1996 Women’s Soccer Team
Women’s soccer was added to the Olympic Games for the first time ever and while it was only an eight-team competition, it was a rousing success capped by the U.S. 2-1 victory over China in the gold-medal game.
Soccer, referred to as football in many countries, is a popular Olympic sport that takes place during the Summer Olympics every four years. Olympic soccer was the first team sport introduced into the Olympic program and has been part of every Olympics since 1908, except for the 1932 Los Angeles Games. The United States won silver and bronze in Olympic soccer at the St. Louis Games in 1904, which are the only medals won by American men.
The Atlanta 1996 Games saw the debut of women’s soccer at the Olympics. The U.S. women’s soccer team won the gold medal. In the Athens 2004 Games, the U.S. women’s soccer team reclaimed the gold it lost at the 2000 Sydney Games. The team brought home the gold again at the Beijing 2008 Games. Notable athletes in women’s soccer include Shannon MacMillan, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett.
Women’s soccer was added to the Olympic Games for the first time ever and while it was only an eight-team competition, it was a rousing success capped by the U.S. 2-1 victory over China in the gold-medal game.
Kristine Lilly played 354 games in a U.S. uniform and won two Olympic gold medals and one silver. Lilly scored goals in three consecutive games at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
After World Cup success, Hamm and the U.S. won gold medals in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and a silver in 2004. She is included in FIFA’s Top 100 Players in the World.
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