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 54)
Place of birth	Selma, Alabama, U.S.
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s)	Forward, midfielder
Youth career
1988	Braddock Road Shooting Stars
1989	Lake Braddock Bruins
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1993	North Carolina Tar Heels	95	(103)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2003	Washington Freedom	49	(28)
International career‡
1987–2004	United States	276	(158)
Medal record 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
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 28, 2007 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 29, 2007

Mia Hamm (born March 17, 1972) is an amazing American former professional soccer player. She won two Olympic gold medals and two FIFA Women's World Cup championships. Many people call her a soccer legend! She played as a forward for the U.S. national team from 1987 to 2004.

Mia was a key player in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), which 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 her college team win four national championships! Mia is known as one of the greatest and most important female soccer players ever.

She played in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: in 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003. She also led the U.S. team in three Olympic Games: 1996 in Atlanta (when women's soccer first became an Olympic sport!), 2000 in Sydney, and 2004 in Athens. In these big international events, she played 42 matches and scored 14 goals.

Mia held the record for the most international goals scored by any player (male or female) until 2013. She is still one of the top goal scorers! She also has the most assists (144) in the history of the U.S. team. Mia was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. Even the legendary player Pelé picked her as one of FIFA's 125 greatest living players. She won the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year award five times in a row. She also received many other honors, including being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She was even the first woman to join the World Football Hall of Fame!

Today, Mia is a co-owner of two soccer teams, Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC. She is also a global ambassador for FC Barcelona. She wrote a book called Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life. Mia has also appeared in movies and TV shows, like the documentary Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team.

Mia's Early Life

Mia Hamm was born in Selma, Alabama. She was one of six children. When she was a baby, she had a club foot and wore special shoes to help her walk. Because her father was in the United States Air Force, Mia's family lived in many different places around the world.

She first started playing soccer when her family lived in Florence, Italy. Soccer was very popular there, and soon her whole family loved the sport! When she was five years old, living in Wichita Falls, Texas, Mia joined her first soccer team. Her dad coached her and her older adopted brother, Garrett.

Mia loved sports from a young age. She was a great football player on the boys' team in junior high. In 1987, she was the youngest player ever to join the United States women's national soccer team at just 15 years old! When she first started, she played as a forward. Mia went to Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia. She helped her high school soccer team win the state championships in 1989.

Mia's Club Soccer Journey

College Success with North Carolina Tar Heels

From 1989 to 1993, Mia went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, she helped the Tar Heels win four national championships in five years! She even took a break in 1991 to get ready for the very first 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup. During her time at North Carolina, her team only lost one game out of 95 that she played.

Mia received many awards in college. She was named the best player in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for three years in a row. She also set new ACC records for goals (103), assists (72), and total points (278). In 2003, Mia and basketball legend Michael Jordan were named the greatest athletes in the ACC's first fifty years!

Mia also played for the U.S. national college team. They won a silver medal at the 1993 Summer Universiade, after a close game against China.

Playing Professionally with Washington Freedom

In 2001, Mia became a founding player in the first professional women's soccer league in the U.S., called the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). She played for the Washington Freedom from 2001 to 2003. Mia was the biggest star of the league and was featured in many advertisements. In 2001, she was even voted "the most appealing female athlete"!

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

Mia had a knee injury in late 2001, which meant she missed some games in 2002. Even so, she scored eight goals that season! Her team made it to the playoffs and reached the championship game, where they finished as runners-up.

In the 2003 season, Mia scored 11 goals and had 11 assists, which was the most on her team. She ended her club career as a WUSA champion when the Washington Freedom won the Founders Cup in an exciting overtime game!

Mia's Retirement from Playing

Mia announced in May 2004 that she would retire after the 2004 Athens Olympics. After the Olympics, she and her teammates went on a special farewell tour across the U.S. Her very last international game was on December 8, 2004, against Mexico. The U.S. team won 5–0, and Mia helped set up two of the goals!

Mia retired at 32 years old with an amazing 158 international goals. She was honored in a special ceremony with her teammates. After she retired, her famous number 9 jersey was passed on to another great player, Heather O'Reilly.

Mia's International Career

Playing for the U.S. National Team

Mia Hamm first played for the United States women's national soccer team in 1987 when she was only 15 years old. She was the youngest player ever to join the team! She scored her first goal in her 17th game.

Mia played in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments:

• 1991 in China
• 1995 in Sweden
• 1999 in the United States
• 2003 in the United States

She also led the team in three Olympic Games:

• 1996 in Atlanta (the first time women's soccer was an Olympic sport!)
• 2000 in Sydney
• 2004 in Athens

In total, she played 42 matches and scored 14 goals in these big international tournaments. Mia held the record for the most international goals scored by any player (male or female) until 2013. She is still one of the top goal scorers today! She also has the most assists (144) in the history of the U.S. national team.

1991 FIFA Women's World Cup Victory

In 1991, Mia was part of the team for the very first 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup in China. At 19, she was still the youngest player. She scored the winning goal in their first match against Sweden. She also scored against Brazil. The U.S. team won all their group games and then beat Chinese Taipei and Germany. In the final, the U.S. faced Norway and won 2–1, becoming the first-ever World Cup champions!

