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Three days before the 1999 Women’s World Cup began, Brandi Chastain made an appearance on “Late Night with David Letterman.” Mia Hamm, the reluctant superstar, had declined, so Chastain went instead. Her nickname among teammates was Hollywood. Few viewers likely knew who she was. But no one, we soon learned, was better prepared for bright lights and big moments.
Three weeks later, Chastain scored the decisive penalty to defeat China, 5-4, in the final in front of 90,125 fans at the Rose Bowl, the largest official crowd ever to watch women’s soccer.