Hope Solo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hope Solo

Solo in training for the United States in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth	(1981-07-30) July 30, 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth	Richland, Washington, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1996–2000	Richland High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003	Philadelphia Charge	8	(0)
2004	Kopparbergs/Göteborg	19	(0)
2005	Lyon	7	(0)
2009–2010	Saint Louis Athletica	23	(0)
2010	Atlanta Beat	16	(0)
2011	magicJack	4	(0)
2012	Seattle Sounders Women	3	(0)
2013–2016	Seattle Reign	54	(0)
Total		134	(0)
National team
1996–1997	United States U16
1998	United States U19
1999–2000	United States U21
2000–2016	United States	202	(0)
Honours Women's soccer Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team Gold 2012 London Team FIFA Women's World Cup Winner 2015 Canada Runner-up 2011 Germany Bronze 2007 China
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Hope Solo (born July 30, 1981) is a famous American former goalkeeper in soccer. She played for the United States women's national soccer team from 2000 to 2016. Hope Solo is a World Cup champion and has won two Olympic gold medals.

After playing college soccer at the University of Washington, she became a professional player. She played for teams like the Philadelphia Charge, Kopparbergs/Göteborg in Sweden, and Lyon in France. Later, she played in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league for Saint Louis Athletica, Atlanta Beat, and magicJack. She also played for the Seattle Sounders Women and Seattle Reign FC.

Many people consider Hope Solo one of the best female goalkeepers ever. She holds the U.S. record for the most career clean sheets, meaning games where she didn't let the other team score. She was the main goalkeeper for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She helped the U.S. team reach the semifinals, only letting in two goals in four games.

During the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, her amazing goalkeeping skills were clear, especially in a quarter-final match against Brazil. The U.S. won that game after penalty kicks. Even though her team lost to Japan in the final, Hope Solo won the Golden Glove award for being the best goalkeeper. She also received the Bronze Ball award for her great performance in the tournament.

After the 2011 World Cup, Solo appeared on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. She also posed for magazines like ESPN The Magazine. After winning her second Olympic gold medal in 2012, she wrote her bestselling book, Solo: A Memoir of Hope.

As the starting goalkeeper in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Solo helped the U.S. team win their third World Cup title. The final match against Japan was the most-watched soccer game ever on TV in the United States.

As of 2016, Hope Solo holds several U.S. goalkeeper records. These include most appearances (202), starts (190), wins (153), and shutouts (102). She also holds records for wins in a season (26) and the longest undefeated streak (55 games).

Early Life and High School Soccer

Hope Solo was born in Richland, Washington, on July 30, 1981. Her father, Jeffrey Solo, taught her how to play soccer when she was very young. He was a big influence in her life until he passed away in 2007.

At Richland High School, Solo played as a forward, not a goalkeeper. She scored an amazing 109 goals. She led her team to win three league titles in a row from 1996 to 1998. In her senior year, they won a state championship. She was also named a Parade All-American twice. Solo also played club soccer for the Three Rivers Soccer Club.

College Career at Washington Huskies

Hope Solo was wanted by many colleges across the country. She chose to attend the University of Washington from 1999 to 2002. There, she studied speech communications. At the Huskies, she changed her position to goalkeeper permanently. Her coaches, Lesle Gallimore and Amy Griffin, helped her with this change.

Solo explained that it was a big change to go from scoring goals to saving them. She learned to read opponents, position her defenders, and understand the game's strategy. This made goalkeeping much more interesting for her.

Solo became the best goalkeeper in Pac-10 history. She finished her college career as Washington's all-time leader in shutouts (18), saves (325), and goals against average (1.02). She was chosen for the All-Pac-10 team four times. As a sophomore, junior, and senior, she was named an NSCAA All-American. She was also the first Washington player and first goalkeeper to win Pac-10 Player of the Year.

Professional Club Soccer

Early Career in WUSA and Europe

After college, Hope Solo was chosen fourth overall in the 2003 WUSA Draft by the Philadelphia Charge. She played in eight games during her first professional season. She earned her first professional shutout against the Atlanta Beat. She also shut out the Washington Freedom, who later became league champions.

After the WUSA league stopped playing in 2003, Solo moved to Göteborg, Sweden, in 2004. She played for Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in Sweden's top women's soccer league. She played in 19 games for Göteborg that year. In 2005, she played for Olympique Lyonnais in France's top division, making seven appearances.

Solo said her time in Europe was a great experience. She learned a lot from her teammates, coaches, and the fans. She felt that playing in Europe really helped her grow as a person and a player.

