The 25 best US Women’s National Team players of all time

Akers is among the many all-time nice American scorers. As of July 2023, Akers’ 107 objectives ranked sixth. She’s certainly one of seven U.S. girls to high the 100-goal mark. She scored 10 of these objectives through the inaugural 1991 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. gained. She additionally performed a serious position because the seasoned veteran in 1999, when the Individuals gained their second World Cup. A member of the very first United States Ladies’s Nationwide Crew in 1985, Akers posted 155 appearances (worldwide caps) as a part of the squad. She’s within the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame and was named FIFA Feminine Participant of the Century in 2002.

Boxx is among the most adorned gamers in USWNT historical past. The previous Notre Dame star was a part of 4 World Cup groups (2003, ’07, ’11, ’15), with that latter group profitable all of it. She was additionally a key presence on three gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic squads (2004, ’08, ’12). From 2003-15, Boxx recorded 27 objectives whereas making 127 caps for the nationwide crew. On the skilled membership degree, Boxx performed within the Ladies’s United Soccer Affiliation, Ladies’s Skilled Soccer , and the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League.

Chastain was on the heart of what’s arguably the most memorable moment in the history of international women’s soccer and one of the most memorable moments in all sports. Her profitable shootout objective to beat China and clinch the 1999 World Cup for the US resulted in a jersey-twirling celebration that made sports activities bras well-known and exemplified feminine empowerment. Nonetheless, Chastain was greater than only a one-shot marvel. A member of the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame, Chastain posted 30 objectives over 192 nationwide crew caps from 1988-2004. She performed on three World Cup groups, with two titles to her credit score, and has a pair of Olympic gold medals.

A present member of the US World Cup crew, the gifted and versatile defender entered the 2023 occasion with 24 objectives and 19 assists over 132 nationwide crew caps. She scored 5 objectives in opposition to Puerto Rico in 2016. Dunn has blossomed by means of the ranks of U.S. soccer, starting in 2008 with success on the Below-17 and Below-20 ranges. A collegiate standout at perennial energy North Carolina, Dunn gained each the NWSL Most Beneficial Participant and the Golden Boot Awards in 2015 at age 25, thus changing into the youngest participant to take house each honors.

Ertz has been a part of the U.S. senior nationwide crew since 2013 however was a key contributor throughout her Below-15 days. As reliable as they arrive, the versatile Ertz, who has additionally loved success as a defender, enters the 2023 World Cup with 20 objectives and 6 assists whereas spanning 188 caps. She won U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year twice. The 2-time World Cup champion was additionally a part of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic crew that earned a bronze medal.

One of many true pioneers of the ladies’s recreation in the US, Fawcett starred on the backline for the nationwide crew from 1987-2004. Her 241 caps rank among the many high 10 all-time and 27 objectives fee her among the many highest-scoring defenders within the nationwide crew’s historical past. She performed on 4 World Cups groups (1991, ’95, ’99, and 2003), profitable two of these occasions. A member of the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame, Fawcett was additionally instrumental in creating the Ladies’s United Soccer Affiliation — the world’s first skilled league, which lasted three seasons.

By her play on the sector, work within the broadcast enviornment, and international presence, there won’t be a much bigger ambassador for the game of ladies’s soccer than Foudy. One of many first celebrity-like “stars” of the U.S. nationwide crew, the hard-nosed, feisty Foudy was a part of the USWNT from 1988-2004. She earned captain standing within the late Nineties and performed in 4 World Cups (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003) and three Olympic Summer time Video games (1996, 2000, ’04). Foudy’s 274 caps rank fifth in U.S. historical past, whereas her 55 profession assists additionally sit among the many high 10. She was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2007.

Whereas Julie Foudy may be thought-about one of many United States’ first stars, Hamm was the unique U.S. celebrity. She’s lengthy thought-about to be the best participant on this planet throughout most of her run with the nationwide crew (1987-2004). Hamm’s 276 caps for the USWNT rank fourth all-time, whereas her 158 objectives presently sit second. Nonetheless, no U.S. lady has recorded extra assists than the Corridor of Famer’s 147. A four-time World Cup participant (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003) and a part of three Olympic groups (1996, 2000, ’04), Hamm was a five-time recipient of the united states Feminine Athlete of the Yr award and twice named FIFA Ladies’s World Participant of the Yr (2001, ’02).

