Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm 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 national 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 and helped the team win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles.
Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey is an American former professional 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 international goals for the US national team, making her the team's fourth-highest goal scorer behind Carli Lloyd's 134, Mia Hamm's 158 goals, and Abby Wambach's 184.
Sun Wen is a Chinese former professional footballer who played as a forward. She previously captained the China national team and the Atlanta Beat of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
Hege Riise is a Norwegian football coach and former midfield player. She is considered one of the best footballers of her generation, having won the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Olympic Games, and the UEFA Women's Euro with the Norway women's national football team.
Birgit Prinz is a German former footballer, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year. In addition to the German national team, Prinz played for 1. FFC Frankfurt in the Frauen-Bundesliga as well as the Carolina Courage in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's league in the United States. Prinz remains one of the game's most prolific strikers and is the second FIFA Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals. In 2011, she announced the end of her active career. She currently works as a sport psychologist for the men's and women's teams of Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Solveig Ingersdatter Gulbrandsen is a Norwegian footballer currently playing for Kolbotn of the Toppserien. At club level she has previously represented Kolbotn, FC Gold Pride, Vålerenga Fotball Damer and Stabæk. With the Norwegian national team Gulbrandsen accrued 183 caps, scored 55 goals and won the 2000 Summer Olympics.
The Toppserien is the top level of women's association football in Norway. It was founded in 1984.
Ann Kristin Aarønes is a Norwegian former footballer. She first played for Spjelkavik IL, then for Trondheims-Ørn and the Norwegian national team. Later she played for the WUSA's New York Power, during the club's first season of play in 2001.
Rosana dos Santos Augusto, commonly known as Rosana, is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as a left back or a left winger. She is the current coach of the Brazil national under-20 team.
The 1997 season of the Toppserien, the highest women's football (soccer) league in Norway, began on 26 April 1997 and ended on 11 October 1997.
Ragnhild Øren Gulbrandsen is a Norwegian journalist and former football striker from the city of Trondheim who retired from football at the end of 2007. Most of her playing career was spent with Trondheims-Ørn women's football club, with whom she won the Norwegian elite league, the Toppserien, three times and the Cup four times, and was the club's top scorer in 1997, 2000 and 2001. As of April 2012, Gulbrandsen's 141 Toppserien goals made her third in the all-time goalscorer statistics.
Ingrid Hjelmseth is a Norwegian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. She was Norway's No. 1 for a decade, and her former club Stabæk name her a legend.
Ane Stangeland Horpestad is a Norwegian former footballer who captained the Norway women's national football team. A cultured central defender, she represented Klepp and Kolbotn of the top Norwegian league, the Toppserien. She is from the seaside village of Orre in South-West Norway and lives in the town of Sandnes near Stavanger. Before joining Klepp at the age of 16 she played football only on boys' teams.
Brit Sandaune is a Norwegian footballer and pre-school teacher. She is originally from the rural area of Skatval in the municipality of Stjørdal, Nord-Trøndelag, and is educated in economy and administration. Brit is today settled in Trondheim with her cohabitant Roy Nilsen.
Gøril Kringen is a Norwegian former football player and coach, who has also worked as the Football Association of Norway's (NFF) head of women's football. As a player, she was an Olympic champion with the Norway women's national football team. She played club football for Trondheims-Ørn, and holds the record for total matches played for the club (515).
Bente Kvitland is a Norwegian former footballer who was an Olympic champion with the Norway women's national football team. She played club football in the Toppserien for Trondheims-Ørn and Asker.
Margunn Haugenes is a Norwegian footballer. She became Olympic champion in 2000. She has won silver medals with the Norway national team, in the World Cup and in the European Championships.
Tone Haugen is a former Norwegian professional footballer who played as a midfielder. With the Norway women's national team, Haugen won the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and an Olympic bronze medal in 1996. At club level she played for SK Trondheims-Ørn in Norway, then joined Japanese L. League team Nikko Securities Dream Ladies on a professional contract.
Trine Bjerke Rønning is a former Norwegian footballer. She has previously played for Trondheims-Ørn and Kolbotn. Since making her Norway women's national football team debut in October 1999, she has won over 150 caps. Rønning represented her country at the 2005, 2009 and 2013 editions of the UEFA Women's Championship, after being a non-playing squad member in 2001. She also played at the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 FIFA Women's World Cups, as well as at the 2008 Olympic football tournament. In February 2015 she was appointed captain of the national team.
The football tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the second edition of the women's Olympic football tournament and was held from 13 to 28 September 2000. It was hosted at three venues along the Eastern side of Australia with matches being held in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