1995 FIFA Women's World Cup

Mia played in her second World Cup in 1995 in Sweden. The U.S. team tied with China and then beat Denmark and Australia. They advanced to the quarterfinals, where they defeated Japan. In the semifinals, they lost to Norway, who went on to win the tournament. The U.S. team then won the third-place match against China, with Mia scoring one of the goals.

1996 Atlanta Olympics: Gold Medal

Hamm during a match against Germany, 1997

Mia 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 included in the Olympics! Mia scored a goal and assisted another in their first win against Denmark. The team went on to defeat Sweden and tie with China. After beating Norway in the semifinals, they faced China again in the final. Even with foot and groin injuries, Mia played. Her team won their first Olympic gold medal with a 2–1 victory in front of a huge crowd of over 76,000 fans!

In 1998, Mia scored 20 goals, her highest number in a single year for the national team. She also had 20 assists. On September 18, she scored her 100th international goal! That same year, she led the U.S. to win the first-ever Goodwill Games gold medal.

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup: Another Championship

Hamm warming up before a match, 1998

On May 22, 1999, Mia broke the all-time international goal record with her 108th goal against Brazil. The next month, she led the national team in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, which the United States hosted. She scored against Denmark and Nigeria, helping the team win their group games.

The U.S. team defeated Germany in the quarterfinals and Brazil in the semifinals. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final against China was a thrilling game that went to a penalty shootout. Mia and her teammates all scored their penalty kicks, and the U.S. won the World Cup! Over 90,000 people watched this historic game at the Rose Bowl. This victory made Mia an even bigger soccer icon.

2000 Sydney Olympics: Silver Medal

Mia represented the U.S. at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She scored against Norway and helped the team win their group. In the semifinals against Brazil, Mia scored the winning goal, setting a new record for most international goals by any player. The U.S. team faced Norway in the final again, but this time they lost 3–2 in overtime, earning a silver medal.

2003 FIFA Women's World Cup

The 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup was moved to the United States. Mia announced this would be her last World Cup. She had three assists against Sweden and scored twice against Nigeria, helping the U.S. qualify for the quarterfinals. The U.S. team beat Norway in the quarterfinals but lost to Germany in the semifinals. They then defeated Canada 3–1 to finish in third place.

2004 Athens Olympics: Second Gold Medal

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

On July 21, 2004, Mia scored her 158th international goal against Australia, setting a new world record for most international goals by any player. She held this record until Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal in 2013.

Mia helped lead the U.S. national team to its second gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was chosen by her fellow Olympians to carry the American flag at the closing ceremony! She scored against Greece and Brazil in the group stage. In the semifinals, she assisted Heather O'Reilly's winning goal against Germany in overtime. The U.S. faced Brazil again in the gold medal match and won 2–1 in overtime. Her teammates celebrated with her after the final whistle, marking her last Olympic win. This was also the last Olympic appearance for five original players from the 1991 World Cup team, including Mia.

Mia's Style of Play

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

She was a fantastic goal scorer, known for her powerful and accurate shots. But she was also a creative and hard-working team player. She could assist many goals for her teammates with her accurate passes. Mia was also willing to help defend when her team lost the ball. She could play in any attacking position on the field.

Mia's Personal Life

Hamm with husband Nomar Garciaparra, 2010

Mia married former Boston Red Sox baseball player Nomar Garciaparra on November 22, 2003. They have three children: twin girls born in March 2007, and a son born in January 2012.

Mia Hamm Foundation

In 1999, Mia started the Mia Hamm Foundation. She created it after her adopted brother, Garrett, passed away in 1997 from a rare blood disease. The foundation helps raise awareness and money for families who need bone marrow or cord blood transplants. It also helps people register for the national bone marrow registry. The foundation also works to create opportunities to empower women through sports. Mia hosts an annual celebrity soccer game to support her foundation.

Mia's Other Work

Hamm (second from left), with members of the United States delegation at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final in Vancouver, Canada

Mia is a global ambassador for FC Barcelona, a famous soccer club. She is also the author of a popular book called Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life, and a children's book called Winners Never Quit.

In 2014, Mia joined the board of directors for the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She was also announced as a co-owner of the Major League Soccer team, Los Angeles FC. The same year, she joined the board of directors for the Italian soccer club A.S. Roma. In 2015, Mia was part of the United States delegation at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final in Canada.

Mia's Honors and Awards

The University of North Carolina retired Mia's number 19 jersey in 1994. She set the NCAA women's soccer scoring record with 278 points (103 goals and 72 assists). She was named the National Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993.

Mia was named Sportswoman of the Year in 1997 and 1999. In 1999, Nike named their largest building after her! In 2000, Mia was recognized as one of the top three female soccer players of the twentieth century.

In 2004, Mia and former U.S. teammate Michelle Akers were the only two women chosen for the FIFA 100. This was a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players, picked by Pelé to celebrate FIFA's 100th anniversary. Mia was also named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year five years in a row (1994 to 1998). She won three ESPY awards, including Soccer Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year.

In 2007, Mia was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. In 2008, her silhouette was used in the logo for the new professional women's soccer league, Women's Professional Soccer. ESPN named her the greatest female athlete in 2012.

In 2013, Mia became the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame in Mexico. She also received the Golden Foot Legends Award in 2014. In 2021, Mia was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

In 2022, Los Angeles F.C. – a team Mia co-owns – won the 2022 MLS Cup, adding an MLS championship to her achievements!

Championships

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