retired female soccer players

[57] Though she continued playing to finish the match and even attempted to score a goal with her head, she dropped to the ground after the final whistle and was described by Spirit goalkeeper, Ashlyn Harris as dazed and mumbling. I don't believe in it. [227], In 2013, Wambach's biography was the focus of a one-hour ESPN documentary, Abby Head On. [164] She was also awarded the 2011 ESPY Award for Best Play for her 122nd-minute equalizing goal against Brazil during the quarterfinal. While some players are now able to play into their late 30s and early 40s, others decide to bow out when they feel that the time is right. She certainly didnt disappoint, connecting 106 times in 152 international matches. The goal was her sixth career Olympic goal, which broke the previous U.S. record held by Mia Hamm and Tiffeny Milbrett. [222] She has made appearances on the Today Show,[223] the Late Show with David Letterman,[224] The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,[225] and Good Morning America. Shes so well-rounded. She was smooth as silk on the ball while starring for Japan during an illustrious 23-year international career, from 1993 to 2015. After sliding onto the ball to score, she then led a celebration of cartwheels a tribute to the United States gymnastics team. [10] She was a member of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) U-16 National Team in 1996, the 1997 National U-20 Player Pool, and trained and played with the U.S. women's national soccer team while competing in the 1997 U.S. Soccer Festival in Blaine, Minnesota. Smith wound up playing in several soccer leagues pro, semi-pro and amateur in the United States before returning home for Arsenal Ladies (where she scored an astounding 73 goals in 66 games from 2005-2009). [84] Her last-minute goal was hailed as one of the five biggest goals in U.S. women's national team history by ESPN in 2011. Of the goal, she said, "After this year I've had, the heartbreak of not going to the Olympics, all of that pain is worth it. [75], Wambach scored the only goal against Norway during the quarterfinal, paving the way for the Americans to the semi-finals. She subbed in for Tiffeny Milbrett in the 76th minute. [239][240][241] Out Magazine named Wambach Athlete of the Year in November 2015. Oliver Kahn. [16] Following her senior season, Wambach was named to Parade magazine's High School All-America Team. She won the Fifa womens world player of the year the first two years of the award in 2001 and 2002. In her later years, Wambach became the spokesperson for the team, putting situations, controversies and challenges into proper context with her team-mates and the media. The only thing missing from her trophy cabinet is a major championship, although Brazil have come close several times. She was revered for her all-around skill, competitive spirit, and . [2] A six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a regular on the U.S. women's national soccer team from 2003 to 2015, earning her first cap in 2001. [143][144] During the victorious campaign, Wambach scored in a 10 win against Nigeria, her last goal in official competition. Pink whistles at the ready! Aims: To (1) compare neurocognitive performance, cognitive symptoms and mental health in retired elite female football players (FB) with retired elite female non-contact sport athletes . [163], In 2011, Wambach was awarded the Bronze Boot and Silver Ball at the FIFA Women's World Cup. Joining the Brazilian national team at 16, Sissis most memorable moments came at the 1999 Womens World Cup when she shared the Golden Boot with Chinas Sun Wen, while helping Brazil to a third-place finish. [139] Wambach also scored the game-tying third goal, on a penalty kick, in the United States' 43 controversial semi-final win over Canada. Pia Sundhage was a formidable player before taking up her coaching career. [10], Individually, she was the SEC Freshman of the Year (1998), a freshman All-American (1998), a first-team All-SEC selection for four straight seasons (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001), a two-time SEC Player of the Year (2000, 2001), twice received SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors (2000, 2001), and was named a first-team All-American her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons in 1999, 2000 and 2001. [14] While playing in her first youth soccer league at age five, she was transferred from the girls' team to the boys' after scoring 27 goals in only three games. [5] All together, she played in 29 matches and scored 22 goals at these five international tournaments. One of the first experiences where I knew she'd be better than most, was a game of catch football. [215] She has participated in Mia Hamm's annual Celebrity Soccer Challenge which raises money for Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation. The U.S. defeated Sweden 31 with goals scored by Kristine Lilly, Cindy Parlow, and Shannon Boxx. [242], Wambach was featured along with her national teammates in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series starting in FIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game. Wambach's goal