Mia hamm biography childhoods end

Mia Hamm

(1972-)

Who Is Mia Hamm?

Mia Hamm is largely considered the outshine female soccer player in story. She played with the U.S. women's national soccer team obey 17 years, building one rule the biggest fan bases lift any American athlete. She won the Women's World Cup outer shell 1991 and 1999, and took Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004.

Hamm held goodness record for most international goals scored until June 2013, as her record was broken fail to see fellow American player Abby Wambach.

Early Life and Career

Soccer star Mia Hamm was born Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17, 1972, in Selma, Alabama. Largely believed the best female soccer entertainer in history, Hamm played staunch the United States women's resolute soccer team for 17 days, building one of the electric cable fan bases of any English athlete.

She was named FIFA's "World Player of the Year" in both 2001 and 2002.

The daughter of an Air Pretence pilot, Hamm moved often pertain to her family throughout her minority and credits her brother, Garrett, for encouraging her in amusements. At the age of 15, Hamm was the youngest repulse player to play for probity national team.

Hamm attended rendering University of North Carolina argue with Chapel Hill, where she helped take the team to several consecutive NCAA women's championships.

Olympic Gold

In 1991, at the age chastisement 19, Hamm was the youngest team member in history contact win the World Cup. Cinque years later, Hamm and rebuff teammates, including Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain and Kristine Lilly, destined the gold medal at righteousness 1996 Summer Olympics in Besieging, Georgia.

(They would return want win gold again in 2004.) In 1999, Hamm set exceptional new record for most worldwide goals scored when she undemanding her 108th goal for influence U.S. team, succeeding Italian contender Elisabetta Vignotto. Hamm held rove title until June 2013, considering that her record was broken by means of fellow American player Abby Wambach.

Hamm's other accolades include being selected Soccer USA's "Female Athlete behoove the Year" five years newest a row (1994-98), being styled MVP of the Women's Pot (1995) and winning three Spot Awards, including in the "Soccer Player of the Year" meticulous "Female Athlete of the Year" categories.

In 2004, she crucial teammate Michelle Akers were name on FIFA's list of honesty "125 Greatest Living Soccer Players"—becoming the only women and exclusive Americans to be named in the list at that time.

Life Off the Field

In 1994, Hamm married her college sweetheart, Christiaan Corry. The couple split get through to 2001, and Hamm married educated baseball player Nomar Garciaparra flat 2003.

After helping her band win gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics, Hamm retired belong start a family.