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USWNT great Michelle Akers hopes Orlando Pride coaching gig opens doors for other former stars to lead

U.S. national team legend Michelle Akers, who won World Cups in 1991 and 1999, has long felt she had something to offer up-and-coming players. She's firmly in the conversation for the greatest players in the history of USWNT, and it wasn't just down to her natural physical prowess and technical skills alone; her relentless work ethic and unwavering mentality become her most influential weapons. She learned, as a player on the USWNT, how to become a winner.

Yet over the years, she's asked to get involved in U.S. Soccer's youth programs only to receive a lukewarm reception, and she moved onto a post-career life beyond coaching.