A Cup of bELieve Podcast returns for its fourth episode this week as host Eric LeGrand interviews Carli Lloyd, one of the most decorated players in the history of international soccer. The New Jersey native owns an incredible championship resume that includes two FIFA World Player of the Year Awards, two FIFA World Cups and two Olympic Gold Medals.
Lloyd played her college soccer at Rutgers University and made her debut for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2005. By the time she hung up her boots in 2021, she had registered 134 goals and 64 assists in 316 international appearances.
Historically, Lloyd was known to rise tallest on the grandest of stages, scoring the game-winning goal in the Gold Medal Match of both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. She was also responsible for one of the most phenomenal performances in FIFA World Cup history when she registered a hat trick in the opening 16 minutes of the 2015 Final against Japan. She finished the competition with six goals and received the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, which was the first FIFA World Cup Championship for the U.S. Women’s National Team since 1999. She capped off 2015 by being voted the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, again winning FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year accolades in 2016. She was also voted as runner-up to the award in 2017.
Lloyd helped captain the U.S. Women’s National Team to its second consecutive FIFA World Cup championship in 2019, and she concluded her international career two years later as one of the most decorated athletes to ever play the game. She also competed in her final club match for Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2021, and she has since become a minority owner for her home state team. Still loving a great challenge, Lloyd recently appeared on the television show Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and will serve as a FOX analyst during their coverage of the upcoming 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia.
Presented by the Teachers Insurance Plan of New Jersey and produced by Malka Sports, A Cup of bELieve Podcast features Eric LeGrand speaking to athletes, entertainers and other notable individuals as they share stories of trials, perseverance and success. The first season of A Cup of bELieve Podcast features six episodes, with shows being released every other Thursday. Coming up next, LeGrand will speak with Super Bowl Champion and Pivot Podcast host, Ryan Clark. The first season of the podcast will conclude with an interview of legendary pro wrestler and WWE Chief Content Officer, Triple H. Episodes with Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, award-winning actor Bryan Cranston and Premier Lacrosse League co-founder Paul Rabil are all available now on YouTube and all major audio platforms.
The presenting sponsor of A Cup of bELieve Podcast is the Teachers Insurance Plan of New Jersey, and a special highlight in each episode surrounds a question by LeGrand where guests share a story about a teacher or mentor who positively impacted their lives.
In October 2010, LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury at his C3 and C4 vertebrae while playing football for Rutgers University. Since that life-altering incident occurred, he has become a worldwide source of inspiration whose message of positivity has influenced a countless number of people throughout the world. Additionally, LeGrand has developed an incredible business and professional acumen, becoming an established entrepreneur, motivational speaker, sports analyst, philanthropist and author. Along with hosting his own podcast, he also recently launched his own coffee brand, LeGrand Coffee House, and his own brand of bourbon, Eric LeGrand Whiskey.
On the charitable side, his philanthropic organization Team LeGrand has raised nearly two million dollars for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Additionally, the Rutgers graduate was recognized by Sports Illustrated with its 2011 Best Moment Award, and he was also presented with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2012 ESPY Awards. Further, he was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017, receiving the Warrior Award.
