Mia Hamm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mia Hamm

Hamm playing for United States in 1995
Personal information
Full name	Mariel Margaret Hamm
Date of birth	(1972-03-17) March 17, 1972 (age 53)
Place of birth	Selma, Alabama, U.S.
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing position	Forward, midfielder
Youth career
1988	Braddock Road Shooting Stars
1989	Lake Braddock Bruins
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Washington Freedom	49	(28)
National team‡
1987–2004	United States	276	(158)
Honours Women's soccer Representing  United States FIFA Women's World Cup Winner 1991 China Winner 1999 United States Bronze 1995 Sweden Bronze 2003 United States Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta Team Gold 2004 Athens Team Silver 2000 Sydney Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 28, 2007. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 29, 2007

Mia Hamm (born Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17, 1972) is a famous American soccer player. She is known for winning two Olympic gold medals and two FIFA Women's World Cup championships. Many people see her as a soccer legend.

Mia Hamm played as a forward for the U.S. national team from 1987 to 2004. She was also a key player in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). This was the first professional women's soccer league in the United States. She played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. Before that, she played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels. She helped them win four national titles!

Hamm played in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments. These were in 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003. She also led the team in three Olympic Games. These were in 1996 (the first time women's soccer was in the Olympics), 2000, and 2004. In these seven big tournaments, she played 42 matches and scored 14 goals.

Mia Hamm held the record for the most international goals scored by any player until 2013. She is still third on that list today. She also ranks fourth for playing the most international games (276) for the U.S. team. She is first for career assists (144). Hamm was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. She was also chosen by the famous player Pelé as one of FIFA's 125 greatest living players.

Growing Up with Soccer

Mia Hamm was born in Selma, Alabama. She was the fourth of six children. When she was a baby, she had to wear special shoes because of a club foot. Her family moved a lot because her dad was in the United States Air Force.

While living in Florence, Italy, Mia first started playing soccer. It was very popular there! At age five, in Wichita Falls, Texas, she joined her first team. Her dad coached her and her older adopted brother, Garrett.

Mia loved sports from a young age. She was great at football, even playing on the boys' team in junior high. At just 15, she became the youngest player ever for the United States women's national soccer team. She played as a forward but didn't score in her first year. Later, she helped her high school team, Lake Braddock, win the state championships in 1989.

Playing for College and Clubs

College Soccer Success

From 1989 to 1993, Mia Hamm went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She helped the Tar Heels win four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship titles! She took a break in 1991 to get ready for the first 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup.

During her time at North Carolina, her team only lost one game out of 95. She set records for goals (103), assists (72), and total points (278). In 2003, she and basketball legend Michael Jordan were named the greatest athletes in their college conference's first 50 years.

Playing for the Washington Freedom

In 2001, Mia Hamm became a founding player in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). This was the first professional women's soccer league in the U.S. She played for the Washington Freedom until 2003. Hamm was seen as the league's biggest star. She was often featured in ads and promotions.

In the very first WUSA game, Mia Hamm helped her team win 1–0. She played in most of the Freedom's games in 2001. She led the team in goals (6) and assists (4).

Even after a knee injury in late 2001, she scored eight goals in the 2002 season. The Freedom made it to the playoffs that year. In 2003, Hamm started 16 games and scored 11 goals. She also had 11 assists, which was the most on her team. Mia Hamm ended her club career as a WUSA champion. The Freedom won the Founders Cup by beating the Atlanta Beat 2–1 in overtime.

Retiring from the Game

On May 14, 2004, Mia Hamm announced she would retire after the 2004 Athens Olympics. After the Olympics, she and her teammates went on a farewell tour across the U.S. Her last international game was on December 8, 2004, against Mexico. The U.S. won 5–0, and Hamm helped with two of the goals.

Mia Hamm retired at age 32 with an amazing 158 international goals. This was a world record at the time! Her number 9 jersey was later given to another player, Heather O'Reilly.

Playing for Her Country

U.S. National Team Highlights

Mia Hamm joined the United States women's national soccer team in 1987 when she was only 15. She was the youngest player ever on the team. She scored her first goal in her 17th game.

She played in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003. She also led the team in three Olympic Games: 1996, 2000, and 2004. In total, she played 42 matches and scored 14 goals in these big international tournaments.

Hamm held the record for most international goals until 2013. She is still third for most games played (276) for the U.S. team. She is first for career assists (144).

Winning the 1991 World Cup

In 1991, Mia Hamm was chosen for the first-ever 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. She was 19, still the youngest on the team. In their first game, she scored the winning goal against Sweden. She also scored against Brazil.

The U.S. team won all their group games and moved to the knockout stage. They beat Chinese Taipei and Germany. In the final, the U.S. played Norway. In front of 63,000 fans, the U.S. won 2–1, becoming the first World Cup champions!

