Akers, Michelle

Michelle Akers, in full Michelle Anne Akers, (born February 1, 1966, Santa Clara, California, U.S.), American football (soccer) player who was named Female Player of the 20th Century by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), an honour she shared with Chinese player Sun Wen. Akers is considered one of the pioneers in the development of women’s football in the United States and the world.

Akers played football at Shorecrest High School outside Seattle, where she was a three-time All-American, but it was at the University of Central Florida (UCF) that her career took off. There she became a four-time All-American and the all-time leading scorer in the university’s history. In 1988–89 she was named UCF’s Athlete of the Year and became the first woman to receive the Hermann Trophy, presented annually to the best male and female players in collegiate soccer. On August 18, 1985, Akers made her debut for the U.S. women’s national team in the squad’s first-ever international match, against Italy. Three days later, in a draw with Denmark, she scored the first goal in the team’s history.

From 1985 to 1990, playing centre-forward, she scored 15 goals in 24 games. In 1991 she set a U.S. team single-year scoring record by tallying 39 goals in 26 appearances, with 10 of those goals coming during the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup competition, earning Akers the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s leading scorer. She also scored five goals against Taiwan in quarterfinal match (a Women’s World Cup single-game record) and two in the U.S. victory over Norway in the championship game. For her stunning performance throughout the final rounds, she was awarded the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second best player, behind teammate Carin Garbara.

Akers and U.S. women’s team failed to live up to expectations in the 1995 World Cup, finishing in third place. Redemption came soon, at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the first Olympic Games in which women’s soccer was included. Then playing as a midfielder, Akers scored a crucial penalty kick in the semifinal match against Norway that tied the game and sent it into extra time, where Shannon MacMillan scored the goal that propelled the U.S. team on to the gold medal match and eventual victory over China.

The 1999 World Cup title, won by the United States at home, was Akers’s last hurrah as a member of the national team. She scored a goal in the 2–0 semifinal victory over Brazil and was awarded the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third most-valuable player.

Having scored 105 goals in 153 international matches, Akers ended her 15-year career prior to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sidney. Her decision was mainly motivated by a shoulder injury, but she also had struggled with chronic fatigue syndrome since 1991. In 2004 Akers and Mia Hamm were the only women named to FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living football players compiled by Brazilian great Pelé to celebrate FIFA’s centenary. Upon retirement, Akers continued her involvement in football by writing books and conducting clinics. In 2022 she became the assistant coach and player development coach for the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League. She also gave much of her time to her other passion, horses, founding an organization dedicated to their rescue in 2007.