Hailed as a soccer icon, Mia Hamm retired from professional soccer in 2004 after seventeen years, two World Championships, two Olympic Gold Medals, all while serving as the face of not merely one sport, but rather an entire generation of athletes. She is remembered as one of the best soccer players in history and one of the most important and recognizable female athletes of all time.
In 1987, at just fifteen years old, Hamm was the youngest woman ever to play in a match for the U.S. Senior Squad, the beginning of an illustrious career of firsts. Less than ten years later, in 1996, Hamm played as a forward for the gold-winning, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team at the Atlanta Olympic Games, the first time women’s soccer was played in the Olympics.
Hamm has continued to serve as an inspiration for young girls looking to compete in athletics. She has maintained an active presence within the soccer community and has served as an outspoken advocate for Title IX and gender equality.