Heinrichs helped pave the best way for nearly each different athlete on this listing. Among the many preliminary group of gamers on the USWNT, Heinrichs captained the 1991 World Cup champion squad. She was a part of this system from 1986-91, posting 37 objectives in simply 47 official appearances. Nonetheless, when her enjoying days had completed, Heinrichs remained a fixture inside U.S. girls’s soccer, teaching the nationwide crew from 2000-04. She is the primary feminine participant inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame, reaching the distinction in 1998.

A real inspiration each on and off the pitch. Vacation, who underwent coronary heart surgical procedure at age 3 to right a beginning defect and in addition had surgical procedure to take away a benign mind tumor in 2016, scored 24 objectives in 133 caps for the nationwide crew from 2007-15. She was a part of two World Cup groups (2011, 15) and the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic squads that every gained gold. On the membership degree, Vacation performed for Boston and FC Kansas Metropolis of the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League, the place she was the primary participant to have her jersey retired.

One of the vital latest stars to shine for the USWNT. Lavelle appeared to generate a buzz when she debuted for the senior nationwide crew in 2017. The 28-year-old, who starred for the U.S. within the youth ranks, entered the 2023 World Cup with 24 objectives and 20 assists in 88 appearances for the senior squad. There may be real pleasure from supporters within the seats and watching elsewhere each time Lavelle possesses the ball. She tallied the clinching objective through the Individuals’ 2-0 win over the Netherlands within the 2019 World Cup Ultimate.

No participant has made extra appearances for the U.S. nationwide crew — males or girls — than Lilly’s 354 caps. For greater than 20 years (1987-2010), Lilly was a fixture of the ladies’s program in America. She performed in 5 World Cup occasions (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007). Getting into the 2023 World Cup, she’s the one lady within the sport’s historical past to perform the feat. Lilly, a fierce attacking midfielder, posted 130 objectives, rating among the many high 10 in U.S. historical past. In the meantime, her 106 assists are second solely to these of the aforementioned Mia Hamm. She was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2014.

There may be loads of U.S. soccer royalty on this listing, and Lloyd is among the most up-to-date to fall into that class. Among the many most adorned and celebrated gamers within the historical past of the sport upon her retirement in 2021, Lloyd ranks second in profession caps (316) and third in objectives (134) and assists (134). A member of 4 World Cup groups (2007, 2011, ’15, ’19) and three U.S. Olympic groups (2008, ’12, ’20), Lloyd was twice named FIFA Participant of the Yr (2015 and ’16) and honored because the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Yr for 2008.

From a purely defensive standpoint, few had been higher than Markgraf. Her time on the senior nationwide crew lasted from 1998-2010, the place she began 97 % of the 201 appearances she made for her nation. Markgraf performed on three World Cup groups (1999, 2003, ’07) and three U.S. Olympic squads (2000, ’04, ’08), incomes 4 first-place finishes amongst these teams. Following her enjoying profession, the Michigan native loved a profitable profession within the broadcast sales space, notably for ESPN, Fox, and NBC.

Milbrett might need lived within the shadows of a few of her extra outstanding U.S. teammates through the Nineties and 2000s. Nonetheless, when it got here to world-class offensive performers, Milbrett was among the many elite. As of July 2023, Milbrett ranked seventh in U.S. historical past with 100 objectives — spanning 204 worldwide appearances. She’s additionally among the many all-time nationwide leaders with 63 assists. A member of three World Cup groups (1995, 1999, 2003) and two Olympic squads (1996, 2000). Milbrett was named USSF Ladies’s Athlete of the Yr in 2000 and 2001.

One of many nice scorers within the historical past of ladies’s soccer and never simply in the US. Morgan started her nationwide crew profession in 2008 for the Below-20s. Two years later, her senior crew tenure started, and it’s a story still being written. Getting into the 2023 World Cup, Morgan’s 121 objectives, 49 assists, and 207 caps every rank among the many high 10 in American girls’s soccer historical past. The 2-time U.S. Soccer Feminine Athlete of the Yr. Morgan has been a part of two World Cups, three CONCACAF W Championships, a FIFA U-20 World Cup, and one Olympic title.

The veteran keeper on the 2023 U.S. Ladies’s World Cup squad, Naeher began for the 2019 World Cup champs and was a part of the 2015 group that additionally gained all of it. The Connecticut native has quietly gone about her enterprise as one of the crucial reliable performers within the historical past of U.S. soccer. She enters the 2023 World Cup with 53 recorded clear sheets over 91 caps. On the membership degree, Naeher has loved a profitable profession within the NWSL, presently with Chicago, and was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Yr in 2014.

