Los Angeles: Thousands of cheering fans turned a section of downtown Los Angeles into a sea of red, white and blue on Wednesday in celebrating the US victory in the Women’s World Cup. Waving flags and chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A,” spectators began arriving at 5 a.m. outside Staples Center arena to get a prime position at the front of the stage to cheer their beloved football heroes after their record third World Cup title and first in 16 years.
“Every day we call ourselves champions and it never gets old,” Carli Lloyd, voted the Golden Ball as player of the tournament, told the crowd. Lloyd scored three times as the United States roared to a four-goal lead in the first 16 minutes en route to a 5-2 demolition of Japan in Sunday’s final. “I know 1999 was a huge turning point for women’s football,” Lloyd said.
“We have just crushed history. There is no greater time to win the World Cup,” she added. Two days after taking the crown, the party was still going as the team flew to Los Angeles. The next travel to New York for another rally and a tickertape parade down the “Canyon of Heroes.” Players took the stage in front of a crowd of about 4,000 just after 11 a.m. and they danced, sang, gave speeches and took photos.
