Sun Wen (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Sun Wen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 6 April 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Shanghai, China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–2000 | Shanghai | 659 | (164) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Atlanta Beat | 33 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Shanghai SVA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Shanghai SVA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–2006 | China | 163 | (106) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sun Wen (Chinese: 孙雯; pinyin: Sūn Wén; born 6 April 1973) is a famous Chinese former professional football player. She played as a forward, which means she was usually at the front of the team, trying to score goals. Sun Wen was also the captain for both the Chinese national team and the Atlanta Beat club team in the United States.
In 2000, she was honored as a FIFA Female Player of the Century alongside American player Michelle Akers. Sun Wen also won two big awards at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup: the Golden Ball for being the best player and the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals. Many people think she is one of the greatest women's football players ever. After she stopped playing, she became a vice-president of the Chinese Football Association in 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Sun Wen started playing football when she was about ten years old. Her father, Sun Zonggao, loved playing football for fun and often took her to watch men's league matches in China. Sun Wen says her father was a big reason she got into the sport. She also studied Chinese literature at the University of Shanghai.
Playing Career
Club Football
Shanghai SVA
Sun Wen played for the Shanghai team in the Chinese women's football league for many years. She was a key player for them.
Atlanta Beat
From 2001 to 2002, Sun Wen played for the Atlanta Beat in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) in the United States. She was the very first player chosen in the WUSA's first-ever draft. Even though she had some injuries, she still played well. In a big semifinal match, she scored a penalty kick and then helped set up another goal, which led her team to a 3-2 win. The Atlanta Beat made it to the final, but they lost in a penalty shootout. In her second season, she scored four goals, helping the Beat reach the playoffs again. Sun Wen decided to leave the WUSA in January 2003 to go back to China and get ready for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup.
International Football
Sun Wen joined China's national team when she was only 17 years old. She played in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments for China. She is one of only three women who have played in all 15 of China's matches in their first three World Cup appearances. By 1999, she had scored 10 goals in her World Cup career, making her one of the top scorers of all time.
She helped the Chinese national team win the Asian Cup four times: in 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997. Sun Wen also led China to win a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Athens, Georgia. During the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, she scored seven goals. Her amazing performance earned her both the Golden Ball (for being the best player) and the Golden Boot (for scoring the most goals) at the tournament.
Sun Wen briefly came out of retirement to play for the Chinese women's team again in December 2005. However, she had to retire again after winning the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2006 because of injuries. Overall, she played 163 matches for China and scored 106 goals.
Achievements and Awards
Sun Wen was known as a very strong forward with great skills and excellent passing. She won both the Golden Boot (sharing it with Sissi from Brazil) and the Golden Ball at the 1999 Women's World Cup. She was also the first woman ever to be nominated for the Asian Football Confederation player of the year award.
In 2002, she received the FIFA Internet Award in the voting for the FIFA Female Player of the Century. While Michelle Akers won the overall award, Sun Wen received the most votes from fans on FIFA's website.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring from playing, Sun Wen worked in different fields, including Chinese media, advertising, and education. In August 2019, she was chosen as a vice-president of the Chinese Football Association. Her main job in this role is to help develop women's football in China. She has also been part of FIFA's Technical Study Group for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France and helped evaluate bids for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
See also
In Spanish: Sun Wen para niños
- List of association women football players with 100 or more international goals
