#ThanksAbby

She's the greatest goal scorer of all time in international football. She's given blood, sweat, and tears to the game for over a decade. Her 123' header in the quarterfinals against Brazil in the WWC 2011 got us to that final. She's had her head stapled together on the field so she could continue playing. She's carried the USWNT on her back and is the bridge between the 99ers and the 15ers. She scored the only goal, with her head, against Nigeria in the WWC 2015. She started in tandem with Mia and will end with Alex. Of her 183+ goals, over 40% came from her head and she is the best in the air to ever play the beautiful game. Her and Alex tied for the most goals in a calendar year from a forward pair in 2012. She is Abby Wambach and she's leaving the game in a better place than where she found it.

This is what I wrote on IG. These are the accolades that Abby has amassed in her 13 year career on the US Women's National Team. 

But what I want to talk about here is what she did off the field. 

Abby has mentored every single forward that has come along since she was handed the keys to the kingdom by the 99er's in 2004. 

Abby had Mia and Alex had Abby.

When Syd just got married this fall and the only USWNT player in her bridal party was Abby...in a pink suit. 

When her and Alex tied the record for the most goals in a calendar goal, what I loved about that moment was that THAT was the record that Abby was after. Abby said that's what she wanted. She wanted to do it WITH someone. Not alone. That's a team player.

Abby embodies that its not what you do, its who you do it with.

 She beat Mia's record in 2013  in a storied game against South Korea where the team fed her the ball with precision. Why? Because they love her. Because they wanted the international scoring record FOR her. Because she's given so much for so long and she's led with such grace and humility despite the prowess and skill she has on the ball. Abby became who she was because she gave so much to the team and they gave as good as they got. 

This is Abby.

Abby carried not just Pinoe, but the USWNT for years.

They rallied around her because of who she is.

After we lost the 2011 WWC, she led the team to victory in the 2012 London Olympics because she showed them that failures don't define you but fuel you to find greatness.

What does leadership look like? This. If you ever wanted to know what leadership really means on a team....

This is the moment.

Carli scored 3 goals in the final but when Abby entered the game, she passed the Captain's armband to Abby. No prompting, not realizing it had been caught on camera. This was just what felt right.

This is how you team and this is how you lead.

Abby had bled and scratched and sweated and worked tirelessly on behalf of Women's soccer and the USWNT and she deserved to finish as the Captain of our squad.

And then....Abby being Abby, passed the Captain's armband to Pearcie , who captained the team since 2008 and played for the USWNT over 300 times, for the trophy lift. 

You want to know who Abby is to the USWNT?

She's the soul of the USWNT.

Congratulations Abby on a phenomenal career. You've moved the game forward so much. Women's sport and Women's football is in a better place because of you.

Thank you!

Actual tears were shed in the writing of this post.