Wambach capped her career this summer, when the US national team won the Women’s World Cup.
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To many, her farewell scene will be worthy of a place in the history of the building where boxer Roberto Duran muttered “No mas” and surrendered his welterweight championship belt to “Sugar” Ray Leonard.
Or where Steve Gleason blocked a punt the night the building reopened for the first time after Hurricane Katrina. No matter what happens, she will go down as the G.O.A.T. – or the greatest of all time – an acronym and hashtag fans and players alike have recently embraced on Twitter, along with the hashtags promoted by U.S. Soccer: #ThanksAbby and #OnlyOneAbby.
On the day of her retirement, Gatorade debuted a commercial in which Wambach implored fans of women’s soccer to forget her. “I’ve been the blessed one for so many years to be a part of this team”.
Abby Wambach made her debut with the US national team in 2001 at the age of 21.
The ensuing results were mind-boggling. She’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year.
Klinsmann won the World Cup with Germany as a player in 1990 and also coached his country before being hired by U.S. Soccer in 2011. More than 40 percent of Abby’s record-breaking 184 goals were scored with her head.
“Oh man, I would definitely fire Jurgen”, she says. “She will be irreplaceable”.
“In that moment as a human being, you ask yourself – who’s the one person I want to run to, the person who sacrificed with me and dried my tears and wiped my blood and listened to my issues?” Just like she did after Mia Hamm retired from the sport.
By the time this summer’s cup matches began, Wambach was 35 and relatively old for an athlete. She headed it to the back of the net in the 122nd minute to send the game to penalty kicks, and the US went on to win.
But no one – NO ONE – can beat a compliment from the leader of the free world. Wambach had her best chance at 29:21 but was unable to get any power into her shot, which China goalie Zhao Lina easily scooped.
When her teammates made it to the locker room a few minutes later, they started apologizing to her for not being able to win in her final match.
“The team is in their hands now”. Tonight is her last match as a pro player and the last game of her World Cup Victory Tour.
Coming days after the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in all states, many saw the joyous moment between Wambach and Huffman as a microcosm of that larger picture.
Fox Sports 1 will broadcast the USA-China game beginning at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday.
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It is apparent Wambach’s American teammates will miss the stout, 5-foot-11 forward known for her passionate speeches and playing style, often highlighted by head-ball goals that are as exquisite as they are determined and powerful.
