Kristine Lilly

Kristine Marie Lilly Heavey (; born July 22, 1971) is an American former professional soccer player. She was a member of the United States women's national team for 23 years and is the most-capped football player in the history of the sport, gaining her 354th and final cap against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier in November 2010. Lilly scored 130 international goals for the US national team, making her the team's fourth-highest goal scorer behind Carli Lloyd's 134, Mia Hamm's 158 goals, and Abby Wambach's 184.

Early life Lilly was born in New York City and attended Wilton High School in Wilton, Connecticut. While still attending high school, Lilly became a member of the United States women's national team. She was recruited by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

University of North Carolina Lilly competed as a student-athlete, playing for the university's North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team from 1989 to 1992. During her time there, she won the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship every year she played. She won the Hermann Trophy as a junior in 1991. As a senior, she won the Honda Sports Award as the nations's top soccer player. To honor her time with the school, North Carolina retired her #15 jersey in 1994.

Club career

Lilly began her career with Tyresö FF of Sweden in 1994. She spent one season with the club before returning to the United States. On August 20, 1995, Lilly joined Washington Warthogs of the now-defunct Continental Indoor Soccer League. She was the only woman in the all-male professional indoor league, following in the footsteps of Collette Cunningham and Shannon Presley who had played in the league sparingly in 1994.

Lilly joined W-League side Delaware Genies in 1998. With the club, she appeared in four games, scoring five goals and providing two assists.

February 2001 saw the formation of the world's first women's professional soccer league in which all the players were paid. Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) had its inaugural season in 2001. Lilly was the team captain and a founding member of the Boston Breakers. In her first season with the team, she appeared in all twenty-one matches and played every minute of the season. She led the league in assists with eleven and added three goals. For her performance, she was named First Team All-WUSA. In 2002, she started in a further nineteen games. She increased her point total for the season, scoring eight goals and assisting on thirteen others. She was again named First Team All-WUSA and was a starter on the WUSA North All-Star Team. In 2003 Lilly started all nineteen games in which she played, chipping in three goals and four assists and again being named to First Team All-WUSA, the only player in the history of the league to do so. Following the 2003 season, the WUSA ceased operations.

Following the termination of the league, Lilly followed former Boston Breakers head coach Pia Sundhage to Sweden to play for Damallsvenskan club KIF Örebro DFF in 2005. There she was joined by fellow USWNT teammate Christie Welsh as well as USWNT and Boston Breakers teammate Kate Markgraf.

In late-2006 and early-2007, the formation of a new women's league took shape under the name of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). On September 16, 2008, Lilly was allocated to Boston Breakers along with USWNT teammates Angela Hucles and Heather Mitts. The inaugural 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season saw Lilly appear in all twenty games (playing every minute) and score three goals with three assists.

International career

Lilly made her debut for the United States national team in 1987, when she was still attending high school. During her international career, she surpassed the previous women's world record of 151 caps, held by Norway's Heidi Støre, on May 21, 1998. – since the tournament took place with the golden goal rule in effect, the game would have been over if China had scored – and in the ensuing shootout, she scored the goal which would give the US the lead. When she played against North Korea on September 11, 2007, in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, she became the first woman (and only the third player overall) to participate in five different World Cup Finals; by scoring a goal against England on September 22, 2007, she became the oldest woman to score in the World Cup.

Lilly has also competed in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 editions of the Olympic Games. She won a gold medal in 1996 and 2004, and a silver medal in 2000. She missed the 2008 Summer Olympics due to the birth of her child.

Unlike several of her longtime teammates (among them Joy Fawcett, Julie Foudy, and Mia Hamm), she did not retire after the team's "farewell tour" which finished on December 8, 2004.

On January 18, 2006, Lilly made her 300th international appearance in a game against Norway. In the same match, she equaled Michelle Akers for second place on the team's all-time goal scoring list with 105. Lilly was named as a finalist for the 2006 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. She finished second in the voting to Brazil's Marta.

After the birth of her daughter, Lilly returned to the national team in December 2008. Her last match for the national team, representing her record 354th cap, was a World Cup qualifying loss to Mexico (1–2) on November 5, 2010, in which she played for six minutes as a substitute.

Coaching career After retirement Kristine served as an Assistant Coach with the University of Texas Women’s Soccer Team from 2014 to 2017.

Personal life Lilly grew up in Wilton, Connecticut, and lives in Medfield, Massachusetts. She is married to Brookline firefighter David Heavey, a former hockey player and golfer at the University of Connecticut. Lilly gave birth to her first daughter Sidney Marie Heavey on her birthday, July 22, 2008, and her second daughter Jordan Mary Heavey on September 2, 2011.

