Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

U.S. forward Abby Wambach (20) celebrates a goal with teammate Lindsay Tarpley during their friendly soccer match against Mexico on Wednesday in Portland, Ore., as part of the Women's National Team Celebration Tour. The United States will face Mexico again in Albuquerque, the final stop of their three-city tour, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at University Stadium.

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Comparing U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach to Mia Hamm is like comparing Tony Romo to Lawrence Taylor.

They come from different eras. They play the same sport, but their duties are vastly different. Romo throws footballs for a living. Taylor made it to the Hall of Fame by throwing quarterbacks.

Apples and oranges. Sacks vs. touchdowns.

That's sort of how it is with the Wambach-Hamm comparison.

Still, the question arises. Is Abby the next Mia?

"I don't think there'll ever be another Mia Hamm," Wambach said in a telephone interview on Thursday. "She's a sports icon. She came during a special place, a special time."

That time has since passed for Hamm. The new face of American soccer is Wambach, who will lead the United States against Mexico at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Albuquerque at University Stadium.

The friendly soccer match is the final leg of a three-city tour, with the first two stops in St. Louis and Portland, Ore. The United States won both matches.

Everywhere Wambach goes, Hamm's enormous shadow seems to follow, even since Hamm's retirement after the 2004 Olympics.

"I don't mind the comparison, because she's one of the best to ever play the game," Wambach said. "I consider it a compliment. But we're two different players, and our teams score in different ways."

On Wednesday in Portland, Wambach played in her 100th international match and scored her 20th goal this season.

Hamm is the U.S. all-time leading scorer in international matches. But she starred at a time when the U.S. women dominated international soccer, winning the Olympic gold medal in 1996 and Õ04. Other countries have since caught up to the Americans.

No more proof is necessary than the United State's third-place finish at the 2007 Women's World Cup. The United States lost a lopsided game to Brazil in the semifinals before salvaging the bronze with a win over Norway. Germany defeated Brazil to win the Cup for the second straight time.

"Gone are the days when the United States would put up 6-0 or 7-0 scores," Wambach said. "That's not realistic anymore. The rest of the world is getting better."

Whether or not the United States can relive those glory days doesn't matter to Wambach.

She's comfortable in her own No. 20 jersey. Wambach doesn't need a sports drink named after her to verify her star status.

"I don't envy Mia," she said. "I don't have a need to be famous. I can tell you that (fame) isn't what Mia was in it for.

"We just love this game, and we do everything we can to promote causes for female athletes. Those are sacrifices we're willing to make."

Wambach said she's grateful to Hamm, who became a symbolic icon to a generation of young female athletes.

"She was the first," Wambach said. "She came along when there were not a lot of opportunities in sports for girls."

Times have since changed for the better, Wambach said.

If Wambach can lead the United States to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, maybe the question people will be asking then is: Who's the next Abby?