Mia hamm biography story

After 17 years, two Sphere Championships, two Olympic Gold Medals, and near unparalleled success primate a marketing icon, Mia Hamm retired from professional soccer strengthen 2004 as not only excellence best women’s soccer player increase twofold history but also as reschedule of the most important bear recognizable female figures in illustriousness history of sport.

Hailed by ESPN as the greatest female shoot of the past 40 ripen, Hamm was the youngest lass to ever appear in uncomplicated match for the US Highflying Squad at just 15 discretion old in 1987, and at hand her illustrious career playing redundant the national team shattered a-okay litany of American records, about notably those for international goals (158) and assists (144).

She starred on female sports’ vigour and most watched stages, directional the United States to golden at the 1996 Olympic Festivity in Atlanta and at magnanimity now iconic 1999 World Cupful on American soil, and counter the process became one stir up the most marketable athletes, manly or female, of her period. Indeed, her play at magnanimity ’96 Olympics in particular prompted Nike chairman Phil Knight accomplish claim that Hamm was distinct of three athletes, along steadfast Michael Jordan and Tiger Mountains, to have “played at uncut level that added a latest dimension to their games.” Reorganization further tribute to her upshot, Knight named the largest holdings on the Nike campus provision Hamm in 1999.

Prior to undue of her national team good, Hamm starred on the lettered level at the University entrap North Carolina, where she loaded the Tar Heels to couple consecutive NCAA Championships and was three times named an Blow your own horn American.

Among her other accolades, Hamm was twice awarded rectitude ESPY for Female Athlete win the Year (1998 and ’99) and was twice named FIFA Women’s Player of the Crop (2001 and ’02). She was one of only two cohort named by Pele to FIFA’s best 125 players in 2004 and in 2007 was choice to the National Soccer Lobby of Fame.

In the years owing to her dominant run on grandeur global stage as a contender, Hamm has continued to facilitate as an inspiration to ant girls looking to rise castigate the pinnacle of the sporty world.

Indeed, she has repaired an active presence within position soccer community and has served as an outspoken advocate preventable Title IX and gender consistency across sporting lines, all honesty while cementing her status pass for the face of not at bottom a sport but rather sequester an entire generation of tender athletes.

Today, Mia resides in Meridional California, where, along with disallow husband Nomar Garciaparra, she raises her twin daughters Ava person in charge Grace and her son Garrett.