Vancouver was a sea of red, white and blue when the United States claimed the World Cup title on July 5. Chants of “I believe that we will win” rang loud and true as I reveled in the moment I had been waiting for since I was 6 years old.

I remember where I was when I watched the U.S. Women’s National team beat China in the 1999 World Cup final. My whole family was sitting in the living room watching, eyes glued to the TV as Brandi Chastain walked up to take her legendary penalty kick.

I remember asking, “Why isn’t Mia Hamm taking one, Dad?” without ever taking my eyes off the tall blonde walking toward the box from the halfway line.

“She doesn’t take penalty kicks, Sara. Never has,” he answered.

And then magic happened.

In 2000, a year after their World Cup win, my dad caught word that the national team would be practicing at Seattle University. He pulled my sister and me out of school to go watch, Chastain jerseys in hand.

I got autographs from every member of the famous 99ers world championship team, including Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm and a little-known player at the time named Abby Wambach.

In 2003, the Women’s World Cup was once again held in the U.S. One location for games was in Portland, and my family road-tripped down for my first Women’s World Cup experience.

We went to the semi-final game, where the U.S. ended up losing 3-0 to Germany, who would eventually go on to win it all. After we got back home, our message machine was flooded with calls saying that my face was the first shot of the broadcast, smiling and cheering, waving my sign; and my face was at the end of the broadcast, looking devastated and wondering how this could have happened to my beloved team.

As a female soccer player, I am biased toward this sport and how it needs to evolve.

Even though my personal experience playing soccer has been a love/hate relationship, I am still an avid enthusiast of the game and its growth toward equality.

It’s easy to say that men’s soccer is more fun to watch, and in a sense I would agree. The men are faster and tackle harder. They are more dynamic in their plays and goals. However, I would also argue that the women play on another level.

You will see them observe the field and weigh options to make crisp, cleaner passes. You will see them make moves and dance around the ball to beat a defender instead of simply trying to outrun and outmuscle their opponent. You will see them play physical like the men’s team, without all the diving and fake injuries.

You will see Abby Wambach, a player who has more goals than any other U.S. soccer player inhistory, man or woman, inspire thousands of little girls every where to pick up a bal.

I was one of those little girls at 6 years old, and I still have that same thrill at 22.

At 5 a.m. on July 5, 2015, my family packed in the car, making our way up to Vancouver, Canada, to watch the women take on Japan for the World Cup final. It has been 12 years since I last attended the World Cup, and 16 years since the U.S. last claimed the trophy.

How does one describe the emotions of witnessing what happened? Five goals for the U.S., four of which came in the first half. And people say soccer is boring.

Watching a team that I idolized as a young girl and continue to love as an adult is something I really cherish. Having an opportunity to be a part of this excitement is something I will always thank my parents and this team for. My parents for bringing that excitement to our home and this 2015 national team for bringing that excitement back to the country.

This team is more than just a bunch girls playing a sport designed for men. They are the new generation of heroes. Heroes who have three stars on their jersey., more than any other women’s team in history, and three more than the U.S. men have on theirs.

For the record, I am a huge fan of the men’s team as well. I’m simply arguing that being a part of something like this, as a player or as a fan, is really special.

These women played on turf sometimes registering temperatures up to 130 degrees, far higher than the melting temperature for glue that holds cleats together. Vancouver was having an outbreak of forest fires and the air was filled with smoke on the day of the final. Just walking through the streets, I had trouble breathing, and I wasn’t even one of the players running for 90 minutes. Not to mention that after their win, the women are being paid $33 million less than the German men were paid after winning the World Cup one year ago.

This team and this accomplishment have earned respect for women’s soccer in America and all over the world, and it’s time to recognize it.

“I believe that we will win.”