The history of the United States women's national soccer team began in 1985 — the year when the United States women's national soccer team played its first match.
History
Origins in 1985 A national women's soccer team had been selected in 1982, 1983, and 1984 but never played together. Club teams had represented the United States in international tournaments, with the Dallas Sting winning the first title for the United States at a FIFA-sanctioned world tournament in 1984. With interest growing in women's soccer, about 70 women, mostly players on University teams, were invited to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to participate in the 1985 Olympic Sports Festival, the first time women's soccer was included among the events. As the players sat on the field at the end of the festival, coach Mike Ryan selected a team of 17 players, all under 25 years of age to play in a tournament in Jesolo, Italy. The team was issued men's practice uniforms and practiced for three days at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. Team members were each given a pair of cleats and $10 a day for food, and sewed the "USA" decal on the front of their shirts the night before flying to Italy.
The Italians greeted the American team enthusiastically and chanted "Ooosa!" (USA), a pre-game chant that the U.S. team adopted for itself. The U.S. team responded by leading a cheer for the Italian team during a game. The Americans were the guests of honor at a rock concert and Michelle Akers, Emily Pickering, and Linda Gancitano were invited to model clothing for a photo shoot. The Americans were unaccustomed to the large and enthusiastic crowds, numbering several thousand people, attending the games.
All did not go well on the playing field for the American team. In their first match, on August 18, 1985, the Americans, accustomed to a polite women's game as it was then in the United States, were out-played by an experienced and physical Italian team and lost 1–0. Carolina Morace struck the Italians' winning goal. Akers and Pickering missed that game because of injuries. On August 21, the U.S. team found their footing and tied Denmark 2-2, with Akers and Pickering scoring goals. They then lost to England and to Denmark in a rematch.
The team disbanded after the Jesolo tournament. A national team with several new players and a new coach, Anson Dorrance, reassembled in 1986 to play again in Jesolo and at the national soccer complex in Blaine, Minnesota. The team record was better in 1986, with five wins and two losses.
+Coaches Name birthdate WNT coaching years University position career matches comments 1985 Head coach A steelworker and soccer coach in Seattle 1985 Assistant coach Founder, Women's Soccer World Magazine
+Players Name Birthdate WNT team member years University Position Career caps (goals) Notes Michelle Akers February 1, 1966 1985–2000 Central Florida forward 153 (105) Against Denmark, scored first US international goal. Pam Baughman Cornell October 25, 1962 1985 George Mason 4 (1) Denise Bender July 29, 1959 1985 Washington defender 4 (0) Team captain Denise Boyer-Merdich June 8, 1962 1985–1987 Puget Sound midfielder 7 (l) Tara Buckley November 1, 1962 1985 Connecticut 2 (0) Lori Bylin October 8, 1964 1985 Puget Sound 4 (0) Stacey Enos February 4, 1964 1985–1986 North Carolina defender 10 (0) Linda Gancitano January 24, 1962 1985 Central Florida defender 2 (0) Substitute for Denise Bender in first international game; torn ACL in 1986 ended career Cindy Gordon November 14, 1962 1985–1988 Western Washington midfielder 6 (0) Ruth Harker June 28, 1963 1985 Missouri – St. Louis goalkeeper 2 (0) Tuca Healey September 20, 1962 1985 California forward 3 (0) Lori Henry March 20, 1966 1985–1991 North Carolina defender 39 (3) Sharon McMurtry October 31, 1960 1985–1986 Seattle midfielder 6 (0) inaugural U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in 1985 Ann Orrison June 29, 1961 1985–1986 Virginia defender 5 (0) Emily Pickering February 1, 1963 1985–1992 North Carolina midfielder 15 (2) Assist on first US international goal; scored second goal against Denmark Kathy Ridgewell May 18, 1965 1985–1987 Western Washington 3 (0) Kim Wyant February 11, 1964 1985–1987, 1993 Central Florida goalkeeper 9 (0)
+Results Date Location Opponent Result U.S. scorers August 18, 1985 Jesolo, Italy Italy Loss 0–1 August 21, 1985 Jesolo, Italy Denmark Tie 2–2 Akers, Pickering August 23, 1985 Caorle, Italy England Loss 1–3 Akers August 24, 1985 Jesolo, Italy Denmark Loss 0–1
1990s and 2000s In March 2004, two of its stars, Mia Hamm (who retired later that year after a post-Olympic team tour of the US) 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. Those two women along with Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, and the 1999 team started a revolution towards women's team sports in America. The USWNT won every game they played in this tournament. In their group stage, they beat Denmark 3–0 at Giants Stadium just outside New York City, they then thrashed Nigeria 7–1 at Soldier Field in Chicago and finally they beat North Korea 3–0 at Foxboro Stadium near Boston. Going into the knockout stage, they then beat a fancied Germany 3–2 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium just outside the American capital of Washington, D.C. and the USWNT then traveled to the San Francisco Bay Area to beat Brazil 2–0 at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto. And then, they traveled to Los Angeles to play China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for the final match which would decide the winner of this most prestigious tournament.
