Before a crowd of several thousand that packed Market Square in Downtown, Mayor Bill Peduto Friday honored Meghan Klingenberg, 27 of Gibsonia with a proclamation declaring August 14, 2015 to be “2015 Women’s World Cup champions day.”
“Not only is she a role model for young women athletes, she’s a role model for any athlete,” Peduto said. “She’s got a great personality that goes along with the skills that she’s been blessed with. She represents Pittsburgh and the United States very well,” he added moments before giving Klingenberg and her teammate Becky Sauerbrunn, who was with her for the day, proclamations from the Allegheny County Council.
Klingenberg who played soccer for Pine-Richland High School, just north of Pittsburgh from 2003-2007, played every minute in the World Cup Championship game against Japan, as well as in Sunday’s game when the team shut-out Costa Rica 8-0 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, before an estimated record-setting 44,000 people.
Sunday’s game was the first of a scheduled six game tour for the women.
“Today is absolutely wonderful. I want to be a role model for women athletes,” Klingenberg said. This is incredible, it’s incredible to be honored like this. She added “I love being able to give back to my city and this is one of the ways that we’re able to, so I’m so glad to be here.”
“I think one thing this team did is pull us together as a country,” Klingenberg said speaking about the July 5, 5-2 victory over Japan clinching the World Cup Championship for the U.S. Women’s team.
Young aspiring soccer players from surrounding communities were able to meet and speak with Klingenberg and Sauerbrunn after the awards ceremony when they signed autographs and took photos with their fans.
“This is just incredible to be able to meet Megan,” said Sarah Kline, 18 of Pittsburgh. “She is a real role model for me,” she added, smiling as Klingenberg signed her soccer ball.
In Sunday’s match against Costa Rica Klingenberg scored the 5th goal 56 minutes into the game, with an assist from Tobin Heath. She would have scored the team’s second goal early in the first period had Costa Rica’s lead goalie Dianna Diaz not made a last minute dive onto the ball, as Klingenberg was about to net it.
Costa Rica will get an opportunity to avenge today’s loss when they play the women again Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Tennessee.
