'No goal scorer would be a good goal scorer without getting good balls served into them on a platter. 'I think that given my scoring rate, the biggest contributing factor is my teammates,' explained Wambach. How does she account for such a prolific scoring record? Aside from her size (she stands five foot 10), Wambach says she has been the recipient of quality and consistent service over the years. Wambach’s status as one of the best players in the women’s game can be credited in large part to her incredible strike rate – the American has tallied a whopping 118 goals in 157 appearances for the Stars and Stripes since making her national team debut in 2003. Now to have kind of come full circle in that environment, to have played with those that I admired as a kid and to now be kind of in their shoes… it’s cool to see the shift and personnel change.' 'My first coach April Heinrichs, I had pictures of her up on my wall. Mia and Julie, Brandi, Brianna Scurry, Lilly – I had pictures of them on my wall,' admitted Wambach. 'My career has been kind of interesting I was able to play with some pioneers. Not too long ago, she was the one looking up to the veterans on the squad. Wambach finds herself in an unusual position at this point in her career – that of an experienced veteran idolized by the American squad’s youngsters.

With the retirement of so many American stars over the past few years (Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly) Wambach is the current face of the women’s game in the U.S. 'It gives you a perspective, it gives you a sense of what do you want, what do you like about your life and what do you want to change? For me watching my team win a gold medal was the best and worst experience of my life, but it also taught me a lot and I think the whole process itself was a character builder for me.' I feel very fortunate for those hard times, I have grown the most as a person and as a player,' Wambach told CBC Sports. 'I think have been what fuelled me these past years. Poised to compete at this summer’s World Cup in Germany, Wambach, a 31-year-old native of Rochester, N.Y., insists she’s grateful to have suffered such hardships. Then she broke her leg on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and she had to watch from the sidelines as her American teammates won another gold medal. Wambach scored six goals in six matches at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, only to see the United States bow out in the semifinals following a humbling 4-0 loss to Brazil. She’s also suffered bitter disappointments. player of the year (2003, 2004, 2007, and 2010), she’s bagged over 100 goals for her country, and she scored the winner in extra time in the gold-medal game at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Abby Wambach has known great success during her illustrious career.

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