Mia Hamm Continues to Stake Claim to Title of Best Female Soccer Player of All Time (Photos)

Mia Hamm turned 40 years old earlier this month, and while she may no longer be tearing up the pitch, she can still claim to be the top female scorer in soccer history.

Hamm, a frequent representative on the women's national team and a founding member of the Washington Freedom, is one of only two women named to the list of the 100 greatest soccer players. She was also named the women's FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002.

That came after Hamm was a standout at the University of North Carolina from 1989-1993, during which she won four national titles.

Simply put, there's never been another Mia Hamm. And there perhaps never will be.

Click here to see photos from Hamm's illustrious career >>

Photo via Flickr/Global Sports Forum