What is Mia Hamm's Net Worth?
Mia Hamm is a former American professional soccer player who has a net worth of $40 million. That is a combined net worth with her husband of two decades, retired professional baseball player Nomar Garciaparra.
During her career, Mia Hamm earned a vast number of titles and medals. She won two Olympic gold medals and won two FIFA World Cups with the American national team. Deployed as a striker for her nation, Mia also played for the Washington Freedom in the Women's United Soccer Association.
After impressing as a soccer player during her time at the University of North Carolina with four consecutive NCAA Division I Championship titles, Hamm went on to become an integral part of the American national team. She competed in four FIFA World Cups over the years from 1991 to 2003. She also led the team at three Olympic games from 1996 to 2004. In total, she scored seven goals in these international tournaments. During her time on the national team, she scored 276 goals in all competitions. This was enough to make her the highest-scoring international footballer of all time (men included) until 2003 when she was overtaken by American footballer Abby Wambach and Canadian striker Christine Sinclair.
Hamm has won numerous awards and accolades, including three ESPY awards, Sportswoman of the Year, and US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. After retiring from soccer, Mia was inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame, becoming the first woman to receive this honor. She also became a co-owner of Los Angeles FC after her retirement. In addition, she serves as a global ambassador for FC Barcelona and is on the board of directors for A.S. Roma.
Early Life
Mariel Margaret Hamm was born on March 17th, 1972, in Selma, Alabama. Raised as a military brat alongside five siblings, Mia was born with a club foot and traveled frequently with her family. During her childhood, she lived in a military base in Italy, where she first encountered soccer. By the time she was five, the family had moved to Texas, and Hamm was playing on her first soccer team. She subsequently became a standout athlete at the high school level. At the age of just fifteen, she earned her first came for the United States national team, playing at the US Olympic Festival in 1987.
After graduating from high school, Hamm continued to play soccer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mia led the Tar Heels to four NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championships over a period of five years. During this period, the Tar Heels only lost a single game when Hamm was playing.
Career
Mia Hamm's playing career was primarily defined by her involvement with the U.S. national team. After making her debut in 1987, Hamm scored during her 17th game. In 1991, she joined the official roster for the FIFA Women's World Cup in China. At the age of 19, she was still the youngest player on the team. She scored against Sweden and Brazil as the US national team advanced to beat Norway in the final.
Hamm was also part of the American national team during the 1995 FIFA World Cup in Sweden. She scored against China, and Mia found herself playing as goalkeeper after the starting goalie for the US was sent off. Although the US national team made it to the semi-finals, they were defeated by Norway. However, Mia helped the team secure third place after a win against China.
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By the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Hamm had scored a vast number of goals for the team. She helped her side win the gold medal and subsequently scored her 100th international goal in a friendly against Russia in 1998. The 1999 FIFA World Cup followed, with Hamm scoring a number of times before helping her team win in front of a home crowd against China in the United States. After the match, Mia collapsed from severe dehydration. Her last World Cup was in 2003 in the United States. The team eventually secured a third-place finish.
Playing Style
Mia Hamm relied on her speed and technical prowess to score countless goals for the American national team. She was praised for her work rate while also proving her exceptional dribbling skills on numerous occasions. Mia was also capable of striking the ball extremely well, sending powerful and accurate shots into the net. Although she was a prolific goalscorer, Hamm also showed great vision. Accurate passing and a commitment to teamwork meant that she racked up countless assists in addition to her goals.
Relationships
Although Hamm first married a US Marine Corps pilot, they divorced in 2001. Mia then married Nomar Garciaparra, who was a shortstop for the Boston Red Sox at the time. Nomar and Mia subsequently welcomed twin girls into the world in 2007 before having another child together in 2012.
Brand Endorsements
Mia Hamm successfully supplemented her soccer income with a number of lucrative brand endorsement deals. Having worked with an impressive number of brands over the years, Mia was once considered the most marketable female athlete of her generation. Over the course of her career, she penned deals with major names like Gatorade, Nike, Dreyer's Ice Cream, Pepsi, Nabisco, Fleet Bank, Earthgrains, and Powerbar.
As early as 1997, she was appearing in commercials for brands like Pert Plus. During the 1999 World Cup, she was featured on a Wheaties box and subsequently endorsed the first soccer Barbie. In 1999, she appeared alongside Michael Jordan in a series of Gatorade commercials.
Real Estate
In 2016, it was reported that Mia and her husband had purchased a home in Los Angeles. Located in the suburb of Manhattan Beach, the residence cost her $2.2 million. This home spans 4,447 square feet of living space and was originally built in 2004. Additional features include a spacious, grassy lawn, five bedrooms, and vaulted ceilings.
