Mia Hamm was the best-known American soccer player of the 1990s. She became the youngest woman ever to make the U.S. national team when she joined the squad at age 15. With Hamm as its star, the team won gold medals at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics and claimed the 1999 World Cup championship. Hamm's talent, good looks and an endorsement deal with Nike combined to make her a familiar face and a popular sports idol. (People magazine named her as one if its 50 Most Beautiful People in 1997.) Hamm scored her 108th international competition goal in 1998, becoming the all-time world leader. She also played for the Washington Freedom of the Women's United Soccer Association, a league which folded in 2003. Hamm graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1994 with a political science degree.
Hamm, born in Selma, Alabama in 1972 owes her love of football to her older siblings and father, and she made her international debut at the tender age of 15. She won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996, and took silver in Sydney in 2000.
She was part of the FIFA Women's World Cup winning teams of 1991 and 1999, and gave an unforgettable performance as goalkeeper against Denmark in 1995 after Briana Scurry was dismissed. USA went on to finish third in that tournament.
Hamm is the icon of women's football and in the USA enjoys the same celebrity status and popularity as pop stars. Her work away from football is equally laudable. After her brother Garrett died in 1997, Hamm created the Mia Hamm Foundation to raise funds for bone marrow research.
Hamm has caused headlines with her private life, after marrying baseball star Nomar Garciaparra of the Chicago Cubs. Despite her astronomical success she has retained her humility.
"I just play football and enjoy being successful," says Hamm on her formula for happiness.
Hamm retired with 158 international goals, more than 50 ahead of any other player (male or female), and 276 caps, second only to America's Kristine Lilly.
Birgit Prinz voted FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2003
Germany striker Birgit Prinz has topped the poll for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year ahead of US legend Mia Hamm and Sweden's Hanna Ljungberg, going one better than last year when she finished runner-up to the American star.
The accolade represents a new high in the 26 year-old's already glittering career. "I'm really delighted at winning this award, it's a great honour and the icing on the cake this season," Prinz said at the World Player Gala in Basel. The player, capped 111 times by Germany, scored 268 points in the poll to finish well clear of Hamm on 133 and Ljungberg on 84.
"I wasn't counting on winning as there were plenty of contenders, especially at the World Cup," the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 leading scorer continued, insisting she did not believe herself to be the best women's footballer in the world despite the prestigious accolade: "I wouldn't lay claim to that, there are so many outstanding players. This is just a snapshot in time."
Despite her obvious delight at the World Player title, Prinz said Germany's triumph in the USA two months earlier remained the ultimate prize: "For me personally, winning the World Cup was the absolute highlight of this year, it's the pinnacle of achievement in our sport."
The 1.79 metre tall striker unfortunately had no time for a major celebration of her latest award: "I'm taking the high-speed train home tonight as I'm joining up with the national squad again tomorrow in Berlin: we have a reception with the Chancellor on Wednesday. I'd rather do my celebrating at Christmas." There had been a surprise for Prinz just ahead of the ceremony, as it was revealed to her she had been chosen to present the trophy to the men's Player of the Year. "But I didn't have time to get nervous," she smiled.
German Football Association (DFB) President Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, who presented Prinz with the weighty trophy, said he was delighted on her behalf: "I'm exceptionally pleased for her, it's a great accolade for women's football in Germany and yet another push in the right direction. Birgit Prinz deserved to win as she's played outstanding football." On developing women's football in Germany the DFB President commented: "I was bowled over by the rating of 13 million viewers for the World Cup Final, we have to build on that. We need to establish a broader base, especially in terms of encouraging young talent."
Sigi Dietrich, general manager at Prinz' club 1. FFC Frankfurt, joined in the chorus of praise for his protégé: "I'm incredibly proud. If there's a player in the world who's earned this award then it's her. I actually thought she should have won last year. She was the best player at the World Cup and she's won everything there is to win at club level with Frankfurt over the last three years. She's the most complete player in the world, a powerful representative of German women's football and a great personality."
Prinz is shortly to announce a decision whether to accept an offer from Italian Serie A club AC Perugia. At the World Player Gala she again confirmed talks with Perugia President Luciano Gaucchi, rejecting suggestions the signing might be no more than a publicity stunt: "He'll find it difficult to make capital at my expense. I'm very well aware of what I'm doing."
"If she's still serious about playing football it would be best if she stayed in the women's game. But there's a lot of money at stake, so I'd understand if she chose a different path. The most important thing is that she isn't sold up short. But she'll make her own decision," Frankfurt manager Dietrich commented.
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Can she do it again?
Look here
) and I have to say that she plays great football! If I am right Hamm retired, right? So now Prinz will have to take her role! I doubt she can do it, but I hope she will try!