USA women’s football

1985–

Their last campaign didn’t go too well — they were beaten in the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics and goalkeeper Hope Solo showed a lack of class in her attack on Sweden, calling them a “bunch of cowards” for the way they played — but it was the first time the United States women’s football side had failed to win a medal at a World Cup or Olympics. They have won three World Cups and four Olympic titles and their worst world ranking

Olympic champs 1996 2004 2008 2012

has been No 2. Since their first international in 1985, they have won an incredible 444 games.

Their first major victory came at the 1991 World Cup but it wasn’t until victory on home soil in 1999, when more than 90,000 filled the Rose Bowl (the largest crowd for a women’s sporting event) to see them beat China in a dramatic penalty shootout that they became known globally. The sight of Brandi Chastain, who scored the winning penalty, celebrating in her sports bra became the iconic image of the tournament and the

success of that World Cup led to an upsurge of interest in women’s football.

In 2004, Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers were the only two women and only two Americans in Pele's list of the 125 greatest living footballers named as part of Fifa’s centenary celebrations.

World champs 1991 1999 2015