Her Story: I know what you’re thinking. How does Julie Foudy miss out on the top three? Well, again, that’s just how darn good the WNT has been over the last two decades. Foudy grew up in California and she would go on to serve as the WNT’s Co-Captain from 1991-2000 and Captain from 2000-2004. She was the team’s emotional leader for years.
Her Stats: Foudy is third all-time in appearances with 272, ninth in goals with 45, and fourth in assists with 59. She was also a tenacious defender, and I won’t hesitate to say she was one of the most “complete” players in WNT history, meaning she was equally good on offense and defense. While her offensive stats aren’t huge, you can’t measure her D.
Her Trophies: Foudy played in four WCs (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003) and played a good deal in all four, including the two wins. She also won Gold at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics. Thus, few others players have won as many trophies as Foudy. Since her playing days ended, she has become a fantastic announcer, and I think she should call MNT games.
Her Legacy: Foudy never had the most gaudy stats, but she led by example and she was one of the WNT’s best assist artists ever. She could also hunker down in defense, making her perhaps the greatest “box to box” player in WNT history. I really do wish ESPN would let her call MNT games, as it would be amazing to see a woman calling men’s games from the skybox and not the sidelines. I think she’s good enough to do it, too, but even if they never give her the chance, she still has influenced generations of girls by showing them true leadership on and off the pitch.
