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I didn't realize at the time how impactful my journey was going to be in terms of my culture,

my African American brothers and sisters. I didn't know the impact that my playing soccer would have

on my community and my culture.

Welcome to the first installment of Men in Blazers' American Legend Series presented by Budweiser.

It's a series that celebrates four incredible footballers as a Don Armour and prepared to

defend the United States World Cup title in France. These conversations, they're more than

about just the football. They focus on each player's distinctly unique personal narrative from their

childhood to the present, touching upon such weighty issues as race, the fight for gender equality,

and the future of women's football itself. But before we speak to those four members of the

current team, we're first going to look to the past and offer caps to a true legend of the game.

Briar, let's scary. When you think about great Americans, first American on the moon,

Neil Armstrong, when you think about what Briar has done,

when a World Cup penalty shootout, she is the only American goalkeeper to have done that.

So we jumped at the chance to catch up with the US Women's National Team Hero last weekend in

St. Louis before the team's 5-0 demolition of New Zealand. And we talked about her footballing

journey, the greatest penalty shootout in American soccer history and a legacy, both as a woman's

footballing pioneer and an African American. So here she is. Briar, let's scary.

This is Rodge. Oh, my guess today is a true American legend and bona fide sporting pioneer

who emerged from the frozen tundra of data Minnesota north of the wall, where she learns

to play soccer as the only girl on the boys team and the only African American too.

She went onto a 14-year career with your United States Women's National Team.

...