Abby Wambach
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Abby Wambach

Women’s Soccer Star

b. June 2, 1980

“There’s something to be said … about women standing on their own two feet, owning who they are … and being unapologetic about it,”

Abby Wambach is a retired U.S. women’s soccer legend, a podcaster, and a best-selling author. She was a six-time Female Athlete of the Year, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a FIFA World Cup champion.

Born in Rochester, New York, Mary Abigail Wambach learned the game at age 4 and often competed on boys’ teams. An elite high school player, she received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Florida in 1998. In college she was twice named a conference Player of the Year and set multiple records.

Wambach debuted with the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) in 2001. In 2002, the Washington Freedom selected her as a first-round pick in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) draft. After a successful first season, Wambach and Mia Hamm led the team to a WUSA title in 2003. That same year, Wambach played in her first FIFA World Cup and was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Athlete of the Year.

In 2004, Wambach helped the USNWST win an Olympic gold medal and earned her second of six Female Athlete of the Year titles. In 2011, she became the first soccer player—male or female—to be named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. She helped the U.S. win Olympic gold again in 2012.

With the formation of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013, Wambach joined the Western New York Flash. That same year, she married her longtime partner and teammate, Sarah Huffman, and surpassed Mia Hamm to set a new international goal-scoring record—one she still holds.

Wambach sat out the 2015 season to prepare for her final Women’s World Cup. She retired after leading the team to victory alongside Megan Rapinoe.

In April 2016, Wambach was arrested on a DUI charge. In September, she published her New York Times best-selling memoir, “Forward,” chronicling her struggles with substance abuse. She and Huffman divorced less than a month later. In 2017, Wambach married Glennon Doyle, whom she met a writer’s event.

Wambach was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019. She has written five books, including the New York Times No. 1 best seller, “Wolf Pack” (2019). Her podcast, “We Can Do Hard Things,” launched in 2021. Apple named it their No. 1 new podcast.

An equality activist, Wambach is a part-owner of Angel City FC, the first majority-female-owned pro soccer team, and serves on the board of Together Rising, a nonprofit founded by her wife. The couple lives in California with their three children.