The top 10 U.S. women’s national team cap earners

It’s a list that is one of the most exclusive in the world and likely to remain so, given that the new generations of United States women’s national team players are now a more varied and deeply talented pool, making international caps harder to come by. Still, many of the names are the pioneers that set the standard for women’s soccer for years, not only for the U.S., but all around the world. Ahead of the upcoming Women’s World Cup this summer, let’s review who they are.

It’s hard to find a photo or video of Milbrett standing still. She was so often a constant blur of movement, low to the ground, leaning to whichever side she was shooting or cutting the ball around a defender. She produced 100 goals for the U.S. women’s team, many of them from sharp angles that confounded goalkeepers repeatedly. She opens the top 10 list of international caps with 206. Yes, that means Milbrett averaged about a goal every other game.

Ignore, for a moment, the fact that Sauerbrunn has zero goals in her 214 caps and marvel instead at how she is the only active player to crack this top 10 list. She’s a defender, after all, and stellar at that job, and scoring goals isn’t really a requirement of it. Sauerbrunn has also led the way for the women’s team through their lawsuit with the federation and ultimate collective bargaining agreement that brought unprecedented equality for the team.

Resourceful and relentless, O’Reilly was a mighty mite in the midfield for the U.S. for years, scoring 47 goals in 231 caps. Her game was distinctive in how well-rounded it was — she could defend, pass, dribble and score at a superior level that she maintained with constant effort. She was also a dynamo off the bench whose overall understanding of the game elevated her teammates.

Sure, now that the new U.S. Soccer agreement provides childcare for parents on national teams, there’s more parents bringing their children along for games and competitions. But years ago, it was “Mama Joy” Fawcett who was the pioneer of barely missing a beat in continuing her athletic career, even with two children. The stalwart defender scored 27 goals and reached 241 caps.

The goddess of goals, Wambach scored 184 for the U.S., so her 255 caps almost seem like an afterthought, but do speak to how long she was at her peak between the sunset of Mia Hamm and the rise of Alex Morgan. Wambach’s era, from 2001 to 2015, was defined by her dominance and marked the team so completely that sometimes it seemed as if the squad didn’t know how to play without her as their main target. At times even while bruised and bleeding, Wambach would make it her mission every game to finish chances in the box.

“Loudy Foudy” was her nickname, but wasn’t the team captain supposed to be vocal? Foudy was a midfield presence in every sense of the word, bossing her territory with bruising tackles and living the mantra of “my ball or nobody’s.” Foudy was often overlooked for her passing vision and adroit one-touch moves to spring teammates into the attack and superbly accurate finishes in the air on set plays, notching 274 caps and 45 goals.

Mia Hamm transcended soccer to become a superstar athlete who made commercials with Michael Jordan and had, at her peak, arguably the highest public recognition worldwide of any woman in sports. Beyond that fame, though, her 276 caps and 158 goals scored for the USWNT demonstrate what a force she truly was on the field. A wily wonder in a ponytail, she could score in creative ways defenders never saw coming.

Christie Rampone, now Pearce, represented the United States at the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. The U.S. style of attack has sometimes been a blunt, rather than precision instrument and Pearce as a defender for years was often able to cover any mistakes the team made with her blinding chase-down speed and tough, but precise tackles on opponents.

During Carli Lloyd’s last U.S. national team game in 2021, she was presented with a jersey bearing her name, a number, and lettering saying, “316 caps,” representing her total number of games played in her national team career. The Delran-raised midfielder was driven to succeed, scoring 134 goals and often in spectacular fashion, such as when she scored a hat trick in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final.

The queen of caps, Lilly’s feat stands alone in the international game. Her 354 caps are the most for any player in the history of the sport, in either the men’s or women’s game. The indefatigable forward/midfielder, whose free kicks were sublime, spent 23 years on the national team and scored 130 goals for the U.S. In an age where most players count as an impressive career milestone to reach 100 international games, Lilly surpassed that more than twice over, plus half more for good measure.