Brandi Chastain: the story behind the iconic photo of the United States’ World Cup victory

The next three penalties were awarded, so it all came down to the home side’s final kick.

It would be Chastain, 30, previously eliminated from the 1995 World Cup, who would take the decisive penalty. The left back, originally the sixth penalty taker, remembers the nerves that gripped her after head coach Tony DiCicco moved her to the fifth position and ordered her to take the final shot of the game with her left foot.

Chastain is right-handed.

“I had never taken a penalty with my left foot before in a match, let alone in a World Cup final, let alone in front of 90,000 people,” he said.

He approached the line and placed the ball on the penalty spot.

“I took a deep breath and waited for the whistle and, like Tony told me, I took it on the wrong foot.”

Chastain, who earned 192 caps for his country, hit the ball hard past Chinese goalkeeper Gao Hong. The stadium exploded and the United States became world champions.

On the other side of the net was photographer Beck. “Brandi kicks and I’m in a cocoon,” he says. “It’s crazy – you could probably hear it in the UK – the sound of 90,000 people clapping and going crazy.”

Chastain took off her shirt, revealing her sports bra, and dropped to her knees screaming as her teammates ran toward her.