Brandi Chastain

Though Chastain was a hero at the end of the 1999 World Cup, she was a central figure in the quarterfinals of that tournament, against Germany. Chastain scored an "own goal," accidentally into her own net, early in the first half. Later that day, Chastain suffered a mild ankle sprain. But she redeemed herself, scoring off a corner kick in the 49th minute to tie the game, and the U.S. rallied to a 3-2 win. Brazil fell 2-0 in the semifinals.

The unforgettable final was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on July 10, 1999. The U.S. and China went scoreless into extra time. The game came down to a series of five penalty kicks; the team that scored the most would win. Chastain was tapped for the final attempt with the shootout tied 4-4—American goalkeeper Briana Scurry had stopped Liu Ying on China's third try while all four U.S. shooters had scored.

Unlike some players who dislike the intense pressure of penalty kicks, Chastain relished the opportunity. Chastain, never been one to avoid the spotlight; had appeared in the German magazine Gear, in a photo series before the tournament, with nothing on but her soccer cleats and a "strategically-placed" soccer ball. She had also been a guest on David Letterman's television talk show.

U.S. coach Tony DiCicco had instructed Chastain to train for penalty kicks with her left foot instead of her dominant right so goalies would be less able to predict where the ball would go. Goalkeepers often merely guess in defending penalty kicks; the shooter, in close range and with a yawning net, enjoys a pronounced advantage. After the briefest of pauses to line up her shot, Chastain used her left foot to slam the ball past China's Gao Hong.

"I didn't hear any noise. I didn't get caught up looking at Gao Hong," Chastain said. "I just put it home."

Both Chastain's photo spread in Gear and the famous doffing of her shirt raised questions about the appropriateness of such behavior. She brushed off these concerns, saying in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2000, "I don't understand what's wrong with attractive, beautiful things. I don't think about sex when I see a beautifully toned athlete. I think of all the hard work they put into getting that way. I can appreciate what that's all about."

Still, others questioned just how spontaneous was her celebration. Chastain and nine teammates were wearing Nike's Inner Actives sports bra earmarked for public sale. "After the game, some newspaper and television types wondered if Chastain's shirt-stripping had been orchestrated, in an effort to generate some Nike awareness," Jim Pedley wrote in the Kansas City Star. A Nike sports-woman denied the company had scripted Chastain's celebration, but also said Nike "will certainly capitalize on it."

In 1999, there was no U.S. women's soccer league. That changed in 2001 with the launch of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). Chastain immediately joined the new league as a member of the San Jose CyberRays, who won the inaugural championship. In 2002, the WUSA honored its one millionth fan, an achievement that surprised even Chastain.

Chastain is also an assistant coach for the women's soccer team at her alma mater, Santa Clara University. Her husband, Jerry Smith, is the head coach.

She also competed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She scored one goal in five games as the U.S. earned a silver medal, falling 3-2 in overtime to Norway for the gold.