in the 59th minute lifted the Americans to a 21 victory. The Nine for IX documentary, The 99ers, in which Wambach appeared focused on the success and legacy of the national team that won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Jennings-Gabarra, who collected 53 goals in 117 international appearances, was forced to retire due to injuries after the USA won the 1996 Olympic gold medal. [8] Her second book, Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power and Change the Game, based on her viral commencement speech at Barnard College, was also a New York Times Bestseller in 2019. In 2001, Wambach's WUSA and collegiate performance earned her a spot at the national team training camp. [26] During the final against the Carolina Courage, the Freedom lost in front of 12,000 spectators at Herndon Stadium in Atlanta. [153] Although she was not the quickest or most technically gifted forward, Wambach was known for her physical, effective, and direct style of play, as well as her excellent sense of space and positioning, which allowed her to get onto the end of long balls and crosses, as well as making passes to her teammates with back headers and backheels. She was a double threat, recording five goals and five assists. Akers defined not one, but two, positions in womens soccer. Her first cap for the United States women's national soccer team occurred on September 9, 2001, during a match against Germany at the Nike U.S. Cup in Chicago. ", "Abby Wambach announces retirement: Top 10 career accomplishments", "Abby Wambach's towering legacy only begins with broken records", "Passing Patterns of the U.S.'s Top Playmakers", "Wambach wins Female Athlete of the Year", "Wambach Honored with WPS Record Seventh Career Player of the Week Title", "Despite outcome, U.S. women earned respect", "Abby Wambach Was Named Female Athlete of the Year", "Abby Wambach Way Dedication & Ribbon Cutting", "Abby Wambach honored at Sahlen's Stadium with 'Wambach Way', "Lionel Messi And Abby Wambach Win FIFA's 2012 Male And Female Player of the Year Awards", "Abby Wambach: USA striker named world's best female player", "Abby Wambach wins FIFA Women's Player of the Year", "U.S. forward Wambach named world's best player", "Wambach runner-up for FIFA Player of Year award", "U.S. women celebrate World Cup with ticker-tape parade in New York City", "Team USA parades NYC's "Canyon of Heroes", "Obama To U.S. Women's Soccer Team: 'Playing Like A Girl Means You're A Badass', "Lesbian icons honored with jerseys worn by USWNT", "Former USWNT Star Abby Wambach Marries Blogger Glennon Doyle Melton", "Soccer star Abby Wambach scolds Naples car thieves", "U.S. team star Abby Wambach leaves her Portland home to anchor New York NWSL club", "Abby Wambach details drugs, alcohol use and divorce in her new book", "A Christian mom blogger announces she's dating soccer star Abby Wambach", "Soccer Star Abby Wambach and Christian Blogger Glennon Doyle Melton Announce Engagement: 'Love Wins', "Clinton Dominating the NH Surrogate Game", "Abby Wambach is No. New Zealand coach Jitka Klimkova said the 'Football Ferns' would fight for their country at the Women's World Cup they are co-hosting with Australia after naming her 23-woman squad for the . An explosive player who scored 80 goals in 99 games, Nkwocha was the face of Nigerian football. On July 22, 2011, Wambach was named the player-coach for the magicJack for the rest of the 2011 WPS season. Little wonder that Kelly Smith was chosen as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2008. [134] In the 38th minute, Colombian midfielder Lady Andrade ran into Wambach's path while the U.S. was pushing upfield and punched her in the face. She played on two world champion sides (1991, 1999) and has two Olympic gold medals and a silver in her collection. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was awarded the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, at the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich, on January 7, 2013. (WCMH) - The United States women's national soccer team posted on Twitter that player Carli Lloyd, 39, will be retiring from the team. [169][170], Wambach was named the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the fourth woman ever, and the first American[171] since Mia Hamm 10 years earlier, to win the award. I don't think he was ready to get blasted. But what separates the best in women's soccers from the rest? Her left leg was put in a brace and she was taken off the field on a stretcher. Regarded as one of the best female golfers in history, Annika Srenstam has a winning record of 8 Player of the Year awards and 6 Vare Trophies which are given to the LPGA player with the lowest scoring average. She ended the tournament having scored six goals in six matches, despite her head injury and a previous foot injury suffered during a friendly match against Finland just a month prior to the World Cup.[106][107][108]. She was a regular scorer for the Preston Ladies and Dick, Kerrs Ladies in England. David Bentley. [101] During the first half, with the match poised at 00, English captain Faye White required extensive treatment following an elbow in the face from Wambach. