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Women’s World Cup / Olympic Champions

The Women’s World Cup is underway, with the first round of games having been played on Saturday, 6 June. The two biggest tournaments for women are the World Cup and the Olympics. To date, 19 women have played on winning teams at both  tournaments, as follows:

Women’s Olympic / WC Doubles

  • Mary Harvey (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1991 WC)
  • Michelle Akers (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1991/1999 WC)
  • Brandi Chastain (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1991/1999 WC)
  • Julie Foudy (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1991/1999 WC)
  • Mia Hamm (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1991/1999 WC)
  • Kristine Lilly (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1991/1999 WC)
  • Joy Fawcett (USA) (1996/2000/2004 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Shannon MacMillan (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Tiffeny Milbrett (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Carla Overbeck (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Cindy Parlow (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Tiffany Roberts (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Briana Scurry (USA) (1996/2004 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Tisha Venturini (USA) (1996 Olympics, 1999 WC)
  • Bente Nordby (NOR) (1995 WC, 2000 Olympics)
  • Gro Espeseth (NOR) (1995 WC, 2000 Olympics)
  • Hege Riise (NOR) (1995 WC, 2000 Olympics)
  • Marianne Pettersen (NOR) (1995 WC, 2000 Olympics)

OK, its pretty USA-heavy, with 14 USA players, and 4 Norwegians. That is because the US has won 4 of the 5 Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004-12), with Norway winning in 2000.

Can anybody match this in 2015? Actually, yes, and oddly there are 18 possible World Cup / Olympic doublers playing at the 2015 Women’s World Cup. This is even more USA-top  heavy with 17 of them playing for the US this year. The lone Norwegian is Solveig Gulbrandsen, who was on the 2000 Olympic champions when she was only 19-years-old. Here is the full list of the 18 players who could do it this year:

2015 Possibles

  • Abby Wambach (USA) (2004/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Alex Morgan (USA) (2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Amy Rodriguez (USA) (2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Becky Sauerbrunn (USA) (2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Carli Lloyd (USA) (2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Christen Press (USA) (2012 Olympics (DNS), 2015 WC)
  • Christie Rampone (USA) (2000/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Heather O’Reilly (USA) (2004/2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Hope Solo (USA) (2004 (DNS)/2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Kelley O’Hara (USA) (2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Lauren Cheney-Holiday (USA) (2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Lori Chalupny (USA) (2008 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Megan Rapinoe (USA) (2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Meghan Klingenberg (USA) (2012 Olympics (DNS), 2015 WC)
  • Shannon Boxx (USA) (2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Sydney Leroux (USA) (2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Tobin Heath (USA) (2008/2012 Olympics, 2015 WC)
  • Solveig Gulbrandsen (NOR) (2000 Olympics, 2015 WC)