The forward could miss as much as a year after breaking her leg in two places during a recent tune-up friendly, but made a point of keeping her cool to show confidence in the team.

"Some people have said that I looked calm on the field, but it really was only an acceptance of reality," Wambach told reporters. "I believe in my future and the future of the team."

"I know I'm an important player, but the injury has also made me realize how insignificant one player is in the team environment - it takes a team to win a championship."

"I didn't want to react on the field because I know what it takes to win a gold medal and I know one person isn't going to be the answer," she added.

"I wanted to set an example for my teammates so they could see on my face that I know, whether I'm on the field or not, that they can win."