Wambach bows out in defeat as China end 11-year U.S. streak

It marked the 255th cap for Wambach, who leads all players – men or women – with 184 worldwide goals.

Wambach fans packed the house in New Orleans. “The reality is, I think symbolically, the way this game went means that this team… for me it means I can walk away”, said Abby. Wambach had 31 goals and 13 assists in 30 matches for the national team, earning her USA player of the year honors.

It was apparent from the outset that the Americans’ plan of attack was based in part on sending high crosses into the penalty area in hopes of connecting with Wambach for one of her trademark headers.

And just two weeks ago she was a member of the American team that refused to play a match on what it said was sub-standard artificial turf in Hawaii, a stance that forced the US Soccer Federation to cancel the contest. And when the teams took the field shortly before kickoff, fans along the sideline held up yellow and black cards with the same slogan. Her 14 World Cup goals are tied for second-most all time, behind only Marta’s 15.

The U.S. team, the defending women’s World Cup champions, played like it, controlling the ball for most of the half.

“Abby said for a long time that the one thing she still hadn’t accomplished was a World Cup title”, forward Alex Morgan recalled. She said the game has evolved, and that her body knows and that even though her mind is at the right speed to play the game, her body just can’t keep up with it anymore. “My family, my friends, you guys are up in the suites, I wish I was there right now”.

The U.S. threw numbers forward after that, but could not get the equalizer.

She aims to become a catalyst for greater equality – be it for women in sports and the workplace, or for minority groups that have found opportunities limited. Although he says he has, I don’t think that he has.

“There are now players that are better than I am that will take this game into the next decade”, Wambach continued.

“Under Klinsmann’s watch”, ESPN wrote, “the amount of money spent on the men’s U.S. program jumped from $9.9 million in 2010 to $19.7 million in 2014, according to U.S. Soccer financial reports”. “I don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in it in my heart”, Wambach said. An era was ending and Wambach, a defining face of the USA women’s national team for so long, was checking in for her final match. Nobody can replace what Abby Wambach has done for the USWNT the same way as Abby Wambach didn’t replace what Mia Hamm did for the USWNT and the same way as Mia Hamm didn’t replace what Michelle Akers did for the USWNT.