Michelle
Akers
| Michelle Akers |
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Hometown: Seattle,
WA
Residence: Oviedo, FL
College: University of Central Florida
- FIFA Player of the Century
- FIFA Order of Merit 1998
- 105 international goals
- 153 international caps
- 1996 Olympic gold medal winner
- 1991 World Championship Golden Boot winner
- 1991 World Championship Silver Ball winner
- US Soccer Player of the year 1990,
1991, 1999
- 4 time All-American at Central Florida
University
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Michelle has
enjoyed over 25 years involvement with Northwest Soccer Camp, starting as a
camper in 1980. Michelle is arguably the greatest player in the history of
women's soccer.
The all-time leading scorer in Women's World Cup
history with 12 goals, she played a key role in the USA's 1999 Women's
World Cup victory, scoring the clinching goal in the semifinal against
Brazil and exhibiting inspiring play throughout the tournament that
earned her the Bronze Ball as the third most valuable player named
to the 1999 Women's World Cup All-Star Team.
- Named U.S. Soccer's
Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year for 1999, the third time she has been
so honored, but first since 1991.
- Played in 20
matches for the USA in 1999, starting 18, while scoring six goals with one
assist.
- Became just
the fourth player in the history of international soccer to score 100 career
goals when she tallied against Portugal on Jan. 30, 1999.
- Started 15 matches
in 1998 and scored five goals with three assists in her return to the national
team after taking most of 1997 off.
- Received FIFA's
highest honor, the FIFA Order of Merit, on June 7, 1998, at the XVth FIFA
Congress in Paris, just prior to the start of the 1998 World Cup, for her
positive contributions to the game.
- One of only
two women named to a special FIFA Commission by President Sepp Blatter to
help shape initiatives for the future of soccer.
- Also on the
commission are Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Sir Bobby Charlton and Michel
Platini.
- Member of the
Gold Medal winning U.S. Women's National Team at the 1996 Olympic games.
o Started all five matches in the Olympics, scoring a crucial tying goal
on a penalty kick in the USA's 2-1 semifinal victory over Norway.
- Was injured
in the opening game of the 1995 FIFA world championship in Sweden and did
not play again until semifinal loss to Norway.
- MVP of the 1994
CONCACAF Qualifying Championship in Montreal.
- Leading goal
scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991 in China with 10 goals,
including five in one game, to win the Golden Boot Award while leading the
USA to U.S. Soccer's first-ever world championship.
- She also received
the Silver Ball Award given to the world championship's second-best player.
- U.S. Soccer's
Female Athlete of the Year in 1990 and '91.
- Scored 15 goals
in 24 games for the USA from 1985-90 before exploding for 36 goals in 26
games in 1991.
- Four-time All-American
at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she won the first
Hermann Trophy.
- Central Florida's
Athlete of the Year in 1988-89, and offensive MVP in the 1987 NCAA Final
Four.
- Three-time All-American
at Shorecrest High School in Seattle.
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