But I believe today a lot of girls regard women's players as idols now and that's great.

It's important for young girls to see the sport succeeding. They can actually say, 'I'm gonna be a pro-footballer.'

It's not all about money. I think the most valuable thing we have accomplished is that little girls now have role models… My heart is in the women's game and my thoughts are on the women's game.

How that will inspire so many young girls and boys to talk about women's football and make it the norm.

Women’s football is developing very fast, and it’s great to see. When I came through, it was very, very tough for a girl to start playing the game. There were so many barriers, particularly in certain parts of the world. But minds are opening now. Even in more ‘traditional’ countries, it’s becoming easier for girls to say to their parents, ‘I want to play football’. And I think players in my generation have helped pave the way for that. Unlike us, girls nowadays can now look around at women players who have achieved a lot and say, ‘I want to be like her’.

The fact that we are able to get people excited about women’s football is probably our greatest success.

I want to do my best and motivate the young girls and young women to know that Faith has come a long way, and she’s still performing at the Olympic level and getting these medals, especially the gold medal.

I had to cut my hair to play, so for me it's so important that little girls can play football if they want to. That's what I really want to fight for.

All of this matters because if we can give better resources to young girls, allow them to focus only on football and not on finding a job to live. A lot of players today still have jobs beside their careers because we are far from equal football.

I want every girl to feel like football's a place for them, whether they want to coach, play, referee.

Hopefully it triggers a chain reaction and more girls dream of becoming a footballer.

We want kids to come watch us, especially young girls now that we are visible to them. And they can see that they can become professional football players and represent their country and play for their favourite clubs.

I am very happy, because I was able to represent all the girls, Pamela and Leticia, who did not qualify, all the girls from skateboarding and from Brazil. To be able to realize my dream of being here and winning a medal is very gratifying. My dream and my parents' dream.

Women's football has such a platform now. It can only go from strength to strength. I just hope it encourages girls who might not have taken up the game to do it now.