Abby Wambach, the predatory forward whose 184 goals are the most scored by any man or woman in the history of international soccer, has announced her retirement.
Wambach, 35, has made 252 appearances for the United States women’s national team since debuting against Germany in September 2001.
“After much deliberation and talking with my friends, family, teammates and our coaching staff, I’ve decided to finally bring my soccer career to an end,” Wambach said in a statement. “While we still have more work to do for women’s soccer, after bringing the World Cup back to the United States this summer, I’m feeling extremely optimistic about the future of our sport. It’s been an amazing, wonderful ride and I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of my life brings.”
Wambach will appear with the team for all four of its scheduled matches in December, with her farewell appearance coming on 16 December against China in New Orleans, the final leg of the US team’s 10-city victory tour to celebrate their World Cup triumph in July.
Wambach appeared in four World Cups over a decorated 15-year international career and won gold medals in both her Olympic appearances at the 2004 and 2012 Games, scoring 23 goals in 35 appearances in those six tournaments. She missed the 2008 Olympics with a broken leg.
The most famous of her 184 international goals came in stoppage time of a 2011 World Cup quarter-final against Brazil with the United States trailing 2-1. Wambach’s 122nd-minute header off a 40-yard cross from Megan Rapinoe sent the match to penalties, where the US prevailed to book a place in the last four.
The Rochester, New York native was named Fifa World Player of the Year in 2012, becoming only the second American to capture the sport’s highest individual honor after Mia Hamm. A three-time All-American at the University of Florida, Wambach helped the Gators to the program’s first NCAA championship in 1998.
“Abby is a player who has transcended our sport and her legacy as one of the world’s greatest players is set forever,” USA coach Jill Ellis said. “What she has done for women’s soccer and women’s sports overall with her amazing talents on the field and her personality off it has been inspiring to watch. I am just extremely happy that she could end her career with that elusive World Cup title and go out on top, right where she deserves to be.”
Wambach will speak publicaly on her retirement on Thursday at the National Press Club Luncheon at the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies in Washington DC.
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