From 2002-16, O’Reilly recorded 231 caps for the nationwide crew, rating eighth all-time amongst American gamers. O’Reilly scored 47 objectives throughout her profession for the U.S. however was much more useful as a playmaker. Her 55 assists rank among the many high 10 in American soccer historical past. She was a part of three Olympic gold-medal profitable groups for the U.S. (2004, ’08, ’12) and a member of three World Cups contributors (2007, ’11, ’15). A collegiate star at North Carolina, her No. 20 was retired by the Tar Heels. 

A 2006 inductee into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame, Overbeck was one of the crucial dependable performers through the sport’s historical past. A local of Pasadena, Calif., Overback starred on the backline for the U.S. from 1988-2000. Teamed with Pleasure Fawcett to type probably the greatest defensive duos on this planet, Overbeck performed in a national-record 63 consecutive worldwide matches from August 1993 to January 1996. She was a part of three World Cup groups (1991, ’96, ’99) and two U.S. Olympic teams (1996, 2000)

For all of her accomplishments on the pitch throughout her practically 20 seasons (1997-2015) with the USWNT, there may be an under-appreciation related to Pearce Rampone. That mentioned, her 311 caps are the third-most in U.S. historical past, and her stout defensive play has offered a blueprint for younger and upcoming defenders to comply with. The previous USWNT captain, Pearce Rampone was a member of 5 World Cup groups (1999, 2003, ’07, ’11, ’15) and 4 Olympic squads (2000, ’04, ’08, ’12). She was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2021.

With her retirement looming after the 2023 World Cup, Rapinoe in all probability will not simply trip off quietly into the sundown. Maybe essentially the most recognizable girls’s soccer participant on the planet, Rapinoe can also be one of many sport’s most polarizing figures. On the pitch, her profession is price celebrating. Getting into the ’23 World Cup, Rapinoe ranks amongst America’s all-time leaders with 63 worldwide objectives and among the many high three with 73 assists over 199 caps. The 38-year-old has been a part of two World Cup-winning and a second-place squads whereas additionally proudly owning Olympic gold and the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

A foot injury kept Sauerbrunn from making a fourth World Cup appearance in 2023. Nonetheless, the longtime nationwide crew captain stays one of the crucial revered soccer gamers within the historical past of USWNT and maybe the world. The 38-year-old Sauerbrunn has lengthy been a rock in the US central protection. She recorded the primary of her 216 profession caps with the nationwide crew in 2008. Nonetheless, Sauerbrunn has been a part of the US soccer program since 2000, when she starred for the Below-16 squad.

A real pioneer and trendsetter within the recreation of ladies’s soccer. In 2017, Scurry was the primary feminine goalkeeper and the primary Black lady to be inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame. Scurry recorded 175 caps and 72 clear sheets with the nationwide crew from 1994-2008. A four-time World Cup crew member, she began in objective for these squads in 1995, 1999, and 2003. She was additionally a part of three Olympic teams (1996, 2000, ’04). Scurry was a founding member of the short-lived Ladies’s United Soccer Affiliation.

Certain, Solo has made waves off the pitch, however there may be not a greater goalkeeper within the historical past of the ladies’s recreation. Solo’s 202 profession worldwide appearances are essentially the most by any American goalkeeper, as are her 102 clear sheets. She was a part of three World Cup groups (2007, ’11, ’15), with a kind of leading to an general victory and two FIFA Ladies’s World Cup Golden Glove honors to her title. In the meantime, she performed on two gold-medal-winning Olympic squads (2008, ’12). Boisterous and opinionated, Solo won’t have been a constant fan favourite amongst supporters in America and overseas, however she was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2022.

Wambach will be the best girls’s soccer participant of all time, relying on who’s speaking. Throughout her 255 appearances for the USWNT, Wambach recorded a national-record 184 objectives, together with the time beyond regulation winner in opposition to Brazil within the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal recreation and the stoppage-time tying objective through the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup. That was one of many 4 World Cups (2003, ’07, ’11, ’15) Wambach took half in. The most effective to move the ball within the recreation, Wambach is among the many all-time American leaders with 73 assists. Following her enjoying days, Wambach remained energetic in championing the game for U.S. girls and was inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2019.