Michelle Akers














































Michelle Akers
Personal information
Full name
Michelle Anne Akers
Date of birth
(1966-02-01) February 1, 1966 (age 52)
Place of birth
Santa Clara, California, U.S.
Height
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position
Midfielder, Forward
College career
Years
Team

Apps

(Gls)
1985–1988
UCF Knights


Senior career*
Years
Team

Apps

(Gls)
1990
Tyresö FF


1992
Tyresö FF


1992
Orlando Lions Women


1994
Tyresö FF


National team
1985–2000
United States

155

(107)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Michelle Anne Akers (born February 1, 1966) is an American former soccer player, who starred in the historic 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup victories by the United States. She won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the 1991 tournament.


Akers is regarded as one of the greatest female soccer players of all time.[1] She was named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, an award she shared with China's Sun Wen.[2][3] In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only two women named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé and commissioned by FIFA for that organization's 100th anniversary.


Akers is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame; she was inducted in 2004, along with Paul Caligiuri and Eric Wynalda.




Contents





  • 1 Early life

    • 1.1 University of Central Florida



  • 2 Playing career

    • 2.1 International

      • 2.1.1 International career statistics


      • 2.1.2 Matches and goals scored at World Cup and Olympic tournaments




  • 3 Personal life


  • 4 See also


  • 5 References


  • 6 Further reading


  • 7 External links




Early life


Born to Robert and Anne Akers in Santa Clara, California Feburay 1 1966, Akers grew up in the Seattle, Washington suburb of Shoreline, where she attended and played soccer for Shorecrest High School.[4] She was named an All-American three times during her high school career.[4] At 5 feet, 10 inches in height and 150 pounds, Akers had an imposing physical presence on the soccer field and was noted for her aggressive and physical style of play.[5]



University of Central Florida


Akers attended the University of Central Florida on a scholarship where she was selected as four-time NCAA All-American.[4] She was Central Florida's Athlete of the Year in 1988–89, the all-time leading scorer in UCF history,[4] won the Hermann Trophy in 1988,[4] and had her #10 jersey retired by the school.



Playing career



International


Akers was a member of the 1985 United States women's national soccer team for its first game at a tournament in Italy in August 1985. Due to an ankle injury, she did not play in the first game. However, in the second ever international game for the United States she scored the first goal in the history of the program against Denmark, in a 2–2 tie.[6]


Akers scored 15 goals in 24 games for the U.S. from 1985 to 1990 before scoring a team record 39 goals in 26 games in the 1991 season alone. In 1990 and 1991 she was named the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Female Athlete of the Year.[4] Akers was also the lead scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991, scoring ten goals, including five in one game.[4] This led the U.S. women's team to the first women's world championship, defeating Norway 2–1. Akers scored both goals in the Final.


Utterly exhausted after the World Cup, Akers was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome in the spring of 1994 which could have started in late 1991 and of which she never fully recovered. She learned to manage her diet and training habits, and was shifted to the midfield in part to minimize the beatings doled out by opposing defenders. Despite the precautions, Akers suffered a concussion and a knee injury early in the 1995 World Cup, and was hampered by the knee in a semifinal loss to Norway.[7][8]


In 1996, Akers was again a member of the U.S. women's national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where it won the gold medal. She was also a member of the gold-medal-winning, 1998 Goodwill Games team. On June 7, 1998, she was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit, their highest honor, for her contributions to the game of soccer. Akers again was part of the 1999 Women's World Cup team, leading to a second World Cup championship.


Shortly before the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Akers retired from the game as the U.S. national team's second all-time leading scorer (behind Mia Hamm) with 105 goals, 37 assists and 247 points.[9]



International career statistics






































































































Nation
Year
International appearances
Apps
Starts
Minutes
Goals
Assists

United States
1985
2
2
180
2
0
1986
5
5
420
0
0
1987
9
8
720
3
0
1988
2
2
180
0
1
1990
6
5
425
9
1
1991
26
25
1941
39
8
1993
12
12
887
6
6
1994
12
7
571
11
7
1995
18
17
1195
15
5
1996
17
16
1246
7
3
1997
2
2
180
1
0
1998
15
15
929
5
4
1999
20
18
1334
6
1
2000
7
3
242
1
0
Career total
14
153
137
10450
105
36


