Mariel Margaret Hamm-Garciaparra is an American former professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Hailed as a soccer icon, she played as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004. Hamm was the face of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, where she played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team and helped the team win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles.
Tiffeny Carleen Milbrett is an American former professional soccer forward who was a longtime member of the United States women's national team. In May 2018 the National Soccer Hall of Fame announced Milbrett will be enshrined in the Hall. A native of Oregon, she starred at the University of Portland where she scored a then school record 103 goals during her career. She won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta and a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She also played in three World Cups, winning in 1999. She is in the top five all-time in the United States national soccer team in three offensive categories.
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's international governing body. The competition has been held every four years and one year after the men's FIFA World Cup since 1991, when the inaugural tournament, then called the FIFA Women's World Championship, was held in China. Under the tournament's current format, national teams vie for 31 slots in a three-year qualification phase. The host nation's team is automatically entered as the 32nd slot. The tournament, called the World Cup Finals, is contested at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about one month.
Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey is an American retired soccer player. She was a member of the United States women's national team for 23 years and is the most-capped football player in the history of the sport, gaining her 354th and final cap against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in November 2010. Lilly scored 130 goals for the US national team, behind Mia Hamm's 158 goals, and Abby Wambach's 184.
Hege Riise is a Norwegian football coach and former midfield player who is coaching the Norway women's national football team. One of the best footballers of her generation, she won the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the UEFA Women's Euro with the Norway women's national football team.
Michelle Anne Akers is an American former soccer player who starred in the 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories by the United States. At the 1991 World Cup, she won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer, with ten goals.
The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States of America in international women's soccer. The team is the most successful in international women's soccer, winning four Women's World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals, and nine CONCACAF Gold Cups. It medaled in every World Cup and Olympic tournament in women's soccer from 1991 to 2015, before being knocked out in the quarterfinal of the 2016 Summer Olympics by Sweden. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.
The Germany women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football. The team is governed by the German Football Association (DFB).
Pia Mariane Sundhage is a Swedish football manager and former professional player. She is the head coach of the Brazil women's national team. As a player, Sundhage played most of her career as a forward and retired as the top scorer for the Sweden national team, but she also had stints playing as a midfielder and a sweeper.
The Italy women's national football team has represented Italy in international women's football since their inception in 1968. The team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy.
The Norway women's national football team is controlled by the Football Association of Norway. The team is former European, World and Olympic champions and thus one of the most successful national teams. The team has had less success since the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Carin Leslie Jennings-Gabarra is an American retired soccer forward. She earned 117 caps with the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 1996 and was awarded the Golden Ball Award as the best player at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2000, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She currently coaches women's soccer at the United States Naval Academy.
Nicole Renee Barnhart is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for FC Gold Pride and Philadelphia Independence in Women's Professional Soccer, and for the United States national team where she was a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She competed in qualifying matches for 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2011 Four Nations Tournament and 2011 Algarve Cup.
Bente Dalum Nordby is a former Norwegian football goalkeeper, who last played for Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon, France. She played with the Norway women's national football team from 1991 to 2007.
Gro Espeseth is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and olympic champion.
Jenny Lynn Bindon is an American-born association football coach and former goalkeeper who represented New Zealand at the international level. She played 77 full internationals in between 2004 and 2010. She most recently served as the head coach of the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) women's soccer team.
Lisa Karolina Viktoria Dahlkvist is a Swedish professional football midfielder who plays for Umeå IK and the Sweden national team. She previously played in the Swedish Damallsvenskan for Umeå IK, Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Tyresö FF, and KIF Örebro, in the Norwegian Toppserien for Avaldsnes IL and in the French Division 1 Féminine for Paris Saint-Germain.
Federica D'Astolfo is an Italian football coach and former midfielder. She played for Italy at the 1991 and 1999 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup. Active at club level from 1978 to 2006, she won five women's Serie A winner's medals and one Coppa Italia winner's medal.
Stefania Antonini is an Italian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for the Italy women's national football team. She was the national team's first choice goalkeeper at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. At club level she collected five women's Serie A winner's medals and three Coppa Italia winner's medals.
Paola Bonato is an Italian footballer who played as a defender for the Italy women's national football team. She accrued 71 caps between 1983 and 1991, and was part of the team at four editions of the UEFA Women's Championship and at the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. In a 19-year career at club level she won seven Serie A winner's medals and three Coppa Italia winner's medals, while playing for Trani, Lazio and Reggiana.