Playing in the WPS League

Solo saves a shot from the Boston Breakers in April 2010.

In 2008, Hope Solo joined the Saint Louis Athletica in the new WPS league. She helped the team improve from a slow start to finish second in the league.

After the 2009 season, Solo was named the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year. She also became the first goalkeeper to win the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year award. This is the highest honor for a soccer player in the United States.

Moving to Atlanta Beat and magicJack

In May 2010, the Saint Louis Athletica team closed down. Solo then signed with the Atlanta Beat. She played in 22 WPS matches in 2010 for both teams. She led the league in saves with 104. She also ranked high in shutouts, wins, and goals against average. After the 2010 season, Solo had surgery on her right shoulder. She wanted to be in top shape for the upcoming World Cup and Olympics.

Before the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer season, Solo joined magicJack. She missed some games due to her shoulder recovery and national team duties. She made four appearances for the club. The WPS league later stopped operations in early 2012.

Seattle Sounders Women

On February 14, 2012, Hope Solo signed with the Seattle Sounders Women. Her national teammates Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Sydney Leroux also joined the team. The team's general manager said Solo was "undoubtedly the best women's keeper in the game today."

Solo played in three games for the club. Her goals against average was very low at 0.344. With Solo and her national team friends, the Sounders sold out many of their home matches. Their average attendance was four times higher than other teams in the league.

NWSL: Seattle Reign FC

Solo makes a save during a match against the Chicago Red Stars on July 25, 2013, at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Washington.

In 2013, Solo was assigned to the Seattle Reign FC for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League. She had wrist surgery and missed about half of the first season. The Reign had a tough start, but with Solo's return, they improved their record. Solo started all 14 games she played, making 81 saves.

Solo returned to the Reign for the 2014 season. The team set a league record by going unbeaten for 16 games. They finished first in the regular season and won the NWSL Shield. They reached the championship final but lost to FC Kansas City. Solo had 65 saves in 20 games and a great goals against average of .900.

Solo played eight games for Seattle during the 2016 season. She then joined the national team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. After the Olympics, US Soccer ended her national team contract. The Reign then gave her "personal leave" for the rest of the season. She finished the season with a 0.63 goals against average and five clean sheets.

International Career with the U.S. National Team

Hope Solo played for U.S. junior national soccer teams before joining the senior U.S. national team in 2000. Her first game for the senior team was an 8–0 win against Iceland in April 2000. Solo has been the team's main goalkeeper since 2005. She holds the national team record for the longest undefeated streak as a goalkeeper, with 55 games.

2007 FIFA Women's World Cup

Solo was the starting goalkeeper for the United States in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. She only allowed two goals in four games. This included three shutouts against Sweden, Nigeria, and England.

Before the semifinal match against Brazil, the U.S. coach decided to bench Solo. The U.S. lost to Brazil 4–0. After the match, Solo made comments that caused some controversy. She later apologized, saying she didn't mean to criticize anyone. The coach then decided Solo would not play in the third-place match. The U.S. team won that game against Norway 4–1.

2008 Summer Olympics

Solo with her 2008 Olympic gold medal

In 2008, Hope Solo was chosen as the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. On August 21, the U.S. women's team won the gold medal. They beat Brazil 1–0 in extra time. Solo played a huge part in this win, making many important saves against Brazil's strong attacks.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

Even though she missed much of the qualifying games due to a shoulder injury, Solo was on the U.S. team for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. She had clean sheets in wins against North Korea and Colombia.

The quarterfinal match between the U.S. and Brazil went to a penalty shoot-out. Solo saved Brazil's third penalty kick, helping the U.S. win and move to the semifinals. After the win, Solo said the team kept fighting even when things were tough. She said, "You can't teach that. It's a feeling – and we play with that feeling."

Solo played her 100th game for the U.S. in the 3–1 semifinal win over France. In the final, the U.S. team lost to Japan in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw. Solo won the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper and the Bronze Ball award for her overall performance. She was also named to the tournament's "All-star" team.

2012 Summer Olympics

Solo and teammate Carli Lloyd after the 2012 Summer Olympics final

In the opening match of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the U.S. beat France 4–2. Solo even helped with an assist on a goal by Alex Morgan.

On August 9, Solo won her second Olympic gold medal with the United States women's national soccer team. In the final match, the U.S. beat Japan 2–1. Solo made many crucial saves, including one in the 82nd minute that could have tied the game.

Solo had three clean sheets in the tournament. She played all 570 minutes of the team's six matches.

