'Overwhelmed' Klingenberg adjusts to spotlight
WEXFORD — Meghan Klingenberg shifted in her seat before responding to a question after being called one of “America's darlings” following the United States women's soccer team's World Cup win earlier this month in Canada.
The 24-year-old Pine-Richland graduate is still trying to process her newfound fame. Speaking at the opening of her camp Friday at the Allegheny Health Network Health + Wellness Pavilion in Wexford, Klingenberg is still in the process of coming down to earth.
“America's darling? I don't think I'm going to get used to that,” Klingenberg said. “I don't think that I am. I'm totally not as cool as people think I am, I promise.”
Klingenberg, who is a 5-foot-2 defender, was amazed with the attention she received for heading a shot off the goal line to preserve a 0-0 draw with Sweden in the group stage. The United States went on to win the group and the World Cup with a 5-2 decision over Japan July 5 in Vancouver.
“It hasn't sunk in and it didn't really process until after the World Cup final,” Klingenberg said. “If that goal went in, if they score this could have been a completely different World Cup. We could have had a second or third place finish in the group and we could have went a different route and never hit our stride.”
As far as Klingenberg's perceived coolness is concerned, her camp sold out before the World Cup started.
Klingenberg — who idolized former American soccer stars Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain — has people looking up to her.
Sydney Caldwell and Maeve Smith, both 12 and Murrysville residents, came to the opening of the camp Friday in white T-shirt jerseys with Klingenberg's name and number on the back.
“I got it from my friend Sydney for my birthday last Saturday,” Smith said. “I am a defender and I liked her playing defense. I thought (Klingenberg) played really well.”
Caldwell feels like she can connect to Klingenberg because they are both black belts in tae kwan do.
“I like Klingenberg because she's a good player,” Caldwell said. “She's aggressive.”
Klingenberg's aggressive nature came out for the cover of Sports Illustrated. The magazine did different covers for every player on the team. Many of her teammates feature smiles or stoic looks. Klingenberg holds the trophy away from her body and appears to be yelling.
“Honestly, that's how I feel when I'm holding the trophy,” Klingenberg said. “That's exactly my feeling when I'm holding it. It was a fight to win that trophy.
“We had to go through the best teams in the world, we had our struggles, we had our ups-and-downs. Finally being able to hold on to it and embrace the trophy, that's exactly how I felt and it came through in the photograph. It was probably the first one we took.”
Her dad ordered five copies of it online.
It's all been a part of a surreal experience for Klingenberg. She's had people pay for her meals starting the day after the World Cup win, when someone picked up the tab in Vancouver.
Since she's been back in Pittsburgh, Klingenberg —who lives in Houston and plays professionally for the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League — has been out to eat twice and both meals were paid for.
“I'm thankful for it. I'm also a little overwhelmed by it, actually completely overwhelmed by it,” Klingenberg said. “Hopefully it's something that will settle down in the future. I also know it's an incredibly important platform I have and not many people get. So I want to use it for good in the best way I can.”
