United States women's national soccer team

The United States women's national soccer team (sometimes referred to as USWNT) represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world by the FIFA Women's World Rankings.^[1] The team has also won the 1999 Women's World Cup, three Olympic Women's Gold Medals (1996, 2004 and 2008) and eight Algarve Cups (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011).

Among its many other honors, the team was selected the U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Year in 1997 and 1999. Sports Illustrated chose the entire team as its 1999 Sportspeople of the Year.

History

The team played its first match on August 18, 1985, coached by Mike Ryan (not related to 2005–2007 coach Greg Ryan). In March 2004, two of its stars, Mia Hamm (who retired later that year after a post-Olympic team tour of the USA) and Michelle Akers (who had already retired), were the only two women and the only two Americans named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players chosen by Pelé as part of FIFA's centenary observances.

Arguably their most influential and memorable victory came in the 1999 World Cup when they beat China 5–4 in a penalty shootout. With this win they emerged onto the world stage and brought significant media attention to women's soccer and athletics. On July 10, 1999, over 90,000 people (the largest ever for a women’s sporting event and one of the largest attendances in the world for a tournament game final) filled the Rose Bowl to watch the United States play China in the Final. After a back and forth game, the score was tied 0–0 at full time, and remained so after extra time, leading to a penalty kick shootout. With Briana Scurry's save of China's third kick, the score was 4–4 with only Brandi Chastain left to shoot. She scored and won the game for the United States. Chastain famously dropped to her knees and whipped off her shirt, celebrating in her sports bra, which later made the cover of Sports Illustrated and the front pages of newspapers around the country and world.

Perhaps the second most influential victory came on July 10, 2011, in the quarterfinal of the 2011 Women's World Cup in Germany, where the US beat Brazil 5–3 on penalty kicks. Abby Wambach tied the game 2–2 in the 2nd minute of extra time in the 2nd period of overtime (the 122nd minute of the match overall). Earlier in the game, Brazil had evened the score 1–1 on a controversial penalty kick. Interestingly, the game was played on the 12th anniversary of the memorable 1999 World Cup Final (described above), which the US also won on penalty kicks.

Kit

Traditionally since the team started, the kit has been an all white kit. Occasionally blue shorts have been used. As of May 2011, the away kit is all black. Like the men's team, Nike is the team's kit manufacturer. The team also wears two stars above the US Soccer crest, to signify their two world championships.

Schedule and recent results

The following is a list of matches from the past six months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Key

      Win       Draw       Loss

Key

• IF = International Friendly
• WC = 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
  • GP = Group Play
  • QF = Quarterfinal
  • SF = Semifinal
  • F = Final
• OQT = 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
  • GP = Group Play
• AC = 2012 Algarve Cup
  • GP = Group Play
• KC = 2012 Women's Kirin Challenge Cup

Current squad

Roster for November friendly

The following 29-player squad was named for the January camping training at Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Caps and goals are current as of the game against Sweden on November 19, 2011.

Recent call-ups

The following players were named to a squad in the last six months, but were not called up for the friendly against Sweden. Caps and goals are current as of November 19, 2011.

Records

The women's national team boasts the first six players in the history of the game to have earned 200 or more caps. (These players have since been joined in the 200-cap club by Pu Wei and Li Jie of China and Birgit Prinz of Germany, as well as by a seventh American, Kate Markgraf.) Kristine Lilly is the only player of either sex with over 300 caps.

Head coaches

Statistics as of November 19, 2011

World Cup record

Host year in red

Olympics record

CONCACAF Gold Cup record

Other honors

International

• Algarve Cup

Champions (8): 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011

Runners-Up (4): 1994, 1999, 2006, 2009

Third Place (2): 1997, 1998

• Four Nations Tournament

Champions (7): 1998, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011

Third Place (1): 2002

• Peace Queen Cup

Champions (2): 2006, 2008

Regional

• Pan American Games

Champions (1): 1999

Runners-Up (1): 2007

• U.S. Cup

Champions (5): 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

Media coverage

ESPN and ESPN2 bring most coverage, with occasional coverage from Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Espanol, and Galavisión.

See also

• United States at the team sports international competitions
• Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team – 2005 HBO documentary
• List of women's national football teams
• Women's association football around the world
• Lists of association football players
• United States U-17 women's national soccer team
• United States U-20 women's national soccer team
• United States U-23 women's national soccer team
• Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL)
• W-League (includes some partially salaried players)
• WUSA (defunct)
• Women's Professional Soccer

References

External links

• US WNT official website
• W-league Team Directory