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| Natasha Kai |
Caps:
27 |
World Cups:
First |
Height:
5-8 |
DOB:
05-22-83 |
Hometown:
Kahuku, Hawaii |
College:
Hawaii |
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Natasha Kai has made an quick impact on the U.S.
team, including goals in her first two career games,
both at the 2006 Algarve Cup, and both off the bench.
She scored her third career goal against Japan in a
1-0 win on May 9, also coming off the bench, and
has proven to be a remarkably dangerous reserve
that can give the USA’s opponents a lethal dose of
speed and finishing ability. She got her first-ever
starts for the USA at the Peace Queen Cup last
October, starting three games and scored a
spectacular goal against Australia. She got her
first domestic goal against Ireland on July 23,
2006, and also scored against Canada on July
30, 2006. Still raw like fresh cut sugar cane
from her home state, her tremendous speed,
one-on-one dribbling ability, world-class
vertical leap and dangerous heading ability
make her, without a doubt, a player to invest in.
FULL BIO |
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Kai's Career Highlights
- Made her full Women’s National Team debut at the 2006 Algarve Cup in Portugal, scoring as a substitute in her first two games, against Denmark and France
- Is the first-ever player from Hawaii to play for the full Women’s National Team
- First brought in with the U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team in 2004, and was the leading scorer on the team with 12 goals, including six in international matches
- Finished her college career with 72 goals in 73 matches
- Scored against China in a 2-0 win at the 2007 Four Nations Tournament to help the USA to the title
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| Kristine Lilly |
Caps:
328 |
World Cups:
Fifth |
Height:
5-4 |
DOB:
07-22-71 |
Hometown:
Wilton, Conn. |
College:
UNC |
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The USA’s captain and most capped player in the
history of the world, Lilly is also one of the greatest
scorers of all-time with 123 goals, sitting only behind
Mia Hamm. The tireless Lilly has 327 caps, and at
age 35, is still going strong. Amazingly consistent
over her remarkable 20 years on the National Team,
her endline-to-endline playing style has always
been able to impact the game on both ends of the
field. She has played primarily forward in a three-
front since Greg Ryan took over, freeing her from
some defensive tasks and allowing her offensive
flair to flourish. Her three goals at the 2004 Olympics
were all crucial in one-goal wins, furthering her
legend as a big-game player. She had one of her
best years ever in 2006, scoring 13 goals including
numerous huge game-winners. In hypothetical
discussions of the greatest player in women’s
soccer history, Lilly’s is most definitely on the
short list. FULL BIO |
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Lilly's Career Highlights
- The U.S. and world’s all-time appearance leader, she was the first player in history, man or woman, to play 200 career international games and is thus far the only player to hit the previously unimaginable 300 game mark
- Is the second all-time leading scorer in U.S. and world history behind Mia Hamm and the all-time leader in minutes played
- Was the fifth female player in history to score 100 career goals
Has started every Women’s World Cup and Olympic match for the USA over seven world championships from 1991-2004
- Finished second in the voting for 2006 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year
- Was voted the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in both 2005 and 2006, while also winning the honor in 1993
- Scored the winning goal in three tournament finals in 2006: the Four Nations in China, the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea and the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup in Los Angeles
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| Heather O'Reilly |
Caps:
61 |
World Cups:
First |
Height:
5-5 |
DOB:
01-02-85 |
Hometown:
East Brunswick, N.J. |
College:
UNC |
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The youngest player on the 2004 Olympic Team, Heather O’Reilly is
still just 22 years old and has already experienced a lot on the
international stage, appearing 60 times for the full national team,
six times for the U-21s and 18 times for the U-19s. She had
a dream senior season for the Tar Heels in 2006, leading
UNC to the NCAA title while being named Offensive
MVP of the Final Four, scoring key goals down the
stretch. One of the fastest players on the team,
she used that speed to score one the most
important goals in U.S. history against Germany
in overtime of the semifinal match. O’Reilly scored
an amazing 18 goals in her 18 U-19 international
matches, including four goals and seven assists
in the 2002 FIFA U-19 World Championship. O’Reilly
was on track to make the 2003 Women’s World
Cup Team, but a broken leg suffered while scoring
a goal against Ireland in June of 2003 ended her
chances of being named to the squad, making the
selection to this team all the more sweet. She
was the 2004 U.S. Soccer Young Female
Athlete of the Year. FULL BIO |
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O'Reilly's Career Highlights
- Had her first two-goal game against Denmark at the 2006 Algarve Cup
