List of international goals scored by Abby Wambach

Wambach playing for the United States women's national soccer team in San Jose, California, on May 10, 2015

Abby Wambach is a retired professional soccer player who competed as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 2001 to 2015.[1][2] In 255 appearances for the senior national team, she scored 184 goals and is second in the world for goals scored at the international level by both female and male soccer players.[3] The previous record holder was Mia Hamm who scored 158 international goals during her career, also for the United States. Wambach broke Hamm's record on June 20, 2013, as she completed a hat trick against South Korea, in a friendly match at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.[4]

Wambach scored her first international goal in the seventh minute of a friendly against Finland on April 27, 2002, in her second game for the national team.[5] She scored her first international hat trick during a friendly against Scotland leading the national team to an 8–2 win in her fourth appearance for the team.[6] Her first international goal scored during a competitive match occurred on November 2, 2002, during the national team's 9–0 win over Panama in the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup.[7] During her first FIFA Women's World Cup tournament, she scored three goals in six games.[8] Wambach completed her international career having scored a total of 14 goals in her 25 World Cup match appearances, placing second on the all-time World Cup scoring list behind Marta.[9]

Known for scoring goals with diving headers,[10][11][12][13] one of her more notable goals occurred in the 122nd minute of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal match against Brazil from a last-minute cross from midfielder Megan Rapinoe.[14] Wambach scored the equalizer in stoppage time and the Americans defeated Brazil in a penalty shootout. The team eventually progressed to the World Cup final against Japan.[15] Wambach's last-minute goal set a new record for the latest goal ever scored in a World Cup match[16] and was awarded ESPN's 2011 ESPY Award for Best Play of the Year.[17] Following her performance at the 2011 World Cup, Wambach was awarded the tournament's Bronze Boot and Silver Ball.[18] In 2011, she became the first ever soccer player of any gender to be named Associated Press Athlete of the Year.[19]

  1. ^ "Watch: Abby Wambach receives standing ovation in final USA match". Sports Illustrated. December 17, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  2. ^ Wagner, Laura (December 15, 2015). "Abby Wambach's Soccer Career In 8 Iconic Moments". NPR. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  3. ^ Scott, Nate (June 20, 2013). "Abby Wambach just did something no soccer player has done before". USA Today. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference mat207 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Wambach and Kluegel find net for first time, Fawvett adds header as Americans roll over Finland 3–0; MacMillan streak comes to end". Soccer Times. April 27, 2002. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  6. ^ "Hamm, Wambach hat tricks pace U.S. rout of Scotland". Soccer America. September 8, 2002. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  7. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 3, 2002). "U.S. Proves Relentless in 9–0 Rout of Panama". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  8. ^ Longman, Jere (July 16, 2011). "Abby Wambach Stands Tall for U.S." The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  9. ^ "Abby Wambach announces retirement". ESPN. October 28, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  10. ^ Devin Pleuler (June 12, 2015). "Women's World Cup: Abby Wambach & the USWNT's long-ball problem – Central Winger". MLS Soccer.com. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  11. ^ Caitlin Murray (June 16, 2015). "Is USA's Abby Wambach outdated or just brutally effective?". The Guardian. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  12. ^ Sharelle M. Burt (October 27, 2015). "Abby Wambach announces retirement: Top 10 career accomplishments". The New York Daily News. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  13. ^ Meredith Bennett-Smith (October 28, 2015). "Abby Wambach's towering legacy only begins with broken records". The Guardian. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  14. ^ Jackson, Melanie (June 15, 2015). "The Header Heard Round The World". ESPN. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  15. ^ "20 for 20: Abby Wambach's Most Memorable Career Highlights". U.S. Soccer Federation. December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  16. ^ "The 10 Most Significant Goals In U.S. Soccer History". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  17. ^ "Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki win at ESPYs". ESPN. July 14, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  18. ^ Haldane, Lizzie (July 17, 2011). "Despite outcome, U.S. women earned respect". ESPN. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  19. ^ Goldman, Leah (December 20, 2011). "Abby Wambach Was Named Female Athlete Of The Year". Business Insider. Retrieved July 20, 2013.