Michelle Akers
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michelle Anne Akers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | February 1, 1966 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Santa Clara, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder, Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1988 | UCF Knights | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | Tyresö FF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Tyresö FF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Orlando Lions Women | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Tyresö FF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–2000 | United States | 155 | (107) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Michelle Anne Akers (born February 1, 1966) is an American former soccer player, who starred in the historic 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup victories by the United States. She won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the 1991 tournament.
Akers is regarded as one of the greatest female soccer players of all time. She was named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, an award she shared with China's Sun Wen. In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only two women named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé and commissioned by FIFA for that organization's 100th anniversary.
Akers is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame; she was inducted in 2004, along with Paul Caligiuri and Eric Wynalda.
Born to Robert and Anne Akers in Santa Clara, California, Akers grew up in the Seattle, Washington suburb of Shoreline, where she attended and played soccer for Shorecrest High School. In her early years, she trained under Allen Richardson, also referred to as A.R. He taught her invaluable skills such as "the Drop Kick" and "Power Header," moves she used throughout her career. She was named an All-American three times during her high school career. At 5 feet, 10 inches in height and 150 pounds, Akers had an imposing physical presence on the soccer field and was noted for her aggressive and physical style of play.
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