Hope Solo
Goalkeeper · Seattle Reign / FCSB · USA
About Hope Solo
Hope Solo was one of the greatest goalkeepers in women's football history — athletic, commanding, and fearless. Her career was defined by stunning saves and controversy in equal measure, culminating in suspension from the USWNT following the 2016 Olympics.
Hope Solo's story
Washington State
Hope Amelia Solo was born on 30 July 1981 in Richland, Washington. She played as a forward at youth level before switching to goalkeeper, and starred at the University of Washington. A first-round draft pick, she became the USWNT's first-choice keeper for over a decade.
Controversy in 2007
The 2007 World Cup produced one of football's great controversies: Solo was dropped for the semi-final against Brazil, despite being the starting keeper, in favour of veteran Briana Scurry. The US lost 4–0. Solo publicly criticised the decision immediately after — a breach of team protocol that saw her benched for the third-place match and caused lasting team tensions.
Redemption & Dominance
Solo came back stronger, anchoring USWNT goalkeeping through the 2008 and 2012 Olympic golds and the 2015 World Cup. She set the USWNT record for most clean sheets (102) and most caps for a goalkeeper. Her reactions, positioning, and distribution were exceptional; she was FIFA Women's World Player of the Year runner-up multiple times.
Suspension & Legacy
After the 2016 Olympic exit, Solo called the Swedish opponents 'a bunch of cowards' for their defensive tactics — US Soccer suspended her for six months and her contract was terminated. She retired from international football having earned 202 caps. She has faced significant personal controversies since retiring but remains one of the sport's most influential goalkeepers.
Did you know?
- Solo holds the USWNT record with 102 international clean sheets across 202 caps — a record that may never be broken.
- After the 2016 Olympic semi-final loss to Sweden, she publicly called the Swedish team 'cowards' for their defensive approach — US Soccer suspended her indefinitely within days.
- Solo has spoken openly about a difficult childhood; her father, a Vietnam veteran, was largely absent from her life but she was reunited with him as a teenager, an experience she has described as formative.
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