Hope Solo

Born

1981-07-30

Birthplace

Richland, Washington, USA

Biography

Hope Solo is an American former soccer goalkeeper. She was a goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team from 2000 to 2016, and is a World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Solo is regarded as one of the top female goalkeepers of all time and currently holds the U.S. record for most career clean sheets. (the goalkeeper is said to "keep a clean sheet" if s.he prevent their opponents from scoring during an entire match.) After a controversial move made by head coach Greg Ryan to bench Solo in favor of veteran goalkeeper Briana Scurry for the semifinal, in which the United States was defeated 4–0 by Brazil, Solo made headlines with post-game remarks that resulted in many teammates shunning her. She later rebounded to help the United States win gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. During the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, her exceptional skill was highlighted especially during a quarter-final match against Brazil, which the U.S. won on penalty kicks