The 25 best US Women's National Team players of all time

Akers is among the all-time great American scorers. As of July 2023, Akers' 107 goals ranked sixth. She's one of seven U.S. women to top the 100-goal mark. She scored 10 of those goals during the inaugural 1991 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. won. She also played a major role as the seasoned veteran in 1999, when the Americans won their second World Cup. A member of the very first United States Women's National Team in 1985, Akers posted 155 appearances (international caps) as part of the squad. She's in the National Soccer Hall of Fame and was named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002.

Boxx is one of the most decorated players in USWNT history. The former Notre Dame star was part of four World Cup teams (2003, '07, '11, '15), with that latter group winning it all. She was also a key presence on three gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic squads (2004, '08, '12). From 2003-15, Boxx recorded 27 goals while making 127 caps for the national team. On the professional club level, Boxx played in the Women’s United Soccer Association, Women’s Professional Soccer , and the National Women’s Soccer League.

Chastain was at the center of what is arguably the most memorable moment in the history of international women's soccer and one of the most memorable moments in all sports. Her successful shootout goal to beat China and clinch the 1999 World Cup for the United States resulted in a jersey-twirling celebration that made sports bras famous and exemplified female empowerment. However, Chastain was more than just a one-shot wonder. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Chastain posted 30 goals over 192 national team caps from 1988-2004. She played on three World Cup teams, with two titles to her credit, and has a pair of Olympic gold medals.

A current member of the United States World Cup team, the talented and versatile defender entered the 2023 event with 24 goals and 19 assists over 132 national team caps. She scored five goals against Puerto Rico in 2016. Dunn has blossomed through the ranks of U.S. soccer, beginning in 2008 with success at the Under-17 and Under-20 levels. A collegiate standout at perennial power North Carolina, Dunn won both the NWSL Most Valuable Player and the Golden Boot Awards in 2015 at age 25, thus becoming the youngest player to take home both honors.

Ertz has been part of the U.S. senior national team since 2013 but was a key contributor during her Under-15 days. As dependable as they come, the versatile Ertz, who has also enjoyed success as a defender, enters the 2023 World Cup with 20 goals and six assists while spanning 188 caps. She won U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year twice. The two-time World Cup champion was also part of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic team that earned a bronze medal.

One of the true pioneers of the women's game in the United States, Fawcett starred on the backline for the national team from 1987-2004. Her 241 caps rank among the top 10 all-time and 27 goals rate her among the highest-scoring defenders in the national team's history. She played on four World Cups teams (1991, '95, '99, and 2003), winning two of those events. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Fawcett was also instrumental in creating the Women's United Soccer Association — the world's first professional league, which lasted three seasons.

Through her play on the field, work in the broadcast arena, and global presence, there might not be a bigger ambassador for the sport of women's soccer than Foudy. One of the first celebrity-like "stars" of the U.S. national team, the hard-nosed, feisty Foudy was part of the USWNT from 1988-2004. She earned captain status in the late 1990s and played in four World Cups (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003) and three Olympic Summer Games (1996, 2000, '04). Foudy's 274 caps rank fifth in U.S. history, while her 55 career assists also sit among the top 10. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.

While Julie Foudy might be considered one of the United States' first stars, Hamm was the original U.S. superstar. She's long considered to be the greatest player in the world during most of her run with the national team (1987-2004). Hamm's 276 caps for the USWNT rank fourth all-time, while her 158 goals currently sit second. However, no U.S. woman has recorded more assists than the Hall of Famer's 147. A four-time World Cup participant (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003) and part of three Olympic teams (1996, 2000, '04), Hamm was a five-time recipient of the USSF Female Athlete of the Year award and twice named FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year (2001, '02).

Heinrichs helped pave the way for almost every other athlete on this list. Among the initial group of players on the USWNT, Heinrichs captained the 1991 World Cup champion squad. She was part of the program from 1986-91, posting 37 goals in just 47 official appearances. However, when her playing days had finished, Heinrichs remained a fixture within U.S. women's soccer, coaching the national team from 2000-04. She is the first female player inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, achieving the honor in 1998.

A true inspiration both on and off the pitch. Holiday, who underwent heart surgery at age 3 to correct a birth defect and also had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2016, scored 24 goals in 133 caps for the national team from 2007-15. She was part of two World Cup teams (2011, 15) and the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic squads that each won gold. On the club level, Holiday played for Boston and FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League, where she was the first player to have her jersey retired.

One of the most recent stars to shine for the USWNT. Lavelle seemed to generate a buzz when she debuted for the senior national team in 2017. The 28-year-old, who starred for the U.S. in the youth ranks, entered the 2023 World Cup with 24 goals and 20 assists in 88 appearances for the senior squad. There is genuine excitement from supporters in the seats and watching elsewhere whenever Lavelle possesses the ball. She tallied the clinching goal during the Americans' 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup Final.

No player has made more appearances for the U.S. national team — men or women — than Lilly's 354 caps. For more than 20 years (1987-2010), Lilly was a fixture of the women's program in America. She played in five World Cup events (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007). Entering the 2023 World Cup, she's the only woman in the sport's history to accomplish the feat. Lilly, a fierce attacking midfielder, posted 130 goals, ranking among the top 10 in U.S. history. Meanwhile, her 106 assists are second only to those of the aforementioned Mia Hamm. She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014.

There is plenty of U.S. soccer royalty on this list, and Lloyd is one of the most recent to fall into that category. Among the most decorated and celebrated players in the history of the game upon her retirement in 2021, Lloyd ranks second in career caps (316) and third in goals (134) and assists (134). A member of four World Cup teams (2007, 2011, '15, '19) and three U.S. Olympic teams (2008, '12, '20), Lloyd was twice named FIFA Player of the Year (2015 and '16) and honored as the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year for 2008.

