Spectacular send-off

Retiring U.S. soccer star Hamm to carry flag in closing ceremony

By Don Yaeger and Brian Cazeneuve

Mia Hamm (left) will leave the global stage in style. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

ATHENS (SI.com) -- U.S. soccer star Mia Hamm, who has said that she will retire from international soccer following the Athens Olympics, has been named the U.S. flag bearer for Sunday's closing ceremony, SI.com has learned.

Hamm was told of the honor Saturday afternoon while attending the gold-medal women's basketball game, a U.S. victory over Australia.

The 32-year-old Hamm has played 18 years on the national team, winning two World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals, the last coming in Thursday's 2-1 overtime defeat of Brazil.

Her 150 goals in international competition are the most for anyone -- man or woman -- in U.S. history.

Hamm, who played collegiately at North Carolina, also was part of the 2000 team that took silver.

Hamm will play her final games in a U.S. uniform this fall during a celebration tour of exhibition games.

"This is emotional, and I'm truly speechless," Hamm said. "I was expecting to be a follower tomorrow night, just to go wherever I was pointed, and now I'm carrying the flag. It's a tremendous honor and I thank my fellow Olympians for thinking of me."

Hamm is the first soccer player ever chosen to carry the American flag at an Olympics.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.