Fresh off a World Cup victory, U.S. Women's Soccer team star Abby Wambach chatted with E! News at the Gatorade Athlete of the Year awards.
As the celebrations continue, Wambach noted she's still had very little sleep. "It's really overwhelming in moments, so I haven't had a real good night's sleep since we won," she told us. "But that's a good thing, because it's busy. I'm happy!"
Truly a dream come true.
"It's surreal. Every morning I wake up and I'm like, 'Wow I'm still a World Cup champion.' You have to pinch yourself every morning, and it really is how I feel," she added. "It's been such a lifelong dream and journey, and to be able to say it's completed now, it's been such a dream!"
Wambach reflected on her team's last huddle and what she said to her teammates before the history-making win: "What do you say to a team that is up 4-0?"
"Honestly, I said, 'We can't change the way we've played for one second.' Because we did it, we scored that many goals, so they could easily do it. So, our focus and our stamina had to be the exact same, and we had to come out firing. If we didn't, the moment could shift like that. You never want to do that. You never want to put yourself in a position where you lose that momentum especially at a final. So, for me, that's what I said, 'We got to keep going after them, pretend like it's 0-0, and keep doing what we've been doing,' and we were! And we won! I can't believe it!"
Truly inspiring words from Wambach, who also confirmed with us this World Cup was her last, "Here's the thing, I definitely am retiring from the World Cup, which happens every four years."
Although Wambach might not be hanging up her cleats for good. "Next summer is the Olympics. I still don't know what I'm going to do. I'm not in the position now to make any big decisions in my life. Not only because I haven't had much sleep. Things are so hectic and so overwhelming right now!"
Instead of thinking about whether she'll be retiring, Wambach says she just wants to soak up this moment. "I really want to slow down, smell the roses, and be as present as possible. So, I don't miss any of this. These are the times in my life that I'll look back on and say, 'Gosh, I don't know if I could have been happier.' So, these are the moments that I don't want to think too much into the future or in the past. I want to be right here in this moment right now."
Wambach continues to be on a whirlwind of events from the Gatorade Awards dinner on Tuesday, to supporting Gatorade Beat the Heat campaign on Wednesday morning, to attending the ESPYs and presenting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Caitlyn Jenner. In fact out of everyone attending the Wednesday awards show, Wambach said, "I can't wait to meet Caitlyn Jenner."
"Hopefully we can win best team of the year!" she added.