Well this certainly deserves it's own thread. Post your favorites moments from her career here. I like many will always remember that overtime goal against Brazil. Brings tears to my eyes every time.
One of the most amazing and iconic moments in any sporting event. I loved this, unwitnessed by us, noted at the bottom of the USSF announcement: "Mary Abigail Wambach grew up in Rochester, N.Y., the youngest of seven children and excelled at soccer from the beginning, scoring 27 goals in her first three games at the age of five, necessitating a switch to competing against boys." Remember those obnoxious Greatness Has Been Found Ts? I guess hers has been on display since the very beginning.
Abby is one of the all-time best in the game. She will be missed and she is a trailblazer. It's sad, but understandable. She had to endure too much abuse and disrespect over the past year despite still being a top scorer and contributor. Ungrateful fans suck.
I wanted her retire and it is her time to go but I can still respect the legacy that she's leaving behind. Thanks for battling through the barren years for the USWNT where people barely watched or came to see you play after the 99ers had retired. That goal vs Brazil in the 2011 WC will always be my favourite moment of you and I'm glad you got to leave with your WC medal, finally. Thanks Abby Wambach.
I guess after not playing in 3 games straight, she saw the writing on the wall. I thought I would never say this but it seems Jill Ellis is full steam ahead in changing this team and doing it now. OK, Christie Rampone, I'm assuming your farewell game will be in Hawaii?
Nah, I think she's known for a while, maybe since before the World Cup. I think the Federation has its hands all over the timing and kind of put her in this semi-awkward position of having to say, "Still deciding, still deciding" until it was finally time to announce (after White House and after final games are scheduled and announced).
Obviously, the 2011 goal against Brazil has to top the list. But for us Freedom fans the Golden Goal she scored against the Beat to give the team the 2003 Founders Cup is well up there. I feel privileged to have seen her go from an unproven rookie to one of the best players ever.
Ah, I get you. So you think she was going to retire all along and they knew it but wanted to milk it for all it was worth and make as much money as possible on this tour? Yup, that makes sense.
The 2011 goal will never not give me chills. The 2003 goal, OTOH, is my least favorite Abby goal ever.
Thank you @AbbyWambach for all that you are, have been and will be You are a true muse #oneofakind— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) October 27, 2015
i think its time... most likely past time. She was a ghost of herself in the WWC and I dont think Ellis was going to take her to Brazil. Retiring now, at the end of the Cha Ching tour, allows her to go out on top and doesnt force Ellis into the awkward position of having to Landon her. Every player reaches this point and this is good for everybody. Abby has the scoring record for now but in my mind, there will always only be one Mia Hamm. Abby contributed a lot over the years but will never be a Mia
Abby never tried to be Mia and it would have been silly if she had. //I meant obit not orbit earlier.
Good point. Mia was shy and just went with spot light to get people watch women's soccer. They were completely different players. Abby showed up big in the Olympics and World Cups scoring wise. Something Mia never did. Mia game was a lot more eye pleasing to watch. Abby was the much better big game player.
I like that reference. I was actually watching a lecture from a Lincoln biographer on C-SPAN 2 back at my hotel after the Orlando game the other day, while I was still in a [particularly] patriotic mood. Technically "Now" won't be until December 16, which I'm surprised no one else has brought up. "Wambach will be with the team for all four of its December matches, but her final game for the USA will come on Dec. 16 against China PR in New Orleans as the USA plays its last match of the 10-game Victory Tour to celebrate the championship at the 2015 Women’s World Cup."
Too bad she didn't win the WWC in her prime time, but still a good finish, the 2nd goal setup in the semi started from her.
That is great from Kobe. Well, like her style or not Mary Abigail Wambach is without any doubt one of the greatest players in female football and deserve to have her career celebrated. So from France merci Abby et bonne chance.
Those tees annoyed me for several reasons: the passive voice, the implication that the hard-fought victory in the Olympics was something the team stumbled upon accidentally rather than earning decisively with amazing effort, blood, sweat, and tears... Leave it to Nike to summarize an unbelievable journey with a grammatically and rhetorically atrocious catchphrase. Anyway, I will miss Abby, and I'm very happy she was able to earn that one item missing from her résumé before stepping aside.
I love the rattle of the goal, the reaction of the crowd, the reaction of Ian Darke, Wambach's exuberance, one of my all time favorite futbol moments EVER. Not just WOSO, but period!!!!