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Sun Wen (footballer)

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Sun Wen is one of the greatest soccer players ever. She played the position of a forward. This means her main job was to score goals. She was a leader for the China national team. She also captained the Atlanta Beat in the United States. People call her a legend of the women's game.

Sun Wen learned to love soccer at a young age. Her father, Sun Zonggao, was a recreational player. He took her to watch men's league matches in China. This early start helped her find her path. She later studied Chinese literature at the University of Shanghai. She began playing seriously when she was ten years old.

Her professional career was full of big moments. In 1999, she had an amazing World Cup. She won the Golden Ball for being the top player. She also won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals. In 2000, she was named a FIFA Female Player of the Century. She shared this honor with Michelle Akers.

Sun Wen traveled the world to play big matches. She played in four FIFA Women's World Cups. She also played in two Olympic Games. In 1996, she won a silver medal in Athens, Georgia. She scored 16 goals during her World Cup appearances. She also helped China win the Asian Cup four times. These wins were in 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997.

She also played for the Atlanta Beat from 2001 to 2002. She was the first overall pick in their inaugural draft. Even with knee and ankle injuries, she helped her team. She scored a penalty kick in a semifinal match. This helped the Beat win against the Philadelphia Charge. After retiring, she became vice-president of the Chinese Football Association in 2019.

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