1966- American soccer player Michelle Akers led the United States to an Olympic gold medal and two World Cup championships in women's soccer, and has drawn acclaim for her successful battle against chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome. "If I hadn't had the illness, I would've thought soccer, trophies, World Cups and scoring goals would've been the best thi…
1861-1939 Canadian physical education teacher The Canadian-born physical education instructor James Naismith made an indelible mark on sports history when he invented the game of basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, in December 1891. With a soccer ball, two peach baskets, a ladder, and ten written rules, Naismith created the sport within two weeks, after he was asked to come up with an indoor…
1945- German soccer player Franz Beckenbauer is the only person who has won soccer's World Cup as team captain and as coach. Beckenbauer captained the former West Germany to the championship in 1974, and coached it to the top in 1990. Beckenbauer, who also played for the New York Cosmos when soccer interest in the United States began to rise in the mid-to-late seventies, is now president of…
1940- Brazilian soccer player The greatest and most famous soccer player in history, Brazil's Pele revolutionized the game with his electrifying, creative and athletic style of play. He was such an appealing player that he transcended national boundaries in a sport that is almost synonymous with nationalism. Pele became a global ambassador of the sport, bringing increased attention to socce…
1975- British soccer player David Beckham is more than one of England's best soccer player. He is a celebrity, treated as near-royalty, hounded by the press who dwell on his every move. During his career as a member of the Manchester United, and also playing for the England in the World Cup, Beckham has been both villain and hero. Lauded, vilified, bemoaned, worshipped, and ridiculed–…
1968- American soccer player Brandi Chastain became one of the most recognizable figures in American sports when she scored the winning goal at the Women's World Cup soccer tournament final against China on July 10, 1999. In the excitement following her game-winning kick, Chastain whipped off her jersey, exposing her sports bra (which functions as a bra, but looks more like a suit top). The…
1972- American soccer player The world's most famous female soccer player, Mia Hamm, embodied the rise of American soccer, a sport played by millions of girls and boys that lacked a celebrity focus and a role model until she emerged as the leading all-time goal scorer in international soccer competition. Hamm became the biggest soccer name in the United States while playing on the U.S. nati…
1970- American soccer player One of the most recognized American soccer players because of his red hair and trademark goatee, Alexi Lalas contributed to the popularity of the sport in the United States in the 1990s. A defender, Lalas played on the U.S. national team, and professionally for MLS (Major League Soccer) and in Europe for Italy's Serie A, one of Alexi Lalas the best league…
1967- American soccer player American soccer player John Harkes was one of the first to play professional soccer in Europe, primarily in the English League. He was also a member of the U.S. national team for many years, and when professional soccer came to the United States in 1996, he played in Major League Soccer (MLS). Harkes was a midfielder, but played other positions when needed. Harkes was …
1972- Portuguese soccer player Luis Figo, a World Footballer of the Year, was in such demand that he was sold from FC Barcelona to Real Madrid of Spain's elite soccer league for $56 million in 2000. In his native Portugal, Figo has been compared to the great Eusebio. …
1961- Argentine soccer player During the 1980s, Argentine midfielder Diego Maradona was one of soccer's greatest stars. Over the course of 483 games at the professional level, Maradona scored a record 255 goals, and was regularly hailed as the best living player in the world, second only to Pelé as the sport's most extraordinary talent. Yet Maradona often made unwise statement…
1971- American soccer player As the only African-American starter on the U.S. women's national soccer team in the 1990s, Briana Scurry revolutionized the way young black children looked at soccer. Her tenacious goalkeeping and unflappable demeanor provided a rock-solid base for the women's triumphs in the 1996 Olympics and the 1999 World Cup, victories which catapulted soccer to new …
1968- Mexican soccer player Luis Hernandez is Mexico's top all-time scorer in international soccer with 35 goals (having passed Carlos Hermosillo in that category in 2000). He led the Mexicans to one of their best World Cup showings ever in 1998 when he scored four goals in four games, winning for them a berth in the round of 16 and leading them to a near upset of powerhouse Germany. While …
