overview:
Just when you thought women's soccer would be okay with the United States' dangerous high-scoring forward following the retirement of Mia Hamm, an even more impressive figure has emerged.
Abby Wambach was a fierce competitor, as the Mexican national team learned in a 2005 friendly. (Andy Meade/YCJ Photo)
This article was published on BigAppleSoccer.com on October 27, 2004.
michael lewis
Just when you thought women's soccer would be okay with the United States' dangerous high-scoring forward following the retirement of Mia Hamm, an even more impressive figure has emerged.
Meet Abby Wambach, who is poised to become the new face of American women's soccer. She has all the ingredients to be a superstar. She is talented, can score a ton of goals, is popular with the media, has a good personality, speaks her mind, is a selfless teammate, and understands her place within the team. A humble person.
A new face on the team? Wambach isn't so sure, but the 24-year-old's accomplishments have matched, and at times surpassed, Mia's.
“If that happens, let me know,” Wambach said with a laugh.
“I'm just going through this journey. I still have many years left in my career. I hope I can be as lucky as the women before me who played great soccer and won championships. I consider myself lucky. Whether I put my face in this sport or not, that's not the main reason I'm here. I want to win a world championship, no matter what happens with that. I accept.”
Wambach, 5-11, 161 pounds, already has an Olympic gold medal, scoring the winning header in overtime against Brazil in the final.
She scored an astonishing 79.2 percent (42 international goals in 53 games before Saturday's game against Denmark in Philadelphia), the highest scoring rate ever by a female player in the world. . Yes, she has even more than Mia (57.8 percent), who has a world record of 158 goals in 273 games.
“I read once that the only reason I had that record was because I played for 17 years,” Hamm said. “She doesn't need to play for 17 years to score this many goals. I'd be happy if she broke it. That means they win the World Championship and that she's at the Olympics again.” I hope I get a chance to win the gold medal. That would be great.
“She is a leader by example and word. She has great passion for the game and has the ability to inspire others, including myself.”
Since winning the gold medal, Wambach's life has been a whirlwind, as he and his team took the nation by storm on a 10-game road trip, tormenting Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
“It still feels like a dream,” Wambach said. She showed incredible scoring prowess in a 5-0 win over Ireland on the Fan Celebration Tour on October 31, scoring five goals in her final 43 minutes, tying a team record. of the match.
“There are moments where you're like, 'I can't believe this happened,'” she added. “It still feels a little unreal to me. It might take six months for it to sink in. I don't know if I'll ever have time to sink in and really appreciate it.”
Like it or not, Wambach became a celebrity. In her hometown of Rochester, New York, she can't leave the house without being recognized and signed.
“I don't think of myself as some sort of big celebrity,” she said. “I consider myself an ordinary person who just did something extraordinary at an extraordinary moment.”
However, others consider them celebrities. Wambach has been flooded with offers of support. She's taking the time to consider offers, starting with negotiations with sports drink companies and shoe manufacturers.
“I don't want to be overly supportive and I want to believe in the companies I support,” she said.
In January, Mia and fellow retiring captain Julie Foudy will not be participating, leaving the U.S. women's team with one back.
“The real test for this team is to see how the team can perform when these girls leave,” she said. “Let's see what kind of students we are.”
Wambach speaks of Hamm and other veterans with respect. “They gave me a chance in this game and in this career in so many different ways,” she said. “The last game in December will be a sad day.
“The challenge for me is to create a league, relaunch WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association) and continue to do so so that only 20 women in the country can play, get paid and have a good life. That's the thing. Women can do it with 120 people or 200 people. . . . They set the bar very high for themselves. The bar is over there.”
And so is hunger. Wambach said she believes the team still has unfinished business at the 2007 China Women's World Cup. The United States finished third last year.
“As soon as they put the gold medal around my neck, I thought, 'Oh, I want another one,'” she said. “It may sound cocky, but that's the driving force and tradition of this team. It's great to win, but it's even better to keep winning. I want one more. The next few world championships , it's going to be a lot harder than it's been in the past. It's incredible just thinking about how good these teams are.”
What's the scariest thing about Wambach?
Leave it to former U.S. women's national team coach Tony DiCicco, who led his team to a world championship (1999) and gold medal (1996).
“I think we haven't seen her best football yet,” he said.