She appeared in the HBO documentary Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team. Lilly helps run a soccer camp with Mia Hamm and Tisha Venturini-Hoch.

Career statistics

Club

Matches and goals scored at World Cup and Olympic tournaments Kristine Lilly competed in five FIFA Women's World Cup: China 1991, Sweden 1995, USA 1999, USA 2003 and China 2007; and three Olympics: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004; altogether played in 46 matches and scored 12 goals at those eight global tournaments. With her USA teams, in eight world cup and olympic tournaments, Lilly had 39 wins, 3 losses, and 4 draws; finished first place with her teams 4 times, second place once and third place 3 times.

International goals No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 13 August 1987 Shenyang, China 1–? 1–1 Friendly 2. 27 July 1990 Winnipeg, Canada 1–? 4–1 3. 5 April 1991 Varna, Bulgaria 1–0 2–0 4. 7 April 1991 1–0 5–0 5. 25 April 1991 Port-au-Prince, Haiti ?–0 10–0 1991 CONCACAF Women's Championship 6. 28 April 1991 3–0 5–0 7. 28 May 1991 Vianen, Netherlands ?–? 3–4 Friendly 8. 1 September 1991 Medford, United States 1–? 1–2 9. 12 October 1991 Fairfax, United States 1–0 2–0 10. 10 April 1993 Atlanta, United States 1–0 3–0 11. 3–0 12. 12 June 1993 Cincinnati, United States 3–0 7–0 13. 15 June 1993 Mansfield, United States ?–0 5–0 14. 7 July 1993 Hamilton, Canada ?–0 6–0 15. 12 July 1993 2–? 3–1 16. 14 July 1993 2–0 2–0 17. 4 August 1993 New Hyde Park, United States ?–0 3–0 1993 CONCACAF Women's Invitational Tournament 18. 6 August 1993 ?–0 9–0 19. 16 March 1994 Silves, Portugal 2–0 5–0 1994 Algarve Cup 20. 10 April 1994 Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago 3–? 3–1 Friendly 21. 13 August 1994 Montreal, Canada ?–0 9–0 1994 CONCACAF Women's Championship 22. ?–0 23. 17 August 1994 ?–? 11–1 24. 19 August 1994 ?–0 10–0 25. ?–0 26. 24 February 1995 Orlando, United States ?–0 7–0 Friendly 27. 14 March 1995 Faro, Portugal 1–0 2–0 1995 Algarve Cup 28. 15 April 1995 Strasbourg, France 2–0 3–0 Friendly 29. 30 April 1995 Davidson, United States 1–0 6–0 30. 19 May 1995 Dallas, United States 6–? 9–1 31. 7–? 32. 8 June 1995 Gävle, Sweden 1–0 2–0 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup 33. 13 June 1995 1–0 4–0 34. 2–0 35. 3 August 1995 Piscataway, United States ?–? 4–2 1995 Women's U.S. Cup 36. 10 February 1996 Orlando, United States 1–? 2–1 Friendly 37. 16 March 1996 Davidson, United States 2–0 2–0 38. 20 April 1996 Fullerton, United States 3–0 6–0 39. 4–0 40. 26 April 1996 St. Louis, United States 2–0 4–1 41. 16 May 1996 Horsham, United States 2–0 4–0 1996 Women's U.S. Cup 42. 3–0 43. 4 July 1996 Pensacola, United States 2–? 2–1 Friendly 44. 3 March 1997 Bathurst, Australia 2–? 3–1 45. 24 April 1997 Greensboro, United States 4–2 4–2 46. 4 May 1997 St. Charles, United States 1–0 6–1 47. 11 May 1997 Portland, United States 5–0 6–0 48. 5 June 1997 Ambler, United States 7–0 9–1 1997 Women's U.S. Cup 49. 9 October 1997 Duisburg, Germany 1–0 1–3 Friendly 50. 1 November 1997 Chattanooga, United States 2–0 3–1 51. 17 March 1998 Loulé, Portugal 3–? 4–1 1998 Algarve Cup 52. 21 March 1998 Quarteira, Portugal 3–1 3–1 53. 26 April 1998 Fullerton, United States 1–0 7–0 Friendly 54. 21 May 1998 Kobe, Japan 1–0 2–0 55. 24 May 1998 Tokyo, Japan 2–0 3–0 56. 12 September 1998 Foxborough, United States 2–0 9–0 1998 Women's U.S. Cup 57. 5–0 58. 27 January 1999 Orlando, United States 2–0 7–0 Friendly 59. 5–0 60. 6–0 61. 