This lively illustrated survey captures the spirit of the sport that has entranced fans across the world. A celebration of the players and soccer's rich history, the book contains in-depth profiles coaches and reps as well as world-renowned North American athletes like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain (U.S.); Christine Sinclair and Kara Lang (Canada); Birgit Prinz (Germany); Sun Wen (China); as well as anecdotes, stats, and schedules. It also covers the teams, from more than 130 countries, from such perennial powerhouses as the U.S. and China to emerging headliners from Brazil and Japan. Here too are the international competitions, the Olympic Games and the Women's World Cup, that have served as proving grounds for these athletes and their teams. The book includes highlights from the history of the sport, from the first golden age of modern women's soccer in the late 19th century to the spectacular triumphs of professional players in worldwide competitions at the end of the 20th century.