USWNT captain Lindsey Horan explains why she will 'always sing the anthem' ahead of Paris Olympics

Fox Sports soccer analyst Stu Holden explains why the USWNT should not have the mindset that the Paris Olympics will be a developmental tournament.

Every athlete has a process for getting mentally prepared for the task ahead, especially those getting ready to represent their country in the Paris Olympics. 

For United States women's national soccer team captain Lindsey Horan, she uses the national anthem to get focused every time she steps foot on the pitch. 

While the national anthem has been a controversial topic for the U.S. women's national team, including this past year's Women's World Cup, Horan has been spotted singing the anthem while lined up with her teammates before a match. 

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Lindsey Horan, #10 of the United States, sings along to the national anthem during a game between Korea Republic and USWNT at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on June 1, 2024 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Erin Chang/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Ahead of this year's Paris Olympics, Horan explained why she loves singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as it rings out through stadiums all over the globe, and how it gets her mind right before a competition. 

"I think obviously it’s an individual choice," Horan told Fox News Digital, while discussing her partnership with Francis Ford Coppola Winery and its Diamond Collection launch earlier this week. 

"I think, for me, without getting emotional here, it’s like one of the coolest moments of a soccer game. You’re stepping out, it’s like the moment before you actually go out on the field. You can kinda sit there, and mentally, fully prepare for what you’re about to do. In that moment, I’m singing the anthem and I’m just [like], ‘I’m playing for my