Matches and goals scored at World Cup and Olympic tournaments


Michelle Akers competed as a member of USA teams in three FIFA Women's World Cup: China 1991, Sweden 1995 and USA 1999;
and one Olympics: Atlanta 1996; played in 18 matches and scored 13 goals at those four global tournaments.[10] Akers was a goal medalist at Atlanta 1996 Olympics, and world champion at China 1991 and USA 1999 world cup tournaments. Akers with team USA finished third at Sweden 1995 world cup.










































































































































































































































Goal
Match
Date
Location
Opponent
Lineup
Min
Score
Result
Competition


China China 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup



1
1991-11-17[m 1]
Panyu

 Sweden
Start



3–2
W



Group stage

1

2
1991-11-19[m 2]
Panyu

 Brazil
Start
39
4–0

5–0
W



Group stage

2

3
1991-11-21[m 3]
Foshan

 Japan

4.

off 41' (on Lilly)


20
1–0

3–0
W



Group stage

3
37
2–0

4

4
1991-11-24[m 4]
Foshan

 Chinese Taipei
Start
8
1–0

7–0
W



Quarter-final

5
29
2–0

6
33
3–0

7
44 pk
5–0

8
48
6–0


5
1991-11-27[m 5]
Guangzhou

 Germany
Start



5–2
W



Semifinal

9

6
1991-11-30[m 6]
Guangzhou

 Norway
Start
20
1–0

2–1
W



Final

10
79
2–1


Sweden Sweden 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup



7
1995-06-06[m 7]
Gävle

 China PR

4.

off 18' (on Milbrett)





3–3
D



Group stage


8
1995-06-15[m 8]
Västerås

 Norway
Start



0–1
L



Semifinal


United States Atlanta 1996 Olympic Women's Football Tournament



9
1996-07-21[m 9]
Orlando

 Denmark

4.

off 62' (on Parlow)





3–0
W



Group stage


10
1996-07-23[m 10]
Orlando

 Sweden
Start



2–1
W



Group stage


11
1996-07-25[m 11]
Miami

 China PR
Start



0–0
D



Group stage

11

12
1996-07-28[m 12]
Athens

 Norway
Start
76 pk
1–1

r
2–1 aet



Semifinal


13
1996-08-01[m 13]
Athens

 China PR
Start



2–1
W



Gold medal match


United States USA 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup



14
1999-06-19[m 14]
E Rutherford

 Denmark
Start



3–0
W



Group stage

12

15
1999-06-24[m 15]
Chicago

 Nigeria

4.

off 45' (on Fair)


39
5–1

7–1
W



Group stage


16
1999-07-01[m 16]
Washington

 Germany
Start



3–2
W



Quarter-final

13

17
1999-07-04[m 17]
Palo Alto

 Brazil
Start
80 pk
2–0

2–0
W



Semifinal


18
1999-07-10[m 18]
Los Angeles

 China PR

4.

off 91' (on Whalen)





0–0 (pso 5–4)
(W)



Final


Personal life


From 1990 to 1995, she was married, and was known as Michelle Akers-Stahl.[11] She resides in Powder Springs, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, and dedicates herself to rescuing horses.[12]


Since her retirement, she has continued to promote the game of soccer and has written several books, including one that documents her battle with chronic fatigue syndrome.[13][14]



See also



  • List of women's association football players with 100 or more international goals

  • List of FIFA Women's World Cup goalscorers

  • List of Olympic medalists in football

  • List of 1996 Summer Olympics medal winners

  • List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners

  • List of players with the most goals in an association football game

  • 1985 United States women's national soccer team

  • List of University of Central Florida alumni

  • List of athletes on Wheaties boxes

  • List of Golden Scarf recipients

  • List of prizes named after people



References




  1. ^ Jeff Carlisle (June 2, 2013). "Players whose influence reaches beyond the pitch". ESPN. Retrieved February 16, 2016..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em


  2. ^ "Michelle Akers Named FIFA Player of the Century". US Soccer. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2013.


  3. ^ "FIFA names Akers 'Player of the Century.'". ESPN. Retrieved February 4, 2013.


  4. ^ abcdefg Schafer, Elizabeth D (2002) [1992]. Dawson, Dawn P, ed. Great Athletes. 1 (Revised ed.). Salem Press. pp. 26–28. ISBN 1-58765-008-8.


  5. ^ Miller, Marla All-American Girls New York: Pocket Books, 1999, pp. 14–15.


