|
Brandi Chastain
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2004), silver medalist (2000)
- Two-time World Cup champion (1991, 1999), bronze medalist (2003)
- Scored five goals in a 1991 match against Mexico, which is still a team record and were her first goals ever as a member of the national team
- Won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup gold medal by scoring the fifth penalty kick, where she became famous for ripping her jersey off after the penalty kick
- Played in 192 games for the national team scoring 30 goals
- Plays for the San Jose CyberRays of the WUSA where she was a member of the inaugural championship winning team
- Graced the covers of Time, Newsweek, People, Sports Illustrated after 1999 World Cup
- Was part of the 1991 FIFA Women's World Championships in China
- Was cut from the national team in 1993, but returned to the team as a starting defender in 1996 before the Atlanta Games
- Named NCAA player of the year in 1990 after leading her Santa Clara Broncos to the NCAA final four
- Has a pregame ritual of tucking her jersey in, listens to music with the team
- Favorite soccer player is Roy Keane of Manchester United because, "he plays both ways with reckless abandon."
- Wrote “It’s Not About the Bra: How to Play Hard, Play Fair, and Put the Fun Back into Competitive Sports”
- Married to Jerry Smith, the women's soccer coach at Santa Clara University, where she is the assistant coach
- Enjoys playing golf, running with her dogs, spending time with her husband
- Beat NBA superstar Kevin Garnett in a game of foosball, seriously upsetting Garnett
Chastain has been in a lot of women’s soccer firsts including the first World Cup in 1991, 1996 Olympics and the formation of the Women’s United Soccer Association. “Football has given me everything,” says Chastain. “It has given me a place to express myself fully, openly, and honestly. To not be shy. To feel. To be crazy. To share laughter. To take risks. To try things I might not try. To make mistakes and realized they’re not life-shattering.”
Related Links
Q&A: Brandi Chastain on teammates Wamback, MacMillan
Official Web site: Brandi Chastain
On what took place after the penalty kick at the 1999 World Cup: “Momentary insanity, nothing more, nothing less. I wasn’t thinking about anything. I thought, ‘This is the greatest moment of my life on the soccer field.’”
|
Height: 5'7
Born: 7/21/1968
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Resides: San Jose, Calif.
Sport: Soccer
|
|
|
