Abby Wambach, the leading career scorer (male or female) in international soccer, announced her retirement from the game yesterday after over 15 years on the field.
The U.S. National team left heartfelt goodbyes to their captain:
💔
A true professional, a real friend, a legend. Thank you Abby for bringing me along in your journey. #thebest https://t.co/JTxaIcnhoC
My best friend, you've changed the game forever. https://t.co/HuVoFn6AvA
And the world collectively felt a lot of feelings.
Although her last game isn't until December, we took the liberty of collecting some of her most important and memorable moments.
1. When she appeared — and kicked serious ass — in four World Cup tournaments over the course of her career with the national team.
2. And finally became a World Cup Champion in 2015, as the USWNT snagged its first title since 1999.
3. In the 79th minute of that 2015 World Cup final, Carli Lloyd (who had scored three goals in the first 16 minutes) took the time to give Wambach the captain's armband.
4. And let's not forget when she gave us "The Kiss Heard 'Round The World" as she celebrated with her wife in the stands.
Just casually reminding the world what love looks like.
5. That kiss becomes even more adorable when you know that Huffman and Wambach used to be teammates back in the day.
6. The couple, who tied the knot in 2013, can only be out-cuted by their own dogs.
7. 2013 would also be the year Wambach tied Mia Hamm's record in all-time international goals scored with her 158th goal against Korea Republic at Red Bull Arena.
8. Later on in the game, Wambach would go on to break the record — scoring her 159th goal.
9. A six-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, she snagged FIFA's World Player of the Year award in 2012.
10. But before becoming the best, she learned from the best.
Congrats @AbbyWambach for an amazing career . You have given every ounce of your being to this game, your team, fans, and the U.S. jersey.
11. Over the course of her career she redefined the term "game face"...
12. ...and blew any dude in a tux out of the water by standing next to him.
* pause for suit appreciation *
13. A two-time gold medal Olympian, the moment she snagged the gold against Japan in the London 2012 Olympic Games is timeless.
14. Especially after the bittersweet loss to Japan in the 2011 Women's World Cup.
15. Which was a moment only slightly more emotional than when she pulled at America's heartstrings during that speech before the 2015 World Cup:
View this video on YouTube
16. And let's not forget she once wore this getup for promos before the London Olympic Games. (Sorry, not sorry.)
17. Not to mention, one time she attempted to teach John Kerry to play the beautiful game.
Sadly, she was unsuccessful.
18. She consistently redefined what it meant to be "tough" on the field.
19. "Oh, am I bleeding? Bring out the staples and let's get on with it." — Abby Wambach, probably.
View this video on YouTube
20. Each and every one of her 184 international career goals are legendary.
Especially when she used her head to get the job done.
21. The most memorable being the game-saving header during the quarter-final match of the 2011 Women's World Cup against Brazil.
You know, the one that went down in the 122nd minute of the quarterfinal match. Yea, that one.
View this video on YouTube
Clearly POTUS forgot to add that Abby Wambach taught us that "playing like a girl" means you're the best. Period.
Nothing made me prouder than to wear the red, white and blue. Thank you for sending your thoughts and kind words.