Hope Solo
A fiercely competitive goalkeeper whose athletic brilliance and unapologetic intensity redefined her position and fueled a golden era for US women's soccer.
Born 1981 (age 45)·American soccer player·Birthday: July 30·Millennials
Biography
Hope Solo emerged from a turbulent childhood in Richland, Washington, with a preternatural talent for stopping the ball and a will to match. At the University of Washington, she began rewriting record books, a prelude to a storied and often contentious international career. As the US women's national team's last line of defense for 16 years, Solo combined explosive reflexes, commanding presence, and technical study to become the world's best. Her performances in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold-medal runs were masterclasses, but her pinnacle came in the 2015 World Cup, where her shutouts and penalty-kill heroics were instrumental in securing the trophy. Her career was never just about saves; it was marked by a blunt, polarizing honesty that challenged the sport's establishment and made her a figure of both adulation and controversy, forever changing the profile of the goalkeeper.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Hope was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hope Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Hope's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup as the starting goalkeeper, conceding only three goals in seven games throughout the tournament.
- Earned two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012) with the US women's national soccer team.
- Held the US record for most career clean sheets (shutouts) for the national team, with over 100.
- Was named FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year five consecutive times from 2012 to 2016.
- Played professionally in top leagues in the United States, Sweden, and France over a 17-year club career.
Did You Know?
She competed on 'Dancing with the Stars' in 2011, finishing in fourth place.
She was a standout high school soccer player but also an all-state goalkeeper in American football for the boys' team.
She published a candid memoir in 2012 titled 'Solo: A Memoir of Hope.'
She was suspended from the national team for 30 days in 2015 after a team vehicle incident where her husband was charged with DUI.
She played one season of professional softball for the National Pro Fastpitch league after her soccer retirement.
“I've spent my life alone, in many ways. On the field, in goal, that's where I'm comfortable.”
