Mallory Swanson Recounts Watching 2012 U.S. Women's Soccer Team Win Olympic Gold — at Buffalo Wild Wings

Swanson and her U.S. women's soccer teammates will play Brazil in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics

Things have changed quite a bit for Mallory Swanson in the last 12 years.

When the U.S. women's national soccer team won gold during the 2012 Olympics in London, Swanson was locked in — and watching from a chain restaurant. Now, she'll be the one to play in the gold medal match in Paris.

"One of my good friends on my team growing up, she texted me the other day saying, 'Remember we watched the women's national team in 2012 ... win the gold at Buffalo Wild Wings?' " Swanson, 26, recounted to reporters, including PEOPLE, during a press conference on Aug. 8 in Paris.

Said Swanson, "It's kind of crazy that I have a chance to do so. But yeah, I think that kind of full circle moment was pretty cool."

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Her teammate Trinity Rodman, on the other hand, said she was only 5 years old during those Games — but in general, has been "looking up to this team for so long."

"Being in this position to now compete for a gold medal is surreal to me," said Rodman, 22. "There's so many historical, legendary moments throughout history of this national team winning gold and having insane moments. But for me, I'm just so happy to be here and in awe of this entire experience."

On Saturday, Aug. 10, Rodman and Swanson will join their teammates to play Brazil in the 2024 Olympic women's soccer gold medal match at Parc des Princes in Paris.

It will be a redemption arc, of sorts, as the Team USA women haven't won a gold since that 2012 team. In 2020, they earned a bronze and in 2016 were booted during the quarterfinal.

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If they're victorious this year, it will mark the U.S. women's fifth Olympic gold medal. In total, they've medaled six times since women's soccer was added to the Games in 1996.

"We're working so hard and we're meshing and we are doing so much behind the scenes," Rodman told reporters of this team. "I just feel like we're all free, which has been so nice to see and I feel like we're just building on that."

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympics newsletter, to get the biggest stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.

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