30 January 1999 Fort Lauderdale, United States 1–0 6–0 62. 4–0 63. 18 March 1999 Albufeira, Portugal 2–1 2–1 1999 Algarve Cup 64. 28 March 1999 Pasadena, United States 2–0 3–0 Friendly 65. 3–0 66. 13 May 1999 Milwaukee, United States 3–0 5–0 67. 22 May 1999 Orlando, United States 2–0 3–0 68. 3 June 1999 Beaverton, United States 3–0 4–0 69. 6 June 1999 Portland, United States 3–2 4–2 70. 19 June 1999 East Rutherford, United States 3–0 3–0 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup 71. 24 June 1999 Chicago, United States 4–1 7–1 72. 4 September 1999 Foxboro, United States 5–0 5–0 Friendly 73. 7 October 1999 Kansas City, United States 4–0 6–0 1999 Women's U.S. Cup 74. 5–0 75. 10 October 1999 Louisville, United States 2–2 4–2 76. 4–2 77. 6 February 2000 Fort Lauderdale, United States 2–1 2–3 Friendly 78. 5 April 2000 Davidson, United States 7–0 8–0 79. 5 May 2000 Portland, United States 2–0 8–0 2000 Women's U.S. Cup 80. 20 August 2000 Kansas City, United States 1–0 1–1 Friendly 81. 20 September 2000 Melbourne, Australia 2–0 3–1 2000 Summer Olympics 82. 10 December 2000 Houston, United States 1–0 3–2 Friendly 83. 12 January 2002 Charleston, United States 2–0 7–0 84. 6 October 2002 Cary, United States 1–0 4–0 2002 Women's U.S. Cup 85. 6 November 2002 Seattle, United States 7–0 7–0 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup 86. 26 April 2003 Washington, D.C., United States 2–1 6–1 Friendly 87. 21 September 2003 1–0 3–1 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup 88. 11 October 2003 Carson, United States 1–0 3–1 89. 25 February 2004 San José, Costa Rica 2–0 7–0 2004 CONCACAF Women's Pre-Olympic Tournament 90. 3 March 2004 3–0 4–0 91. 17 August 2004 Thessaloniki, Greece 1–0 1–1 2004 Summer Olympics 92. 20 August 2004 1–0 2–1 93. 23 August 2004 Heraklio, Greece 1–0 2–1 94. 29 September 2004 Pittsburgh, United States 3–0 3–0 Friendly 95. 3 October 2004 Portland, United States 4–0 5–0 96. 10 October 2004 Cincinnati, United States 2–0 6–0 97. 13 March 2005 Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal 1–0 4–0 2005 Algarve Cup 98. 4–0 99. 10 July 2005 Portland, United States 2–0 7–0 Friendly 100. 23 October 2005 Charleston, United States 1–0 3–0 101. 18 January 2006 Guangzhou, China 1–0 3–1 2006 Four Nations Tournament 102. 22 January 2006 1–0 2–0 103. 2–0 104. 11 March 2006 Faro, Portugal 4–0 5–0 2006 Algarve Cup 105. 13 March 2006 1–0 4–1 106. 15 July 2006 Blaine, United States 3–2 3–2 Friendly 107. 1 October 2006 Carson, United States 5–0 10–0 108. 29 October 2006 Gimhae, South Korea 1–1 1–1 2006 Peace Queen Cup 109. 31 October 2006 Cheonan, South Korea 1–0 2–0 110. 4 November 2006 Seoul, South Korea 1–0 1–0 111. 26 November 2006 Carson, United States 2–1 2–1 2006 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup 112. 7 March 2007 Faro, Portugal 1–0 2–1 2007 Algarve Cup 113. 14 March 2007 Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal 1–0 2–0 114. 14 April 2007 Foxboro, United States 3–0 5–0 Friendly 115. 4–0 116. 12 May 2007 Frisco, United States 4–1 6–2 117. 23 June 2007 East Rutherford, United States 1–0 2–0 118. 28 July 2007 San Jose, United States 3–0 4–1 119. 12 August 2007 Chicago, United States 2–0 6–1 120. 25 August 2007 Carson, United States 2–0 4–0 121. 22 September 2007 Tianjin, China 3–0 3–0 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup 122. 13 October 2007 St. Louis, United States 3–1 5–1 Friendly 123. 17 October 2007 Portland, United States 1–0 4–0 124. 22 May 2010 Cleveland, United States 3–0 4–0

Honors and awards