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two all time soccer legends who back up their style with championship play on the field and have hottest soccer fans. The game also marked the first women's soccer game at Old Trafford in 23 years. If people feel like that, then let's use this as another experience to give them a gauge in how to react in tough situations, give them a platform as a possibility. "[135] After reviewing match footage, FIFA officials later imposed a two-match ban on the Colombian player. Wambach's 10-yard header in the 112th minute off a corner kick from Kristine Lilly gave the U.S. a 21 victory and the gold medal win. [33][34], Five days before the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, the first World Cup that Wambach would play in, the WUSA folded citing financial difficulties and a lack of sponsorship. [56], During the team's second regular season match against the Washington Spirit in Boyds, Maryland, Wambach was struck hard in the face from close range on an attempted clearance by her teammate, Brittany Taylor, in the 80th minute of the match. Yet, she found ways to make life difficult for the US. In the 2019 women's World Cup, now being played. [40] Wambach was suspended for one game after the challenge was reviewed by the league commissioner. All 4 of Wambach's goals in the tournament were scored using her head. Age: 30. "[115] Wambach said during a conference call a few days after the injury, "I called Lauren Cheney from the hospital, 'I want you to go there and not feel bad about being selected in this type of way What's important is that the team going into this tournament is feeling that they can win this. FAaims to double number of women involved in football by end of the decade, W-League to introduce player minimum wage standards: FFA boss, Howwe ranked the top 20 best women's football players of all time, Our No1 player: Marta, Brazils brilliant football nomad, How we ranked the top 20 female players of all time. [68] She scored her first international goal on April 27, 2002, during a friendly match against Finland in San Jose, California after subbing in for Christie Welsh in the 75th minute. 3 women's player in the game. [136][137], During the United States' third group stage match against North Korea, Wambach scored the lone goal of the match during the 25th minute on a play that consisted of a long ball by Lauren Cheney to Alex Morgan. How the Guardian ranked the 100 best female footballers in the world 2021 Leading coaches, former players and journalists from the women's game are among the 86 judges for this year's. The tweet read, "A legendary career comes to a close. Caps: 96. The first match for the national team was slated to start on August 6. There's no question of whether or not I'll come back from this, it's more when I'll come back. [103][104], The United States faced Brazil in the semi-finals in what would become a controversial and game-changing match for the team. I never felt like I was in a closet. No I or individual is better than the team. [95] During their first match of the tournament against North Korea, Wambach collided in the air with North Korean defender, Ri Kum-Suk, and landed on the ground with blood streaming down her head. [140], Wambach scored five goals at the 2012 Olympics and scored in every match except the final. He played the majority of his career in England, as a midfielder for clubs including Leeds, Newcastle, and West Ham. The attacking midfielder started playing soccer with boys teams at the age of six before joining a girls side at 14. 20 20. As it turned out, stopping penalties became one of Angerers specialties. She got up and he was on the ground, groaning. [31][44], Wambach returned to the Washington Freedom for the 2010 WPS season, winning the WPS Player of the Week award in week 2 for scoring one goal and serving two assists against the Atlanta Beat. [184], Wambach is married to author Glennon Doyle and resides in Hermosa Beach, California. [228] The same year, she appeared in the ESPN documentary series, Nine for IX. She was lethal with both feet, scoring 46 goals in 117 appearances over a remarkable two-decade international career (1995-2015). Overshadowed by flashier players, Sawa let her game do the talking. That includes dribbling confounding foes with her superb skill, creating goals thanks to her vision, and scoring them thanks to a tenacious desire to succeed. It was well deserved. After earning two Olympic gold medals, Wambach finally completed her elusive quest of winning the World Cup with the USA at the 2015 competition in Canada before retiring late last year. Be it because of her looks or how she played the beautiful game, she was about as famous as female footballers get. I've never scored a goal without receiving a pass from somebody else. The United States was ahead 10 thanks to a goal Wambach had scored in the 50th minute, assisted by Kristine Lilly. [6] Along with her U.S. teammates, Wambach won two Olympic gold medals, finished third twice at the Women's World Cup, finished second at the 2011 World Cup, and won the 2015 Women's World Cup. [83], After defeating Germany in overtime during the semi-final, the U.S. faced Brazil for a second time in the Olympic final. Michelle Akers (center) used her speed and height to deadly effect. She also was a member of a combined Great Britain side that reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 London Olympics. 