28 March 2010 - Reeling In The Years

On 28 March 2010, midfielder Kristine Lilly came on as a first-half substitute for the US in a friendly against Mexico. By doing so, she became the first person in international football history to represent her country in four different decades.

Lilly made her first appearance for the United States in 1987 when she was just 16 years old. Over the course of her 24-year international career, she has earned 352 caps while winning two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004).

She was on the bench for the match against Mexico, played at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium, but entered in the 32nd minute as a replacement for midfielder Yael Averbuch. The US were already up 1-0 at the point with a 12th-minute goal from forward Amy Rodriguez and proceeded to extend their lead with strikes from Shannon Boxx (43') and Lauren Cheney (72').

Lilly's appearance meant that she played for the US in the '80s, '90s, '00s, and '10s. Her last appearance was as a substitute against Mexico on 5 November 2010. 

8 December 2004 - The Curtains Close On Two Careers

On 8 December 2004, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy ended their national team careers with a 5-0 victory over Mexico.

Played before a crowd of 15,549 in Carson, California, the match was the last of a 10-game "Fan Celebration Tour" scheduled in honor of the team's victory in the 2004 Women's World Cup. It was the 271st appearance for Foudy, who had captained the team since 1991 (she was a co-captain from 1991 to 2000), and the 275th appearance for Hamm, a number exceeded only by Christie Rampone (311) and Kristine Lilly (352). Hamm, however, retired as the national team's all-time leading goalscorer with a total of 158.

Though Hamm did not add to her tally against Mexico, she provided assists for the first two goals, scored by Aly Wagner and Abby Wambach. They each completed a brace as the hosts went up 4-0 by the break before winning 5-0.

Their retirement, along with that of teammate Joy Fawcett, who was unable to play due to injury, ended a dominant period for US football in which the women's national team won two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals.

22 May 1999 - The World's Greatest International Goalscorer

On 22 May 1999, forward Mia Hamm scored her 108th goal for the US women's team, making her the all-time leading scorer in international history.

The record-setting goal came a the end of the first half in a friendly against Brazil, played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The score was tied at 0-0 when teammate Cindy Parlow sent the ball into the path of Hamm in the Brazilians' penalty area. Hamm cut to the right, fought off a defender, then shot the ball through the legs of Brazilian keeper Dida to put the US ahead 1-0.

Brazil applied intense pressure in the second half, forcing a handful of acrobatic saves from US keeper Brianna Scurry, but were unable to find the back of the net. The hosts then extended their lead to 2-0 when forward Kristine Lilly received a 72nd-minute corner kick and kneed it home. The US scored the final goal in the 87th minute as Brandi Chastain took a quick throw that caught the Brazilians off guard. The throw went in the box to Lilly, who headed it down to Tiffany Milbrett for a strong volley into the goal.

The match was a warm-up for the 1999 World Cup, which opened the next month. The US went on to win their second World Cup trophy beating China in the Final. Brazil finished in third.

It was Hamm's 172d match for the US. Before her retirement in 2004, she made a total of 275 US appearances and extended her scoring record to 158. That remained the world record until 2013, when Abby Wambach scored her 159th goal (Wambach's current total is 182).

18 January 2006 - Lilly Travels To The Third Century

On 18 January 2006, United States forward/midfielder and captain Kristine Lilly became the first player--male or female--to reach 300 caps when she appeared against Norway in the Four Nations Tournament.

Lilly joined the USWNT in 1987 while she was still in high school and has helped them claim several honors, including two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004).

In the 2006 Four Nations Tournament, the US won their match against Norway, 3-1. Lilly contributed the opening goal, her 105th, which tied her with Michelle Akers for second place on the USWNT's all-time goal scoring list. She has since passed Akers to hold second place outright, scoring a total of 129 goals in 342 appearances.

24 February 2004 - The US Women Go Boxxing

On 24 February 2004, the US women opened their Olympic qualification campaign by beating Trinidad and Tobago 7-0. They went on to win their second gold medal.

After winning the competition in 1996, they finished in a relatively disappointing second place in 2000, losing 3-2 to Norway in the final. That was followed by a third-place finish at the 2003 World Cup, creating questions whether the once-dominant US women would be able to regain their former standing in the sport they helped popularize.

Kicking off their Olympic campaign against Trinidad and Tobago in Costa Rica, the Yanks rolled to a comfortable 7-0 victory thanks in part to Shannon Boxx's first international hat-trick (22', 37', 81'), a brace from two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Mia Hamm (41', 44'), and goals from Kristine Lilly (25') and Abby Wambach (42').

They kept up the pace through qualification, going undefeated and outscoring their opponents 19-0, then sailed undefeated through the tournament itself.

26 August 2004 - A Pattern Starts To Emerge

On 26 August 2004, the United States women won Olympic gold, beating Brazil in the final with an extra-time goal from Abby Wambach.

The two teams had met several times in major tournaments, including the 2000 Olympics, the 1991 World Cup and the 1999 World Cup, and their most recent meeting in the group stage of the 2004 Olympics. The US won every meeting, but this was the first time they had met in a final. The game took additional meaning as the last competitive appearance for US stars Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Joy Fawcett.