This 1999 World Cup final match was arguably the USWNT's most influential and memorable victory. It came when they defeated China 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out following a 0–0 draw after extended time. 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.Giving girls the opportunity to play soccer or any team sport.Dare to Dream. Ouisie Shapiro. HBO Productions, September 19, 2007. Video
2011 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 U.S. defeated Brazil 5–3 on penalty kicks. Brazil had annihilated the USA in the previous world cup (2007), handing the USA their worst defeat in the history of the program: 4–0 in the semifinal. Coming into the match, the USA had never failed to advance to the semifinal round in (women's) world cup history. Brazil also featured reigning five time Fifa Women's World Player of the Year, Marta. Brazil had been finalists in the past three major international tournaments (2004 and 2008 Olympics; 2007 World Cup), but had yet to win a championship. Thanks to a blistering cross by Shannon Boxx and a charging run by Abby Wambach, the USA forced an own goal in the opening minutes of the match and went up 1–0. Midway through the second half, Marta made a run at the USA's goal and USA defender Rachel Buehler challenged. The referee, Jacqui Melksham, ruled it a foul, gave Brazil a penalty kick, and red carded Buehler, sending her off in the 65th minute. Hope Solo saved the initial penalty kick made by Cristiane, but this was controversially overruled by the referee, and the penalty kick was ordered to be retaken. Marta converted, tying the game 1–1. Melksham initially claimed the reason for the red was that Hope Solo had stepped off the line. Solo was yellow-carded for either this offense or for protesting (the reason for the card was never confirmed). Video replay proved Solo had not come off the line, and after the match, the official record claimed that the true offense was a US player encroaching into the box before the initial PK was taken. In the first overtime, Marta scored, again controversially as the player who assisted her looked to be offsides, but this was not called. The US had less than 20 minutes to equalize, all while playing down a player since the 65th minute. In the 117th minute, the Brazilian Erika received a yellow card for gamesmanship, when she faked injury for several minutes, was placed on a stretcher and carried to the corner flag before she leapt off the stretcher and ran back onto the pitch. This confused everyone as to how much injury time was left. In the 121st minute, Carli Lloyd took a shot and missed, giving possession back to Brazil. Cristiane took the ball to the USA's corner and stood on it, wanting to waste the clock. USA captain Christie Rampone pressured her to pass and the ball was intercepted by Ali Krieger. Krieger passed to Lloyd who dribbled upfield and drew several Brazilian players, leaving Megan Rapinoe open on the wing. Lloyd passed to Rapinoe who hugged the sideline. Just past the midstripe, Rapinoe hammered a left-footed (she's dominantly right-footed) 45 yard cross to the Brazilian back post where Abby Wambach was crashing. It was the 122nd minute, and Abby scored on her signature header. The goal was called the "Header Heard Round the World" and it tied the game 2–2. It has been voted the greatest goal in US soccer history and the greatest goal in women's world cup history. Commentator Ian Darke shouted, "OH DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?! ABBY WAMBACH HAS JUST SAVED THE USA'S LIFE IN THIS WORLD CUP!" and later, "Brazil is denied at the death!" All of the USA's penalty kick takers – Shannon Box, Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe, and Ali Krieger – converted their PKs. Hope Solo saved Daiane's attempt at a PK, allowing the US to win 5–3 in PKs. Solo was named MVP of the match. Coincidentally, the USA-Brazil match (nicknamed the "Miracle in Dresden") was played on the 12th anniversary of the memorable 1999 World Cup Final (described above), which the US also won on penalty kicks. Brianna Scurry and Hope Solo each made a save on the third PK taker, and the USA players who scored the winning penalty kicks (Brandi Chastain and Ali Krieger, respectfully) were both defenders who did not normally take PKs.
2012–13