BITTERSWEET FAREWELL Wambach’s United States career ends with loss to China PR

Wambach’s 186 goals in the red, white and blue are the most by any individual to ever suit up in worldwide play for the US, man or woman.

“Abby is truly a special athlete, both to Gatorade because she’s been with the brand for over 12 years, and to the sport of soccer because of her great passion for growing the game”, Kenny Mitchell, Gatorade’s senior director for consumer engagement, said in a statement.

Beyond the field, Wambach has been a powerful advocate for gender inequality, a legacy that she plans to continue post-retirement. As far as her accomplishments in soccer go, we could go on and on listing them.

“The most exciting moment as a fan of soccer, as a coach of soccer, was the goal you scored in 2011”. But we did get that final goodbye, as Wambach took off her boots and received a raucous ovation when the substitution finally came.

Abby Wambach is a legend who will leave as the all-time leading goal scorer, men or women, with 184 worldwide goals. Wambach doesn’t play on the men’s team or is affiliated with the team except that she is on the women’s team from the same country. 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.

“We won the 2015 World Cup but now we have the 2016 Olympics and we still have to be better and that’s the only way you grow as a group of people and grow the game – and be the trendsetting team of the game”. When asked by Simmons how she would improve the state of the USMNT after several disappointing results, Wambach made it perfectly clear that firing Klinsmann would be her first course of action. She had thought about waiting until after the tour to announce she’s retiring.

The 35-year-old striker helped the Americans win this year’s Women’s World Cup and was set to make her farewell as a player in a U.S. friendly against China on Wednesday at New Orleans.

Wambach’s most provocative criticisms dealt with Klinsmann’s efforts to recruit players born, raised and trained elsewhere and have them play for the U.S.

“I love Jermaine Jones and I love watching him play”, she continued, alluding to one such “foreign guy”.

The USWNT takes on China at the Superdome in New Orleans at 5 p.m. Pacific. The Americans are three-time defending Olympic champions and have had a strong showing at the Games since women’s soccer was introduced into the program in 1996.

After the match, an emotional Wambach addressed the crowd.