Portland Thorns defender Ellie Carpenter on upcoming NWSL season, World Cup

You'll be back in Portland. Yeah, I'm really excited to be back and in training. I'm just excited to get into training and for the season to start. For you, kind of approaching your second year in the NWSL, how have things changed for you having that season under your belt? Yeah, I think it helps a lot having last season under my belt, getting experience, and I just want to keep building on that experience. What are some of the favorite memories from last year, things that you want to build on from last season? Yeah, definitely making the championship final. It was an amazing experience. I think just keep building us as a team and keep being the strong team that we are. For you, how do you sort of balance the season, wanting to make sure the Thorns do well, but also knowing that you have the World Cup on the horizon? Yeah, I think I want to do my best for the Thorns and it's a club that's my priority. I'm just going to keep building and preparing as well as I can here again for my country at the World Cup. Looking ahead to the World Cup, how excited are you about being on the roster and being in France this summer? Yeah, I'm really excited for the upcoming World Cup. I'm just going to keep working hard and hopefully I get on that roster to represent my country. But yeah, I'm very excited. It seems like Australia has really reached a new level in terms of their recognition worldwide in the last four years. Why do you think the team has gotten to a point where you guys really are competing with the best teams in the world at this point? Yeah, I think we've improved a lot over the four years and I think us as a team, we think we can play the best football that we can and we can beat some of the best countries in the world. Our aim is to go into the World Cup and hopefully win it. Do you feel like at this point there's a feeling within the group that you guys do have what it takes to compete for the title? Yeah, I think our belief in our group is very strong and we all know what we're capable of as a team and we're both playing at our best so we're really looking forward to the World Cup. Have you had a chance to really reflect on all that you've accomplished even in the last few years at your age to be on the stage with the Thorns and about to be potentially on the stage with the World Cup? Not really. Just like to keep going day by day and just trying to be my best, yeah.