US Soccer Forward Abby Wambach Plays Her Final Game

That campaign ended in a painful penalty-shootout defeat to Japan in the title match that saw the USA squander a 1-0 lead in regulation and a 2-1 advantage in extra time.

MVP Health Care and the City of Rochester will host the “Abby Wambach Fan Celebration” when Wambach returns home. She’s goal-oriented – and not just because she’ll retire as soccer’s greatest goal scorer of all time Wednesday after the US national team faces China at the Superdome. The 184 goals she has booked are surely a testament to that.

“Oh man, I would definitely fire Jurgen, ” Wambach said when asked about the lackluster performances turned in by the men. She likes to see the meaning in things. But she was never comfortable being the center of attention, preferring to be one of the crowd. Take that, Landon Donovan! Wambach played with Hamm on the Washington Freedom in WUSA, which she joined in 2002, the league’s second season. That women really could hold their own in whatever arena they chose. “Obviously we wanted to celebrate winning the World Cup because it had been 16 years”. U.S. Coach Jill Ellis is also out, while Ali Krieger has made references to being comfortable with her sexuality without stating what it is.

Wambach’s legendary intensity was evident as early as her freshman season. But is this really the end for Wambach?

The 35-year-old’s original plan was to go away quietly and not announce her retirement.

Despite 10 people in the last two days that have come to Wambach’s hotel room crying because of her retirement, the forward has no doubt she’s making the correct decision at the right time.

Wambach said she intends to focus on using her stature as an athlete to rally support for erasing the gender pay gap across all industries, including professional sports.

“Her superpower on the field is absolute fearlessness”.

“Tomorrow, after the game, is going to be an wonderful party”, Wambach said Tuesday. Being in New Orleans is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to play here. I’m excited to see this team continue to grow. So much so that when she began pitching the Crescent City as a potential host, she referred to it as her hometown – which is understandable, because as all of us transplants know, yours truly included, once you come to New Orleans it’s so hard to up and leave. Nothing’s set, nothing’s solid. Adrenaline will have to carry Wambach through, somehow.

And while the actual surface area of the turf is the same as it is for football games, removing the goalposts and replacing them with soccer goals and the wider field makes it look much larger, especially with the advertising sideboards circling the stadium’s lowest ring of seats.

“Is this what it’s like, wondering what to do every day for the rest of your life?” “The standard is even higher and that’s the way it should be”, Wambach said.

And while her absence from the pitch will be devastating for her teammates and all who love the game, no one seems to be more upset about her impending departure than pal – excuse me – “BEST FRIEND” – Sydney Leroux. The entire scene was in slow motion, like the end of an epic movie, especially for Wambach.

Wambach has been a special player.

When Wambach leaves the field after her final game Wednesday night, she’ll take a piece of the Americans’ soul with her.

Wambach and Rapinoe have proven to be great role models for women in sports and lesbians in particular and we salute them.

But at the same time, she knows there’s another task ahead. “I sat next to a Canadian on the plane and he said to me, ‘You didn’t win that game, the referee gave it to you.’ I laughed, but I understand how he felt”. It was Lloyd and the overdue switch of attack tactics that accounted for the USA victories over China, Germany and Japan in the knockout round.