From a purely defensive standpoint, few were better than Markgraf. Her time on the senior national team lasted from 1998-2010, where she started 97 percent of the 201 appearances she made for her country. Markgraf played on three World Cup teams (1999, 2003, '07) and three U.S. Olympic squads (2000, '04, '08), earning four first-place finishes among those groups. Following her playing career, the Michigan native enjoyed a successful career in the broadcast booth, notably for ESPN, Fox, and NBC.

Milbrett might have lived in the shadows of some of her more prominent U.S. teammates during the 1990s and 2000s. However, when it came to world-class offensive performers, Milbrett was among the elite. As of July 2023, Milbrett ranked seventh in U.S. history with 100 goals — spanning 204 international appearances. She's also among the all-time national leaders with 63 assists. A member of three World Cup teams (1995, 1999, 2003) and two Olympic squads (1996, 2000). Milbrett was named USSF Women’s Athlete of the Year in 2000 and 2001.

One of the great scorers in the history of women's soccer and not just in the United States. Morgan began her national team career in 2008 for the Under-20s. Two years later, her senior team tenure began, and it's a story still being written. Entering the 2023 World Cup, Morgan's 121 goals, 49 assists, and 207 caps each rank among the top 10 in American women's soccer history. The two-time U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. Morgan has been part of two World Cups, three CONCACAF W Championships, a FIFA U-20 World Cup, and one Olympic title.

The veteran keeper on the 2023 U.S. Women's World Cup squad, Naeher started for the 2019 World Cup champs and was part of the 2015 group that also won it all. The Connecticut native has quietly gone about her business as one of the most dependable performers in the history of U.S. soccer. She enters the 2023 World Cup with 53 recorded clean sheets over 91 caps. On the club level, Naeher has enjoyed a successful career in the NWSL, currently with Chicago, and was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014.

From 2002-16, O'Reilly recorded 231 caps for the national team, ranking eighth all-time among American players. O'Reilly scored 47 goals during her career for the U.S. but was even more valuable as a playmaker. Her 55 assists rank among the top 10 in American soccer history. She was part of three Olympic gold-medal winning teams for the U.S. (2004, '08, '12) and a member of three World Cups participants (2007, '11, '15). A collegiate star at North Carolina, her No. 20 was retired by the Tar Heels. 

A 2006 inductee into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Overbeck was one of the most reliable performers during the sport's history. A native of Pasadena, Calif., Overback starred on the backline for the U.S. from 1988-2000. Teamed with Joy Fawcett to form one of the best defensive duos in the world, Overbeck played in a national-record 63 consecutive international matches from August 1993 to January 1996. She was part of three World Cup teams (1991, '96, '99) and two U.S. Olympic groups (1996, 2000)

For all of her accomplishments on the pitch during her nearly 20 seasons (1997-2015) with the USWNT, there is an under-appreciation associated with Pearce Rampone. That said, her 311 caps are the third-most in U.S. history, and her stout defensive play has provided a blueprint for young and upcoming defenders to follow. The former USWNT captain, Pearce Rampone was a member of five World Cup teams (1999, 2003, '07, '11, '15) and four Olympic squads (2000, '04, '08, '12). She was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021.

With her retirement looming after the 2023 World Cup, Rapinoe probably won't just ride off quietly into the sunset. Perhaps the most recognizable women's soccer player on the planet, Rapinoe is also one of the sport's most polarizing figures. On the pitch, her career is worth celebrating. Entering the '23 World Cup, Rapinoe ranks among America's all-time leaders with 63 international goals and among the top three with 73 assists over 199 caps. The 38-year-old has been part of two World Cup-winning and a second-place squads while also owning Olympic gold and the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

A foot injury kept Sauerbrunn from making a fourth World Cup appearance in 2023. However, the longtime national team captain remains one of the most revered soccer players in the history of USWNT and perhaps the world. The 38-year-old Sauerbrunn has long been a rock in the United States central defense. She recorded the first of her 216 career caps with the national team in 2008. However, Sauerbrunn has been part of the United States soccer program since 2000, when she starred for the Under-16 squad.

A true pioneer and trendsetter in the game of women's soccer. In 2017, Scurry was the first female goalkeeper and the first Black woman to be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Scurry recorded 175 caps and 72 clean sheets with the national team from 1994-2008. A four-time World Cup team member, she started in goal for those squads in 1995, 1999, and 2003. She was also part of three Olympic groups (1996, 2000, '04). Scurry was a founding member of the short-lived Women's United Soccer Association.

Sure, Solo has made waves off the pitch, but there is not a better goalkeeper in the history of the women's game. Solo's 202 career international appearances are the most by any American goalkeeper, as are her 102 clean sheets. She was part of three World Cup teams (2007, '11, '15), with one of those resulting in an overall victory and two FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Glove honors to her name. Meanwhile, she played on two gold-medal-winning Olympic squads (2008, '12). Boisterous and opinionated, Solo might not have been a consistent fan favorite among supporters in America and abroad, but she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2022.

Wambach may be the greatest women's soccer player of all time, depending on who is talking. During her 255 appearances for the USWNT, Wambach recorded a national-record 184 goals, including the overtime winner against Brazil in the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal game and the stoppage-time tying goal during the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup. That was one of the four World Cups (2003, '07, '11, '15) Wambach took part in. One of the best to head the ball in the game, Wambach is among the all-time American leaders with 73 assists. Following her playing days, Wambach remained active in championing the sport for U.S. women and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019.