Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Interview with Brandi Chastain, World Cup Champion
Aired June 05, 2002 - 11:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: American soccer fans are getting quite a kick out of the upset victory at the World Cup today. The U.S. team beat fifth-ranked Portugal 3 to 2. This win breaks a five-match losing streak for the U.S. at the World Cup. It is the biggest win in years for the American team in the world's most popular sporting event.
And we're going to get to talk more about the World Cup with someone who knows what it is like to actually be a World Cup champion. Brandi Chastain's penalty kick clenched the championship for the U.S. women in the 1999 World Cup final for them.
She now is a professional soccer player with the San Jose CyberRays, and she is joining us just up the peninsula there. She came up to San Francisco to talk with us. Brandi, good morning.
BRANDI CHASTAIN, WORLD CUP CHAMPION: Good morning, Daryn. How are you doing?
KAGAN: I am doing great, and apparently you are doing well, too, because I can see someone special has signed your jersey.
CHASTAIN: Well, I wore my red, white, and blue in honor of the men's national team, and I figured since Pele (ph) had won a couple World Cups, that maybe it would bring us luck, so...
KAGAN: Some good vibes.
CHASTAIN: I'm not taking -- I'm not taking it off until the cup is over.
KAGAN: Not taking any chances. And as a girl who has been known to take her shirt off, that is a big statement.
CHASTAIN: There you go.
KAGAN: Brandi, I understand -- now, of course, you like soccer, this is what you do for a living, but I understand that if I were go and talk to all the women on the World Cup team, and that are playing in WUSA right now, you would claim to be one of the biggest soccer geeks. I mean, you love the stuff. You live it, you breathe it.
CHASTAIN: Yes, there is no doubt -- I think the name "soccer geek" would probably fit pretty good. You know, I think there are so many things about the game that I love, not only the personal challenges that you go through as an individual athlete, but I think the camaraderie, the teamwork, fighting for a common goal, not only the successes, but I think the process of getting to an objective and fulfilling a goal is something that is really hard to express in words, but something that you can share between glances between teammates, and it just -- it fills my soul, to be honest with you, it is the essence of who I am.
KAGAN: So it goes without saying that you either stayed up or got up early to watch this U.S.-Portugal match.
CHASTAIN: Oh yes, I baked a couple cakes, put -- I colored them red, white, and blue, and I had friends over this morning, so we had a little party at 2:00.
KAGAN: So what a difference a year makes for the -- not just a year, but four years makes for the men. Last time around, only one goal and three losses.
CHASTAIN: Right.
KAGAN: Why is the U.S. so much -- is it that the U.S. is so much better this time, or were they just lucky against Portugal? That is supposed to be one of the favorites.
CHASTAIN: I think there is a lot of things that are combined to make this win possible. Number one, a lot of experience from prior World Cups, Earnie Stewart, Jeff Agoos, Claudio Reyna, Joe-Max Moore, Brad Friedel. Mixed with some younger players, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Mathis. These players -- and I think overall, they all having a place to play, the MLS has been a wonderful producer of young players in this country, and I think because they have a place to play, week in and week out, against some incredibly top competition, we have now supplied our national team with players who can compete at the highest level.
KAGAN: Overall, though, which country do you expect to win the whole thing?
CHASTAIN: I would like to go with my heart and say the U.S., but I think Argentina has got a fine team. They have proven game in and game out in the World Cup that they are truly contenders. You never can count out Brazil. I think that even though France didn't do well in their first game, they are always a team to look to, but I am going to have to say that Argentina will be hard to beat.
KAGAN: All right. And real quickly, second season at WUSA, besides CyberRays?
CHASTAIN: There is no other team.
KAGAN: There is no other team. That's exactly what you get paid for. All right. Brandi Chastain, joining us from San Francisco, good luck with the season, and we will have to have you back to talk about women's World Cup for next year, so that will be another time (ph).
CHASTAIN: I would appreciate that. Thank you so much, Daryn.
KAGAN: We would like that. Brandi, good to see you. Brandi Chastain, joining us from San Francisco.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
