Hamm Has Her Sights on World-Record Goal

More than 11 years after playing her first game for the United States and almost nine years after scoring her first goal in international play, Mia Hamm today has the chance to break a world record.

One goal for the U.S. women’s national team against Brazil at Orlando, Fla., today will make Hamm the all-time women’s scoring leader with 108 goals. She currently shares the record with retired Italian star Elisabetta Vignotto.

“Whenever the record goal comes, it will be special,” Hamm said last week after tying the record with her 107th goal in a 3-0 victory over the Netherlands in Chicago. “But as I’ve said for the last couple of weeks, I want it to come in a winning cause. If I score . . . against Brazil, that would be wonderful. But if it comes in the World Cup and we win, that’ll be great too.”

Today’s game at the Citrus Bowl will be Hamm’s 172nd for her country. She made her national team debut at 15 in a 2-0 victory over China in Tianjin, China, on Aug. 3, 1987, and scored her first goal for the U.S. in a 4-0 victory over Norway in Winnipeg, Canada, on July 25, 1990.

“I think she’s just going to continue to get better,” said U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco. “She seems like she’s really enjoying the game now. I’m seeing her smile a lot more, both during games and in practices.

“So we’re hoping that she shatters the record this weekend against Brazil and then just keeps it going.”