Mia Hamm

Mariel Margaret Hamm (born March 17, 1972) is an American former professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Hailed as a soccer icon, she played as a forward for the United States national team from 1987 to 2004. Hamm was the face of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women's soccer league in the United States, where she played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels and helped the team win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles.

Hamm competed in four FIFA Women's World Cups: the inaugural 1991 tournament in China, 1995 in Sweden, 1999 and 2003 in the United States. She led the team at three Olympic Games — 1996 in Atlanta (the first time women's soccer was played), 2000 in Sydney, and 2004 in Athens. At these seven international tournaments she played in 42 matches and scored 14 goals.

Hamm held the record for most international goals scored until 2013 and remains in third place as of 2023. She ranks third in the history of the U.S. team for international caps (276) and first for career assists (144). Hamm was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. She was chosen by Pelé as one of FIFA's 125 greatest living players in the FIFA 100, to celebrate the organization's 100th anniversary. Hamm was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year five years in a row, and won three ESPY awards including Soccer Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year. The Women's Sports Foundation named her Sportswoman of the Year in 1997 and 1999. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame, and was the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame.A co-owner of Los Angeles FC, Hamm is also a global ambassador for FC Barcelona and is on the board of directors of Serie A club A.S. Roma. Author of Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life, Hamm has been featured in several films and television shows, including the HBO documentary, Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team.