Good afternoon.

My name is Brianna Pinto and I'm from the United States, from the state of North Carolina.

I started playing football when I was three years old. For years, I was the only girl on my teams, but the boys didn't mind because I scored most of the goals.

Today, I'm 18 years old and I'm proud to play for the under-20 Women's National Team.

I love football for so many reasons.

It allows me to meet people from all over the world. Last year, we played against Iran. On the field, we were fierce competitors. But off the field, we shared meals and learned about each other's lives. Moments like that have taught me we may come from different countries and cultures but deep down we're all pretty much the same.

And we all love The Beautiful Game.

Just as your country's allowed me to get to know you, I hope we can welcome you and show you who we really are.

Thank you all very much.

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