Coach Ryan Congratulates Former Player Abby Wambach
12/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Dec. 16, 2015
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Abby Wambach is without a doubt one of the greatest players to ever compete in the game of soccer, and tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 16) will be a bittersweet moment for the soccer community as she prepares to play the final game of her career.
Throughout her 15-year career with the U.S. Women's National Team, she has become the all-time leader in international goals for any player, male or female, and helped lead the Red, White and Blue to countless victories, including two Olympic gold medals (2004 and 2012) and the long-awaited World Cup title in 2015. Tonight will mark the last match of Team USA's World Cup Victory Tour, but more notably, the last game of Wambach's career, as she announced her retirement in October.
Current University of Michigan women's soccer head coach Greg Ryan had the opportunity to coach Wambach during his stint as a coach with the U.S. Women's National Team. Ryan came to Michigan in 2008 after spending the previous three years (2005-07) as the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. There, he guided Wambach and Team USA to a 45-1-9 record, including a bronze medal at the 2007 FIFA World Cup and a championship title at the 2005 Algarve Cup. Prior to his appointment as head coach, Ryan served as an assistant with the national team, helping Team USA secure a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Coach Ryan shared his thoughts on his experience coaching Wambach and what she has meant to the U.S. Women's National Team:
Congrats, Abby!
I'm so proud of you for all you have done to lead the U.S. Women's National Team to greatness for over a decade. Your impact on the U.S. Team is simply phenomenal.
I will always appreciate your leadership in guiding and developing our very young U.S. National Team after the retirement of Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, and Brandi Chastain in 2004.
I want to wish you everything good in life as you graduate from the best women's soccer team in the world.
- Coach Ryan
Abby Wambach receiving instructions from Coach Ryan
The USA vs. China PR match can be seen live on FOX Sports 1 Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. CST.
Communications Contact: Whitney Dixon
