Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm
Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm-Garciaparrais a retired American professional association football player and two time olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup winner. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm held the record for international goals, more than any other player, male or female, in the history of soccer, until 2013 when fellow American Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal to break...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth17 March 1972
CitySelma, AL
CountryUnited States of America
I was this shy, introverted kid and through the game and through athletics I was able to gain a lot more confidence and express myself on the field. It is about enjoying themselves and that's what I could tell about all of these girls. They played hard, respected the game and just had fun doing it.
Many people say Im the best womens soccer player in the world. I dont think so. And because of that, someday I just might be.
This is the last time I will get to play with this group of players. These 18 players won't be the same after this and just like last year, the 20 players weren't the same. Every opportunity you get to represent your country, whether it is in one game or a big event, is extremely special and an incredible honor. This tournament is no different. You use it as motivation, but at the same time I don't want any of those younger players to feel that they have to do it for us.
Many people say I'm the best women's soccer player in the world. I don't think so. And because of that, someday I just might be.
When players go out and train on their own, they usually do it at half speed. This kind of training is valuable, but it doesn't prepare you for competition, where you must perform at full throttle. So the trick is to schedule regular sessions of intense practice, while always leaving time to juggle and generally goof around with the ball
The most important attribute a player must have is mental toughness.
Good players create opportunities. The great players and the great people seize them
I don't like to play rough, but I will if I have to.
People ask me, 'Would you ever want to play professional golf?' And I'm like, 'No. No, no, no, no. Just because I can hit a good shot every now and then doesn't make me a pro.'
Every single day I wake up and commit to myself to becoming a better player.
We play because we love the game, we love each other, and we love to win.
As a mother I think you often get so caught up in trying to take care of everyone else that you forget to take care of yourself. But I'm a much better wife and mother when I take the time to take care of myself.
To me, one of the reasons we were so successful was that we respected and cared about the game and felt the same way about each other, ... (Teammates) always understood there was a greater purpose. That the opportunity to play was extremely special, and let's try to make sure as many young girls have that opportunity.
I've enjoyed every minute of it and to be able to do it as long as I've had, I've had a lot of support from my family. The game has yet to see so much more growth.