  6. ^ "US WNT Flashback -- 20th Anniversary of First-Ever Match: Who Scored First?" http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2005/08/U-S-WNT-Flashback-20th-Anniversary-Of-First-Ever-Match-Who-Scored-First.aspx, accessed October 3, 2012.


  7. ^ Michelle Akers Biography http://www.biography.com/people/michelle-akers-21321911#national-superstar


  8. ^ Michelle Akers enjoying life after soccer http://www.cfs-info.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=712&Itemid=79


  9. ^ Alexander, Valerie. "World Cup Soccer Stats Erase The Sport's Most Dominant Players: Women". Jezebel.com.


  10. ^ "FIFA Player Statistics: Michelle AKERS". FIFA.


  11. ^ Whiteside, Kelly (June 5, 1995). "WORLD BEATER MICHELLE AKERS, SOCCER'S TOP FEMALE, IS READY TO LEAD THE U.S. TO ANOTHER TITLE". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 9, 2016.


  12. ^ Wahl, Grant, "Green Acres", Sports Illustrated, July 4, 2011, pp. 98–101.


  13. ^ Cardenas, Natalia. Michelle Akers. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 10 June 2018.


  14. ^ Scavuzzo, Diane. (12 juni 2015). Women in Soccer: Michelle Akers. Goal Nation. Retrieved 10 June 2018.


Match reports


  1. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: Sweden - USA". FIFA.


  2. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: Brazil - USA". FIFA.


  3. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: Japan - USA". FIFA.


  4. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: USA - Chinese Taipei". FIFA.


  5. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: Germany - USA". FIFA.


  6. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup China 1991: MATCH Report: Norway - USA". FIFA.


  7. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Sweden 1995: MATCH Report: USA - China PR". FIFA.


  8. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Sweden 1995: MATCH Report: USA - Norway". FIFA.


  9. ^ "Olympic Football Tournaments Atlanta 1996 - Women: MATCH Report: USA - Denmark". FIFA.


  10. ^ "Olympic Football Tournaments Atlanta 1996 - Women: MATCH Report: USA - Sweden". FIFA.


  11. ^ "Olympic Football Tournaments Atlanta 1996 - Women: MATCH Report: USA - China PR". FIFA.


  12. ^ "Olympic Football Tournaments Atlanta 1996 - Women: MATCH Report: Norway - USA". FIFA.


  13. ^ "Olympic Football Tournaments Atlanta 1996 - Women: MATCH Report: China PR - USA". FIFA.


  14. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999: MATCH Report: USA - Denmark". FIFA.


  15. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999: MATCH Report: USA - Nigeria". FIFA.


  16. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999: MATCH Report: USA - Germany". FIFA.


  17. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999: MATCH Report: USA - Brazil". FIFA.


  18. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999: MATCH Report: USA - China PR". FIFA.



Further reading


  • Akers, M.; Lewis, G. (2000), The Game and the Glory, Zondervan,
    ISBN 0310700256

  • Grainey, Timothy (2012), Beyond Bend It Like Beckham: The Global Phenomenon of Women's Soccer, University of Nebraska Press,
    ISBN 0803240368

  • Kassouf, Jeff (2011), Girls Play to Win Soccer, Norwood House Press,
    ISBN 1599534649

  • LaFontaine, P.; Valutis, E.; Griffin, C.; Weisman, L. (2001), Companions in Courage: Triumphant Tales of Heroic Athletes, Hatchette Digital Inc.,
    ISBN 0759520518

  • Lisi, Clemente A. (2010), The U.S. Women's Soccer Team: An American Success Story, Scarecrow Press,
    ISBN 0810874164

  • Longman, Jere (2009), The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women's Soccer Team and How it Changed the World, HarperCollins,
    ISBN 0061877689

  • Mitchell, N.; Ennis, L. (2007) Encyclopedia of Title IX and Sports, Greenwood Publishing Group,
    ISBN 0313335877

  • Rutledge, Rachel (2000), The Best of the Best in Soccer, First Avenue Editions,
    ISBN 0761313923

  • Silverman, Al (2004), It's Not Over 'til it's Over, Penguin,
    ISBN 1468304313


External links


  • National Soccer Hall of Fame biography

  • University of Central Florida biography

  • Michelle Akers' U.S. Olympic Team bio

  • Michelle Akers horse rescue website


  • Michelle Akers on Twitter Edit this at Wikidata










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