2013–2014 Seasons

In March 2013, Solo had surgery on her left wrist and was out for about three months. She returned to the national team in June. The team finished 2013 without losing any of their 16 games, winning 13 of them.

On June 14, 2014, Solo tied the U.S. record for career shutouts with 71. She achieved this in a 1–0 win against France. A few months later, on September 13, she set a new record with her 72nd shutout in an 8–0 win against Mexico. In January 2015, Solo was suspended by the national team for thirty days due to an incident at a training camp.

2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

In April 2015, Solo was named to the U.S. team for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. Solo started and played every minute of all seven U.S. matches. The U.S. won the tournament, and the TV viewership broke records.

After letting in a goal in the first game against Australia, Solo made three important saves that kept her team in the game. She had a 540-minute shutout streak, which is the second longest in World Cup history. She only allowed three goals during the entire tournament.

During the semifinal match against Germany, Solo used tactics to try and distract the top scorer, Célia Šašić, before a penalty kick. Šašić missed the kick, keeping the game tied at 0–0. This was the first time a German team had missed a penalty in a World Cup. Solo ended the tournament with 177 international games played. She received the Golden Glove trophy again as the best goalkeeper.

2016: 100th Shutout and Rio Olympics

On July 9, 2016, Hope Solo achieved her 100th international shutout. This made her the first female goalkeeper in history to reach 100 shutouts in international soccer. She also earned her 150th career win and 197th game played for the national team.

Solo is beaten in the penalty shootout

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Solo played her 200th game for the U.S. team. She made "several fine saves" in a 1–0 win over France. In the final group game against Colombia, Solo made two errors, and the game ended in a 2–2 draw. During the matches, Brazilian crowds sometimes booed Solo.

In the quarter-final loss to Sweden, the game went to a penalty shootout. Solo caused a delay by changing her gloves before Sweden's final kick. Sweden won the shootout, eliminating the United States. After the match, Solo made comments about her opponents' tactics. On August 24, 2016, US Soccer suspended Solo for six months and ended her national team contract. The organization stated that her past behavior influenced their decision.

Honors and Awards

High School Achievements

• Parade Magazine All-American: 1997, 1998
• Washington State Championship: 1998

College Achievements

• NSCAA All-American: 2000, 2001, 2002
• Pac-10 Selection: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

Club Achievements

• NWSL Shield: 2014
• WPS Goalkeeper of the Year: 2009

International Team Achievements

• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008, 2012
• CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2008, 2012, 2016
• FIFA Women's World Cup Champion: 2015
• FIFA Women's World Cup Runner-up: 2011
• Algarve Cup: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
• SheBelieves Cup: 2016
• Four Nations Tournament: 2006, 2007, 2008
• CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2006, 2014

Individual Awards

• U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year: 2009
• FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Glove: 2011, 2015
• FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze ball: 2011
• FIFA Women's World Cup All-Star Team: 2011, 2015
• CONCACAF Women's Championship Golden Glove: 2014
• CONCACAF Women's Goalkeeper of the Year: 2015
• SheBelieves Cup Golden Glove: 2016
• FIFPro: FIFA FIFPro World XI 2015, 2016
• IFFHS World's Best Woman Goalkeeper: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
• NWSL Second XI: 2014
• National Soccer Hall of Fame: 2022

Other Recognitions

• Do Something Award – Athlete: 2012
• Phoenix Mercury Woman of Inspiration: 2012
• Hall of Game She's Got Game Award: 2012
• Sports Spectacular Female Athlete of the Year: 2013

Personal Life

Hope Solo is married to former American football player Jerramy Stevens. They got married in November 2012. In December 2019, Solo announced they were expecting twins. Their twins were born on March 4, 2020.

Endorsements and Philanthropy

Solo has worked with many brands like Seiko, Nike, BlackBerry, and Gatorade. In 2011, she signed a deal with Bank of America. She also appeared in commercials for EA Sports and ESPN's SportsCenter.

Solo at the National Italian American Foundation, 2013

Hope Solo is a representative for the Women's Sports Foundation. This group helps girls and women through sports. She has also given her time and money to the Boys and Girls Club. In 2011, she helped a Bank of America charity campaign. Money was donated to the Seattle Humane Society because of her involvement. In 2012, she was part of Popchips' Game Changers program. She attended charity events, and money went to a local charity she chose.

See also

In Spanish: Hope Solo para niños

• List of FIFA Women's World Cup winning players
• FIFA Women's World Cup awards
• List of Olympic medalists in football
• List of women's footballers with 100 or more caps
• List of University of Washington alumni
• List of sportswomen