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Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm signing an autograph.jpg
Hamm in June 2008
Personal information
Full name Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm-Garciaparra
Date of birth (1972-03-17) March 17, 1972 (age 44)
Place of birth Selma, Alabama, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Playing position Forward
Youth career
1986–1988 Notre Dame Knights
1989 Lake Braddock Bruins
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1994 North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Washington Freedom 49 (25)
National team
1987–2004 United States 275 (158)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 28, 2007.
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 29, 2007

Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm-Garciaparra (born March 17, 1972) is an American retired professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup winner. Hamm played as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004 and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom in the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, the WUSA.

Hamm held the record for international goals, more than any other player, male or female, in the history of soccer, until 2013 when fellow American Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal to break the record and Christine Sinclair of Canada passed her in August 2016. Hamm is also the third most capped female player in soccer history behind Kristine Lilly and Christie Rampone, appearing in 275 international matches. She also holds the national team record for most career assists with 144.

Hamm was named the women's FIFA World Player of the Year the first two times that award was given (in 2001 and 2002). She is listed as one of FIFA's 125 best living players (as chosen by Pelé) being one of two women, accompanied by teammate Michelle Akers. She was also inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as well as the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and the World Football Hall of Fame.

Mia Hamm is the author of Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life and appeared in the HBO documentary Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team. Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon called Hamm, "Perhaps the most important athlete of the last 15 years."


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Wikipedia

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