Mia Hamm recently scored her 108th international goal to break the record of 107 held by long-retired Elisabetta Vignotto of Italy. Although, close on Hamm's heels with 102, Michelle stioll maintains the best goals-per-game ratio in the sport including men and women.

Born in Santa Clara, California Michelle grew up in Seattle where she was voted three-time High School All-American, a four-time College All-American. In 1985 she was named the "ESPN Athlete of the Year".

Now in her 14th year with the U.S. National Team, Michelle joined the team as an original member in 1985 for the program's first-ever international trip. Six years later, the U.S. team won the first-ever Women's World championship in China. In the 1991 tournament Michelle scored 10 in six games, including 5 in one game against Taiwan, to become the World Cup leading scorer and won the "FIFA World Cup Golden Boot" award. The press dubbed Michelle the "Best Women's Player in the World." Suddenly, she was in demand to give clinics, speak at dinner engagements, and travel all over the world AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR WOMEN'S SOCCER. She was at the top of her career enjoying the fruits of hard work and gladly took the responsibility of promoting women's soccer. That year she became the first woman in the U.S. to receive a soccer endorsement.

Soon she started feeling rundown, tired all the time, but she attributed it to all the travel, appearances and a crazy schedule. In 1993, Michelle collapsed during a match in San Antonio, Texas, and AT FIRST was told she had Mononucleosis, then later, Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus. Even with rest she never got better. Almost a year later, she still couldn't manage to get out of bed and brush her teeth, let alone run and play soccer, she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). It was during these tough times, Michelle began to look to God as her strength and saw her faith as the most important thing in her life.

Leading up to the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, she fought through CFIDS to be the best she could. Then, in the team's first game of the tournament, she was knocked unconscious after bashing heads with a Chinese player going for a header. The game was not even six minutes old. Michelle was out cold and injured her knee when she hit the ground.

She watched from the bench as the team advanced to the semifinals. It was decided that she was well enough to play in the semis against Norway. Looking back, it was probably not the best decision. The team lost to Norway, 1-0, Michelle couldn't do what she dreamed of doing, what she did in 1991 when she scored the game-winner as the clock ticked down. In the 1996 Olympics over 76,000 people showed up for the U.S. gold medal win over China.

Starting June 19 through July 10, Michelle again, will be anchoring our National Team in her third World Cup. The U.S. will be competing with 15 other nations in an attempt to the win 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Championship. An anticipated one billion people worldwide will watch the event, in what will be largest ever women's sporting event in history.

In the meantime, the U.S. team is playing a series of exhibition games in the "Nike Road to Pasadena" taking them to nine cities before beginning Women's World Cup play. They will play Japan in Atlanta, Ga. at Dekalb Memorial Stadium on May 2 (Kickoff at 2 p.m. ET LIVE on espn2), and Canada at Civic Stadium on Sunday, June 6, in Portland, Ore.

The USA-Canada "Send-Off" match will be the final game of the NIKE Road and the last match before the Americans begin Women's World Cup play on June 19 against Denmark at Giants Stadium in New Jersey (Kickoff 3 p.m. LIVE on ABC).

FOOTNOTES

For ticket information, call toll-free (800) WWC-TIKS (800-992-8457) or log-on to the Official Women's World Cup Web Site - wwc99.com.

Don't forget, if you have any questions for Michelle or any suggestions for the column please submit them to http://www.aboutsoccer.com/michelle_feedback.htm .