Hope Solo

Widely considered the best goalkeeper in the world, Solo has become the face of U.S. women's soccer while moving into mainstream pop culture. That's a major turnaround after she was vilified for her conduct at the 2007 World Cup, when she questioned then-coach Greg Ryan's decision to bench her while also criticizing fellow goalkeeper Briana Scurry's performance in a 4-0 semifinal loss to Brazil. Her comments became national fodder for debate, but she rebounded by helping the U.S. win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, beating Brazil 1-0 in the final. She followed that with another dazzling performance at the 2011 World Cup, as the U.S. lost to Japan on penalties in the title game. She gained major notoriety for her performance in a win over Brazil in the quarterfinals, making three saves in the penalty shootout after the U.S. scored in the final seconds of overtime to force the tiebreaker. That tournament boosted her national appeal, as Solo went on to appear in a number of major television shows, including as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." Solo's rise to fame would only continue if she can lead the U.S. to a third consecutive gold medal in London, and she appears to be positioning her career to reach beyond the field.