- Scored one of the best goals of her international career against Canada on May 12, 2007, making her the 21st player in U.S. history to reach double figures in goals
- Led her college team at UNC to the NCAA championship as a senior in 2006
- Scored one of the most important goals in U.S. history, coming off the bench to record the winning goal in a 2-1 overtime victory against Germany in the 2004 Olympic semifinal game
- The youngest member of the 2004 Olympic Team at 19, she played in four matches during the tournament
- Voted the 2004 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year
- Was a star on the 2002 U.S. Under-19 Women’s World Championship team, scoring four goals with seven assists to help the USA to the first-ever world championship for youth women
- Scored 18 international goals for the U.S. U-19s
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| Lindsay Tarpley |
Caps:
70 |
World Cups:
First |
Height:
5-6 |
DOB:
09-22-83 |
Hometown:
Kalamazoo, Mich. |
College:
UNC |
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The 2002 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year has
emerged into a legitimate attacking presence on the forward
line for the USA. Her breakout year came in 2004, when she
scored against Sweden, Canada, Mexico, Norway and
Brazil among her eight goals and now has 15 for her
career. A forward all her life, Tarpley had adapted well
to the attacking midfielder slot for the USA for the early
part of her career, but in 2006 was moved back to
forward, where she played during her U-19 WNT days,
and that is where she will see most of her minutes in the
Women’s World Cup. Even at her young age, Tarpley has
scored two of the most important goals in U.S. soccer
history, the first when she pounded in a rebound of her
own shot in the championship game of the 2002 FIFA U-19
World Championship, giving the USA a dramatic 1-0 sudden
death overtime victory over host Canada and the first-ever
world title for youth women. (She won the Bronze Boot as the
third-leading scorer in the tournament). The second came in the
2004 Olympic gold medal game off a blast from 25 yards out into
the lower left corner. Despite being just 23 years old, Tarpley’s
experience in world championship events and her versatility will
make her a valuable part of the U.S. team moving forward. FULL BIO |
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Tarpley's Career Highlights
- Moved from midfield to forward in 2006 and scored five goals
- Voted the 2002 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year
- Started the final three games of the 2004 Olympics at attacking midfielder, helping spark the USA to the gold medal, and came off the bench in the second group game against Brazil to assist on Abby Wambach’s game-clinching goal
- Scored one of the biggest goals in U.S. history when she tallied in sudden death overtime of the 2002 U-19 FIFA Women’s World Championship against Canada to give the USA a 1-0 victory at the first-ever FIFA world championship for youth women
- Became the only player in women’s soccer history to score in a Under-19 Women’s World Championship Final and an Olympic Final when she tallied the opening goal in the USA’s 2-1 overtime victory over Brazil in the gold medal match in Athens, Greece
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| Abby Wambach |
Caps:
93 |
World Cups:
Second |
Height:
5-11 |
DOB:
06-02-80 |
Hometown:
Rochester, N.Y. |
College:
Florida |
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The dynamic striker was the USA’s leading
scorer at the 2003 Women’s World Cup with
three goals, including the historic game-winner
in the 1-0 victory over Norway in the
quarterfinals, and at the 2004 Olympics with
four goals, including the dramatic game-winner
in the gold medal match against Brazil. She
reached 50 career goals for the USA in
fewer matches than anyone but the great
Michelle Akers and currently has 74 in just
92 games, good for 13th best all-time in
world history. The 2003 and 2004 U.S.
Soccer Women’s Player of the Year is
extremely technical despite her size and with
a world-class heading and shooting abilities.
She is an intimidating force for any defense to
handle and brings physicality to the game that is
almost impossible to contain over 90 minutes.
She led the team in scoring in 2007 with 17 goals
and finished fourth in the voting for FIFA Women’s
World Player of the Year. FULL BIO |
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Wambach's Career Highlights
- Has averaged a goal for every 90 minutes she plays for the USA
- Reached 50 career goals in fewer games than any player besides Michelle Akers and has the best goals per game average in U.S. history to date
- Should be the next U.S. player to reach 100 caps
- Finished fourth in the voting for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year in 2006
- In 2006, she scored 17 goals to lead the team
- Had a spectacular 2004 Olympics, starting all five games in which she played, scoring four goals, including the game-winner in the gold medal match
- Enjoyed one of the greatest years in U.S. Women’s National Team history in 2004, scoring 31 goals in the final 30 matches
- The 2003 and 2004 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year
- The USA’s leading scorer at the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup
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2007 U.S. Women's World Cup Roster - Forwards
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