Female FIFA Player Of The Century - Michelle Akers.

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Female FIFA Player Of The Century - Michelle Akers.

FIFA Female Player of the Century was a one-off award created by the global governing body FIFA to decide the greatest football female player of the 20th century, announced at the annual FIFA World Gala, held in Rome on 11 December 2000.

American player Michelle Akers and Chinese player Sun Wen were joint winners of the award. Michelle Akers won the award based on votes from FIFA officials, journalists, and coaches, while Sun Wen won the award based on the Internet poll.

Back Story Of FIFA Player Of The Century

Since 1991, FIFA has been awarding honors for FIFA World Player of the Year. The organization decided to conduct a public vote to decide the FIFA Player of the Century (for male players), FIFA Goalkeeper of the Century, and FIFA Female Player of the Century.

Voting

Akers was named FIFA Player of the Century in joint voting by readers of FIFA Magazine (weighted at 50%) and the members of the FIFA Football Committee (also weighted at 50%). China's Sun Wen shared the title of FIFA Player of the Century based on the votes cast by the fans through the FIFA website.

In addition to Akers' award, American forward Mia Hamm, finished in the top three in voting for both awards. Hamm finished behind Sun Wen (footballer) in the Internet Award balloting, and third behind both Akers and Sun in the Player of the Century voting.

Michelle Akers

Michelle Anne Akers born on February 1, 1966, is an American former soccer player who starred in the 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories by the United States. At the 1991 World Cup, she won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer, with ten goals.

Akers is regarded as one of the greatest female football players in history. She was named FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, an award she shared with China's Sun Wen.

In 2004, Akers and Mia Hamm were the only two women named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living soccer players selected by Pele and commissioned by FIFA for that organization's 100th anniversary.

Michelle Akers represents the glorious history of the USA Women's games — as a member of the all-important team that played in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup held in China in 1991.

This was the year that America set the standard for greatness on the field — when she and her teammates became World Champions for the first time ever.

The lead scorer in the first Women's World Cup and having scored ten goals, Akers, a center forward, became the first American to be awarded the Golden Boot.

US Women's Soccer Player

Akers had a decorated international career with the United States Women's National Team. She scored 105 goals in 153 appearances, which ranks her second all-time in goals scored in Women's National Team history.

In 1985, the FIFA Female Player of the Century scored the first goal in the team's history against Denmark in a 2-2 draw in Jesolo, Italy.

Michelle Akers first gained worldwide attention at the FIFA World Championships for Women's Football (later renamed FIFA Women's World Cup in 1999) in 1991.

Always known for her true dedication to the sport, Akers was one of the hardest-working members of her team. She held herself to a high standard and relentlessly trained to be the best.

Akers, who often trained on her own, always impressed her coaches.

Fact File On Aker

In the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia, Aker changed position to become a midfielder and help her team win the gold medal.

Despite being diagnosed in 1994 with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, Michelle helped the Women's National Team become world champions for the second time at the 1999 Women's World Cup.

FIFA recognized her work and contribution to the game and awarded her the 'FIFA Order of Merit.'

After Soccer

The two-time USSF Female Athlete of the Year and three-time U.S. Soccer Women's Player of the Year retired in August 2000, a few weeks prior to the Sydney Olympics, after deciding that she no longer could psychically compete at the international level.

Akers retired with 105 goals in 153 games, putting her just behind Mia Hamm as the second all-time leading scorer.

Her incredible performance on the field and dedication to the game helped her become the FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002 and one of two women (the other, Mia Hamm) to be named to the FIFA 100 in 2004.

That same year, Akers was also inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Present Time

Ms. Akers currently resides on her farm in Powder Springs, GA where she devotes her time to her son, conducting soccer clinics and running the Michelle Akers Horse Rescue and Outreach, Inc. a non-profit dedicated to the caring of abandoned horses and abused and unwanted animals.