcoming 99ers movie

Author: US Soccer | Cumulus Podcast Network March 11, 2026 Duration: 1:04:11
Kristine Lilly played in five FIFA Women’s World Cups, three Olympics, scored 130 international goals and amassed a world record 354 caps for the U.S. Women’s National Team. It’s no wonder Lilly earned the nickname “Queen of Caps”. In this episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg talks to Lilly about her incredible longevity, how the iconic 99ers team won a World Cup on home soil, and her thoughts on the upcoming Netflix movie that tells the story of that triumph.  1:08 – Meghan Klingenberg interviews Kristine Lilly  3:03 – Early career and the landscape of women’s soccer  9:24 – How setbacks can lead to growth  16:15 – How to win a World Cup in America  19:16 – Favorite memory from the 1999 World Cup  24:00 – Upcoming movie on the 99ers  31:21 – How the culture of women’s soccer changed  41:40 – Can anyone surpass Lilly's caps record?  55:35 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts    The U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, former USWNT star Meghan Klingenberg and USMNT great Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast brings you in-depth interviews with U.S. Soccer stars of the past, present and future. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays.  Hosts: Meghan Klingenberg, David Gass  Guest: Kristine Lilly  Producer: Matthew Nelson  To learn more, visit http://www.ussoccer.com/podcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, the U.S. Soccer Podcast opens up a direct line to the individuals shaping the sport across the country. Host David Gass guides these Wednesday conversations, which are less about formal interviews and more about genuine discussions with coaches, staff, and players from every corner of the American game. You’ll hear from figures connected to the senior national teams, of course, but the dialogue consistently extends to the youth setups and the broader ecosystem dedicated to development. This approach provides a unique, ground-level perspective on the efforts to advance soccer in the United States. These are honest and often uplifting chats that go beyond scores and tactics to reveal the personal stories and professional philosophies driving progress. Tuning into this podcast means getting a clearer sense of the people behind the programs, from emerging talents to the seasoned minds guiding them. It’s an ongoing series of conversations that collectively map out the present and future of U.S. soccer, delivered through a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the Cumulus Podcast Network with support from Henkel.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

U.S. Soccer Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Behind the Scenes of U.S. Against the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:34
This week on the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg speaks to the creative team behind U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team. Director Rand Getlin and Execut…
Live in Portland! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:56
This week on the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, we’re live in Portland! Host Meghan Klingenberg caught up with former teammates Becky Sauerbrunn, Bella Bixby and Morgan Weaver. In front of a packed crowd, the g…
Sip Happens: World Cup Hydration Breaks Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:15
Last year, FIFA announced that every World Cup game will pause for three minutes in each half for a hydration break. The policy was tested in the last international window, and many observers said that the breaks have fu…
Kling Goes to Referee Camp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
World Cup winner Meghan Klingenberg played soccer at the highest level, but can she cut it as a referee? Find out on this special episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, when Kling embeds at National Matc…
Jaedyn Shaw talks family, food, and fashion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:15
Jaedyn Shaw made history when she became the first Vietnamese American to represent the USWNT. In 2022 the forward was named US Soccer’s young female player of the year. And despite being just 21 years old, she’s already…
Meet cerebral palsy soccer legend Adam Ballou [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
Adam Ballou first started kicking a soccer ball when he was just 3-years old. And after that, he never looked back: Adam was first called into the U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team when he was 14. Since then t…
Jozy Altidore: From the pitch to the pitch deck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:32
In his storied USMNT career, forward Jozy Altidore earned over 100 caps and appeared at two World Cups. Jozy scored his first professional goal at just 16 and this knack for finding the net sent him around Europe’s top l…
Tobin Heath: Prodigy, Artist, Architect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:23
They called you Tobin Heath the ‘Queen of the Nutmeg’ because throughout the forward’s storied soccer career she left defenders trailing in her wake. Tobin was also a true winner: She won two Women’s World Cups, three Ol…