1995 World Cup and Olympic Gold

Mia Hamm played in her second World Cup in 1995 in Sweden. The U.S. team finished third after losing to Norway in the semi-finals. Hamm scored a goal in the third-place match against China PR.

In 1996, Hamm was a key player for the U.S. team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. This was the first time women's soccer was part of the Olympics. Hamm scored a goal and assisted another in their first game against Denmark. Even with foot and groin injuries, she played in the final against China. Her team won their first Olympic gold medal with a 2–1 victory. This game had the largest crowd ever for a women's sports event in the U.S. at that time.

In 1998, Hamm scored 20 goals, her highest in a year. She also had 20 assists. On September 18, she scored her 100th international goal against Russia.

The 1999 World Cup Victory

On May 22, 1999, Mia Hamm broke the all-time international goal record with her 108th goal against Brazil. The next month, she led the team at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, which was hosted in the United States.

She scored and assisted goals in the group stage games. The U.S. team won their group and moved on. They beat Germany in the quarter-finals and Brazil in the semi-finals. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final was against China. After a scoreless game, the U.S. won in a penalty shootout. More than 90,000 people watched at the Rose Bowl! This win made Mia Hamm a true soccer icon.

Sydney 2000 Olympics and 2003 World Cup

Mia Hamm played for the U.S. at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She scored against Norway and the winning goal against Brazil in the semi-finals. This goal set a new record for most international goals by any player. The U.S. team won the silver medal after losing to Norway in the final.

The 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup was moved to the U.S. due to a health outbreak. Hamm announced this would be her last World Cup. She had three assists against Sweden and scored twice against Nigeria. The U.S. finished third in the tournament after beating Canada 3–1.

Athens 2004 Olympics Gold

On July 21, 2004, Mia Hamm scored her 158th international goal against Australia. This set a new world record for most international goals by any player. She held this record until Abby Wambach broke it in 2013.

Hamm helped the U.S. national team win their second gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was chosen by other Olympians to carry the American flag at the closing ceremony. She scored against Greece and Brazil. In the semi-final, she assisted a goal that led to a 2–1 win over Germany. The U.S. won the gold medal match against Brazil 2–1 in overtime. This was her last Olympic game.

How Mia Hamm Played

Mia Hamm is considered one of the greatest female soccer players ever. She was very athletic, fast, and skilled. She was known for her speed, amazing footwork, and stamina. She was great at dribbling and controlling the ball.

She scored many goals with powerful and accurate shots. But she was also a creative team player. She often helped her teammates score with accurate passes. She was also willing to help defend when the team lost the ball. She could play in any attacking position.

Mia Hamm's Life Off the Field

Mia Hamm with her husband, Nomar Garciaparra, in 2010

Mia Hamm was first married to Christian Corry. In 2003, she married former baseball player Nomar Garciaparra. They have twin daughters, born in 2007, and a son, born in 2012.

Helping Others: The Mia Hamm Foundation

In 1999, Mia Hamm started the Mia Hamm Foundation. She did this after her adopted brother, Garrett, passed away in 1997 from a rare blood disease called aplastic anemia. The foundation helps raise money and awareness for families who need blood transplants. It also encourages people to join the bone marrow registry. The foundation also works to create chances for women to succeed through sports. Mia Hamm hosts a celebrity soccer game every year in Los Angeles to support her foundation.

Other Things Mia Hamm Does

Mia Hamm (second from left) at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final in 2015

Mia Hamm is a global ambassador for the famous soccer club FC Barcelona. She has also written books, including Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life.

She is a co-owner of the soccer teams Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC. She is also on the board of directors for the Italian soccer club A.S. Roma. In 2015, she was part of the U.S. group at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final in Canada.

Awards and Achievements

Mia Hamm has received many awards for her amazing career. The Women's Sports Foundation named her Sportswoman of the Year in 1997 and 1999. In 1999, Nike named their largest building after her.

In 2000, she was named one of the top three female soccer players of the 20th century by FIFA. In 2004, FIFA and Pelé included her in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players. She was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year five years in a row (1994-1998). She also won three ESPY awards, including Soccer Player of the Year.

In 2007, Mia Hamm was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. In 2008, her silhouette was used in the logo for the Women's Professional Soccer league. ESPN named her the greatest female athlete in 2012. In 2013, she became the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame in Mexico. In 2021, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

In 2022, the Los Angeles F.C. team, which Mia Hamm co-owns, won the 2022 MLS Cup.

Championships Won

Images for kids

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  Hamm during a match against Germany, 1997

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  Hamm warming up before a match, 1998

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  Hamm during the third-place match against Canada at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup

See also

In Spanish: Mia Hamm para niños

• List of FIFA Women's World Cup winning players
• List of women's footballers with 100 or more international goals
• List of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Olympians
• List of Olympic medalists in football
• List of 1996 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of 2000 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of athletes on Wheaties boxes