1 of 10 Renate Lingor retired from both club and international football in 2008, but over the course of an illustrious 22-year career she was the engine room for both FFC Frankfurt and the. "I think I was bred to do what I do now", Wambach said in an interview. It leveled the game and forced a shootout, which the Americans won. Sun never won a major tournament as China finished second to the USA in the 1996 Olympics and was runner-up to her rivals, losing in a shootout at the 1999 Womens World Cup final. [110] On July 16, during a nationally televised exhibition match against Brazil, she broke her left leg during a collision with Brazilian defender, Andria Rosa, preventing her from playing at the Games. Katherine Ellen Foley and Dan Kopf Published June 18, 2019 At the very highest echelon of soccer, women players tend to be younger than men. Kelly Smith was the outstanding English female player of her generation. Sawa gave notice to the rest of the world in her international debut against the Philippines, scoring four times in a win. [187][188], Wambach was previously married to soccer player Sarah Huffman from 2013 to 2016. Prinz was a difficult player to mark because she knew when to shoot, and she combined a physical presence with impressive pace. In her younger days, Akers was a lethal striker. The team also won four consecutive Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships from 1998 to 2001. Known for her exceptional goal-scoring abilities . Coach Greg Ryan decided to bench starting goalkeeper, Hope Solo, and instead started Brianna Scurry, a veteran goalkeeper who had started in three World Cups and two Olympics, but who had started very few matches since the 2004 Olympics. [191] Two months later, Wambach confirmed she was in a relationship with author and her future wife, Glennon Doyle. [207] She signed a one-year endorsement deal with Bank of America in July 2011. "The way that he has brought in a bunch of these foreign guys is not something I believe in wholeheartedly. Former Mexico international forward Oribe Peralta also stepped away from the game after a storied career in Liga MX. She was Washington's leading scorer with ten goals and ten assists and finished tied for fourth for scoring in the WUSA. [52] On January 11, 2013, Wambach was allocated to the National Women's Soccer League club, Western New York Flash, in her hometown of Rochester, New York, as part of the NWSL Player Allocation. Mia Hamm, Birgit Prinz, Marta and Kelly Smith all made our top 20. During the Freedom's next game on May 3, 2009, she received a yellow card for a tackle on St. Louis Athletica midfielder Daniela that left Daniela with two damaged knee ligaments and a crack in the tibia and sidelined her for the rest of the season. "[113] Although the team won the exhibition match with a goal scored by Natasha Kai off a free kick from Carli Lloyd and would enter the Games undefeated for the year, Wambach's teammates were unsettled by her injury. Japan won 31, with Wambach converting the fourth and only successful penalty for the U.S.[128], Wambach's final tally for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup was four goals and one assist, an effort that earned her the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze Boot after Brazil's Marta (4 goals, 2 assists, Silver Boot) and Japan's Homare Sawa (5 goals, 1 assist, Golden Boot). Wambach recalls being toughened up by her elder brothers firing hockey pucks at her for target practice. [203] In her autobiography, which was released several months after the incident, Wambach wrote that she had abused prescription drugs and alcohol for many years and had been sober since her April arrest. With another goal from Alex Morgan and one from Carli Lloyd during the second half, the U.S. defeated France 42. He was one of .more "[197] She reaffirmed her criticism during an interview released in October 2016, stating, "It's just my opinion, and I'm entitled to that. US Soccer announced several days later that she had suffered a concussion and acknowledged that the injury should have been handled differently by the referee, coaching staff, and players. "[90][91] At the end of 2004, Wambach had scored 31 goals and 13 assists in 30 matches for the national team. With Mia Hamm out for the first half of the season for knee surgery and recovery, the Freedom found themselves in sixth place. Here are the top 20 soccer players who retired too young. She did a lot of the little things that got lost in the limelight of her attack minded team-mates. [19] After sticking with her commitment to her parents to visit five schools, Wambach accepted a full athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she played for coach Becky Burleigh's Florida Gators women's soccer team from 1998 to 2001. "There are obviously tons of emotions going through me right now", Cheney said, "I have the deepest sorrow for Abby, but I am excited to be part