Brandi Chastain has been one of the women’s national team’s most accomplished defenders since 1996, but created the defining moment in women’s soccer by scoring a goal. Her medal-clinching penalty kick against China in the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, and joyously uninhibited jersey-waving celebration, brought her team and her sport into the international spotlight.

With the rest of her World Cup teammates, she was instrumental in forming the Women’s United Soccer Association, and led the San Jose CyberRays to the inaugural WUSA Founder’s Cup championship in 2001. With the Women’s National Team, she has played in three Olympics (counting Athens) and three Women’s World Cups, and intends to keep going, at least until she collects her 200th cap. She had 179 entering the Athens Games, sixth on the team’s all-time caps list.