How Many World Cups Has the US Women's Soccer Team Won?

Find Us Here Watching All of the US Women's Soccer Team's World Cup Victories on Repeat

The eighth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off in France with a total of 24 countries competing in the tournament, running from Friday, June 7, to Sunday, July 7. Whether you're a diehard soccer fan or only tune in when the World Cup rolls around, this event is definitely cause for excitement. After all, what's not to love about watching badass women soccer players crush it on the field? And, as it happens, one team that's full of incredible players is the US Women's Soccer Team. In fact, the US team enters the tournament as the defending champions, and they just might pull off another big win in 2019.

But let's back up a little — the US Women's Soccer Team played its first match in 1985, and it's been a force to be reckoned with ever since. How much of a force, you ask? Well, for starters, the team has won the World Cup three times since 1991 — when FIFA started a women's tournament — holding the record for winning the most Women's World Cup tournaments (Germany has won twice, and Japan and Norway have each brought home the trophy once).

Let's take a walk down memory lane and relive the glory of the team's previous three victories.

Image Source: Getty / Christopher Morris - Corbis / Contributor

1991

The US Women's Team certainly started off on the right foot when they claimed victory at the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup. The team was undefeated throughout the entire competition and went head to head with Norway in the final. The US defeated Norway 2-1, and the star of the game was Michelle Akers, who scored both goals and became "America's first women's soccer star." In addition to scoring the goals that clinched the US Team's victory, Akers won the Golden Boot award as top scorer in the tournament — in all, she scored 10 goals at the World Cup, five in one game.

1999

Playing on home soil in Pasadena, CA, the US claimed their second trophy in 1999. The final game, which put the US vs. China on the field had the entire world on the edge of their seats. In over 100-degree heat, the teams played to a scoreless draw, and the game moved into 30 minutes of extra time. (I don't know about you, but I'm sweating just thinking about it.)

The game culminated in a penalty shoot-out, which the US won 5-4. The winning goal was scored by Brandi Chastain, who famously removed her jersey during the wild celebration. The image was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and it was a moment that instantly became iconic not just in sports history but in American history.

The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup is considered a "watershed moment" for women's sports; the excitement surrounding the event is credited with increased enthusiasm and participation in women's soccer. Over 90,000 people, including President Bill Clinton, attended the final game.

2015

The final game of the 2015 tournament pitted the US against Japan — a rematch of the 2011 Women's World Cup final, in which Japan claimed victory, but this time the US came out on top with a 5-2 win. Four of the US team's goals were scored within the first 16 minutes of the game. Midfielder Carli Lloyd scored three of them, setting the record for the fastest hat trick in World Cup history. Reuters described Lloyd's third goal, scored at the 16-minute mark, as "one of the most remarkable goals ever witnessed in a Women's World Cup."

In the 86th minute of the game, 40-year-old Christie Rampone (a member of the victorious 1999 team) hit the field, making her the oldest player to compete in a Women's World Cup tournament. Goalkeeper Hope Solo won the Golden Glove award, and Lloyd won the tournament's Golden Ball thanks to her unstoppable scoring streak.

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