Mia Hamm

Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm (born March 17, 1972) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward and midfielder for the United States national team from 1987 to 2004. She competed in four editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, winning in 1991 and 1999. She won gold at the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2004, and won silver in 2000. She was a founding player of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)—the first U.S. professional women's soccer league—where she played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels, helping the team win four NCAA Division I Championship titles. Hailed as a soccer icon, she is widely considered one of the best and most influential female players of all time.