Playing at the Kiraiskaki Stadium in Piraeus, the US took the lead with a 39th-minute goal from winger Lindsay Tarpley—a 24-yard rocket that flew just inside the left post. They held on to it deep into the second half, but just seven minutes from the end of regulation, Brazilian forward Pretinha equalized and the match went into extra time.

Then, in the 112th minute, the US earned a corner. Kristine Lilly took the kick, which found Wambach ten yards out. The forward rose to the ball and sent it into the net with a powerful header to claim the 2-1 win.

21 May 1998 - Lilly Blooms

On 21 May 1998, Kristine Lilly became the world's most-capped female international, making her 152nd appearance for the US in a win over Japan.

A forward/midfielder, Lilly earned her first cap in 1987 when she was sixteen years old and became a regular fixture in the line-up by 1991, helping the US to win the first Women's World Cup. A third-place finish followed in 1995 before the team took gold at the 1996 Olympics.

In 1998, the team traveled to Kobe for a friendly against Japan. It was there that Lilly made her record 152nd appearance, passing the former record of 151 set by Norway's Heidi Støre the previous year. She went on to score the opening goal in the 36th minute as the US proceeded to win 2-0.

Lilly's international career lasted until 2010 and she retired with a total of 352 caps, the most of any player, male or female.

28 March 2010 - Reeling In The Years

On 28 March 2010, midfielder Kristine Lilly came on as a first-half substitute for the US in a friendly against Mexico. By doing so, she became the first person in international football history to represent her country in four different decades.

Lilly made her first appearance for the United States in 1987 when she was just 16 years old. Over the course of her 24-year international career, she has earned 352 caps while winning two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004).

She was on the bench for the match against Mexico, played at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium, but entered in the 32nd minute as a replacement for midfielder Yael Averbuch. The US were already up 1-0 at the point with a 12th-minute goal from forward Amy Rodriguez and proceeded to extend their lead with strikes from Shannon Boxx (43') and Lauren Cheney (72').

Lilly's appearance meant that she played for the US in the '80s, '90s, '00s, and '10s. She received her last call-up on 27 November 2010 for a 1-0 win over Italy in a World Cup qualifier, but was an unused substitute for that match.

8 December 2004 - The Curtains Close On Two Careers

On 8 December 2004, Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy ended their national team careers with a 5-0 victory over Mexico.

Played before a crowd of 15,549 in Carson, California, the match was the last of a 10-game "Fan Celebration Tour" scheduled in honor of the team's victory in the 2004 Women's World Cup. It was the 271st appearance for Foudy, who had captained the team since 1991 (she was a co-captain from 1991 to 2000), and the 275th appearance for Hamm, a number exceeded only by teammate Kristine Lilly (currently at 352 caps and counting). Hamm, however, retired as the national team's all-time leading goalscorer with a total of 158.

Though Hamm did not add to her tally against Mexico, she provided assists for the first two goals, scored by Aly Wagner and Abby Wambach. They each completed a brace as the hosts went up 4-0 by the break before winning 5-0.

Their retirement, along with that of teammate Joy Fawcett, who was unable to play due to injury, ended a dominant period for US football in which the women's national team won two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals.

22 May 1999 - The World's Greatest International Goalscorer

On 22 May 1999, forward Mia Hamm scored her 108th goal for the US women's team, making her the all-time leading scorer in international history.

The record-setting goal came a the end of the first half in a friendly against Brazil, played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The score was tied at 0-0 when teammate Cindy Parlow sent the ball into the path of Hamm in the Brazilians' penalty area. Hamm cut to the right, fought off a defender, then shot the ball through the legs of Brazilian keeper Dida to put the US ahead 1-0.

Brazil applied intense pressure in the second half, forcing a handful of acrobatic saves from US keeper Brianna Scurry, but were unable to find the back of the net. The hosts then extended their lead to 2-0 when forward Kristine Lilly received a 72nd-minute corner kick and kneed it home. The US scored the final goal in the 87th minute as Brandi Chastain took a quick throw that caught the Brazilians off guard. The throw went in the box to Lilly, who headed it down to Tiffany Milbrett for a strong volley into the goal.

The match was a warm-up for the 1999 World Cup, which opened the next month. The US went on to win their second World Cup trophy beating China in the Final. Brazil finished in third.

It was Hamm's 172d match for the US. Before her retirement in 2004, she made a total of 275 US appearances and extended her scoring record to 158.

18 January 2006 - Lilly Travels To The Third Century

On 18 January 2006, United States forward/midfielder and captain Kristine Lilly became the first player--male or female--to reach 300 caps when she appeared against Norway in the Four Nations Tournament.

Lilly joined the USWNT in 1987 while she was still in high school and has helped them claim several honors, including two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004).

In the 2006 Four Nations Tournament, the US won their match against Norway, 3-1. Lilly contributed the opening goal, her 105th, which tied her with Michelle Akers for second place on the USWNT's all-time goal scoring list. She has since passed Akers to hold second place outright, scoring a total of 129 goals in 342 appearances.

You can view highlights of Lilly's 300th international appearance here.