| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michelle Anne Akers[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | February 1, 1966 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Santa Clara, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1988 | UCF Knights | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | Tyresö FF | 18 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Tyresö FF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Orlando Lions Women | 29 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Tyresö FF | 19 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–2000 | United States | 155 | (107) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Orlando Pride (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michelle Anne Akers (formerly Akers-Stahl; born February 1, 1966) is an American former soccer player who starred in the 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories by the United States. At the 1991 World Cup, she won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer, with ten goals.
Akers is regarded as one of the greatest female soccer players in history.[2][3][4] She was named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, an award she shared with China's Sun Wen.[5][6] In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only two women named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé and commissioned by FIFA for that organization's 100th anniversary.
Akers is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, inducted in 2004.[7]
- ^ "Michelle Akers". SoccerTimes. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (August 3, 2016). "The 20 Greatest Female Football Players of all Time". The Guardian. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Jeff Carlisle (June 2, 2013). "Players whose influence reaches beyond the pitch". ESPN. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ^ "Best American Soccer Players of All Time (Men and Women)". Soccer Mavericks. December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^ "Michelle Akers Named FIFA Player of the Century". US Soccer. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "FIFA names Akers 'Player of the Century.'". ESPN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
- ^ "Michelle Akers - 2004 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Michelle Akers - 2004 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 28, 2023.