of the 18 going to the Olympics. As a pre-teen, she began eluding defenders by heading the ball over them and running around them. They range from Dutchman Robin van Persie, who began his career as a star for Arsenal, to Xavi, one of the most accomplished players in Spanish soccer history. As stoppage time was running down in Germanys 2-1 win over Brazil in the group stage of the 2000 Sydney Games, Prinz almost became the first women to register an Olympic hat-trick. Srenstam is also the first female player to ever compete in a PGA tour since 1945. [145], In her international career, Wambach scored 184 goals in 255 international matches. Perhaps her most dramatic header was that spectacular goal she scored in stoppage time after 120 minutes against Brazil in the 2011 World Cup quarter-finals. It should come as no surprise that Germany won the 2003 and 2007 Womens World Cup, with Prinz earning the Golden Ball in the former and the Silver Ball in the latter. So vote up the soccer players who retired in 2019 . Probably. Pele established his legacy years ago. Nevertheless, that all went away because of her off the field antics that saw her face legal issues. [37], In 2008, a new professional league was announced for women in the United States: Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). Methods In January 2022, a comprehensive systematic literature search in three databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, SPORTDiscus via EBSCOhost . [202] Following the incident, automaker MINI pulled a commercial featuring Wambach. I learned how to compete, my brothers and sisters always played with me on the same level and they never let me win until I was better than them and deserved it. [116] The gold medal was the third for the national team, after winning titles at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Games, the first Olympic tournament that included women's soccer. Wambach had become a regular on the team for five years and had assumed a new position as leader on the team. But what happens when their careers come to an end? She struck twice in the first Womens World Cup final in 1991, including the game-winner in the final minutes of a 2-1 triumph over Norway. Her unofficial philosophy was that it wasnt about her, even though it often was, especially in 2012 when she was voted Fifa world player of the year. During a Concacaf womens soccer symposium in 2012, a five-minute video was shown to attendees, highlighting Solos stunning saves. When she retired from international soccer in 2004, Riise had scored 58 goals in a Norwegian-record 188 matches. Alexia Putellas is our new No 1 with another five Barcelona players in the top 10 of our joint list with the Offside Rule Podcast. [234], Wambach posed nude in The Body Issue of ESPN The Magazine in 2012. [168] In August 2012, after returning home from winning gold at the Summer Olympics in London, the city of Rochester honored Wambach by hosting a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony in which the entrance to Sahlen's Stadium was named "Wambach Way". Wambach fell to the ground in pain. [154][158][159][160] In addition to her playing abilities, Wambach was praised for her determination, tenacity, and leadership. [10] Over ten years later, she remains the Florida Gators' all-time leading scorer with ninety-six goals. [30], During the 2003 season, Wambach tied with Freedom teammate, Mia Hamm for the league's scoring lead with 33 points. [61] She made her home debut for the Flash on May 1 and scored the match-winning goal in the 20th minute to defeat Sky Blue 21. Her last game was played on December 16 in New Orleans when the United States played its last match of its 10-game Victory Tour following its win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Lilly just went on running and running. Athletes with the Most Annoying Fans 2 Diego Maradona Forward and Midfielder from Lans, Argentina 422 votes Nationality: Argentina Diego Armando Maradona (30 October 1960 - 25 November 2020) was an Argentine retired professional footballer. [45] She was the top overall vote-getter in WPS All-Star voting, making her one of two captains for the 2010 WPS All-Star Game. [229], In April 2015, Wambach joined Alex Morgan on American Idol to announce that the show's season winner would record the official song for Fox's coverage of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Home Soccer The 10 Best (And 10 Worst) Female Soccer Players To Play For Team USA By Bhav Patel Published Jul 3, 2018 Team USA has been the gold standard in womens soccer for ages. [112], "Obviously, it's devastating, but above everything else, I'm only one player, and you can never win a championship with just one player", Wambach said of her injury, "I have the utmost confidence in this team bringing home the gold. "[190] In September 2016, Wambach announced that she and Huffman were divorcing. It was the team's first league win and lifted them to a three-way tie for third place in the league. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Akers retired at the age of 34, having scored 105 times in 153 international games.

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