Mia Hamm's glittering soccer career

By Tom McGowan, CNN

Published 1041 GMT (1841 HKT) February 5, 2015

1 of 9

Is this the greatest U.S. soccer player of all time? Mia Hamm is a world and Olympic champion who was a prolific goalscorer during a lengthy playing career. Al Bello /Allsport/file

Nowadays, Hamm is a dedicated mother to her three children. But her achievements in the game mean she occupies a special place in American football history. Robert Laberge/Getty Images/file

Hamm was part of the U.S. team which won the inaugural Women's World Cup in 1991 and she was the star attraction when the competition arrived on American soil in 1999. Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images/file

The 1999 tournament ended in glory for Hamm and her teammates, who were crowned world champions for the second time. Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images/file

The Alabama native is also no stranger to Olympic success. Her first gold medal arrived at the Atlanta Games of 1996 as the host nation beat China in a tight final match. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images/file

But there have also been moments to forget during Hamm's career. She was inconsolable following the United States' 3-0 defeat to Germany in the semifinals of the 2003 World Cup. Ben Radford/Getty Images/file

For many years, Hamm was the poster girl for women's soccer in America, making her an idol to young female football fans. Mike Stobe/Getty Images/file

She is now part of an all-star ownership team at Los Angeles Football Club. One of her fellow minority owners is NBA legend "Magic" Johnson.

.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for LAFC/file

She has also been appointed to the board of AS Roma, one of Italy's biggest clubs. The club is owned by Italian American investor James Pallotta, who has ambitious plans including the construction of a new stadium. Paolo Bruno/Getty Images/file