They come around so infrequently and a storyline can change in a split second: a mis-timed pass… does it feel like that when you’re playing, does it feel like you’re one second away from glory or one second away from complete heartbreak?

Absolutely. Especially in these tight games, it’s just on a razors edge. Even just looking back to the last World Cup, we’re playing against Germany and they have a penalty at 0-0 in the 70th minute or something, and she misses. And in that moment you’re like God, I hope she misses, but she’s probably not going to. So then we’re going to have to find a way back but just those snap decisions or a great save. In the span of fifteen minutes Carli Lloyd has a hat-trick in the World Cup Final. It’s crazy how it just changes like that. Such fine lines.

How do you compare your mentality going into your first World Cup with this summer?

Oh I think my mentality is so much better. I just know how to focus better and understand the game better. In a sense it was nice because I just didn’t think that much, you’d just go out and play. But I think taking that intentional focus and just taking that intentionality into the game has really taken my game to the next level.

Is there an element of relief going into this World Cup knowing you’ve already won it, knowing it could potentially be your last one?

Not really. I feel like I have won, but that was that one. And it does feel far away in a sense and I also feel in a bigger perspective off-field, understanding how important it is and how powerful it is to win and how that moves the needle on things, especially with the things that we’re fighting for.

So understanding the importance and the impact that a World Cup can have I think just makes me hungry for so much more and just from a competitive perspective I don’t want anyone else to have one. I mean I definitely don’t want any of these girls here to have the feeling I have. I hope they have bitter defeat the whole time. You have to be ruthless as a team.

We were speaking to Sam Kerr earlier and she said that although you’re rivals, it does feel like you have so much respect for one another because, in a way, you're on the same team as you all want the same things. Do you feel that?

Absolutely, like one hundred percent. I love that she said that, that’s such a wise thing from her, because we really are. I think, like the lawsuit that we’ve filed, the things that we stand up for, the way they stood up to their federation, the way Norway did too… you can tell that there’s such a connected community in women’s football and in amongst all the teams and it’s like, if the World Cup in France blows up and it’s a huge hit – someone will win and that’s amazing – but no matter what, it will be good for everyone and we’ll push the game so much further forward.

You’ve been a prominent figure in Nike’s campaigns. How important is the work they’re doing within women’s football with events like this?

It’s massive. Obviously they’re the biggest brand and the most recognisable brand, so to put that weight behind it signals to every other brand that this is what’s up. This is what you should be doing. Also it shows that the potential is here, it’s not just like this philanthropic effort, it’s the best event and they believe in it and they’re putting their best people to it. [Nike CEO] Mark Parker was here today, and that’s amazing. So to have the support that we’ve always had from Nike frankly, they’ve been such a front runner in all this, it’s just incredible.

To be backed by a brand like Nike is just, you know that they’re in for corner, it’s like having Mike Tyson in your corner, like the heaviest hitter that you can have in your corner.

You’ve played in France for Lyon. What do you expect the country to be like as a host nation?

I’ll expect a very warm welcome! I think I made a good impression on them while I was here. I think they enjoyed my candour! I think it will be brilliant to be honest. I think coming off the men winning the World Cup last year, it was amazing for them and I think in terms of fan experience I think it’s going to be the best by far, it’s going to be incredible. It’s a smaller country as well, so it’s easier to get around, everyone wants to come to France.

People will be eating the best food and drinking the best wine and just enjoying themselves, so that makes it better for us. If the fans are enjoying themselves then our experience on the field is better. Beautiful stadiums too. Obviously the new stadium at Lyon is just absolutely gorgeous, it’s just going to be such a great host in so many ways.