It's now or never for Abby Wambach

NEW YORK: In the final minutes of a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 5, 2010, Abby Wambach went up for a header. Headers are her speciality. She has scored on more than 70 attempts. This time, rather than finding the ball, her skull found the skull of a Mexican defender, instantly splitting open and splashing blood across the field. The blood continued pouring out as Wambach rolled over on the field.

Most players would have been done for the day. Not Wambach. She asked a trainer to staple her forehead back together right on the sideline. That's classic Wambach. Gritty. Tenacious. Determined. It's how she became the most recognized member of the U.S. Women's National Team.

She enters this World Cup, her fourth, with more goals than any other national team player and two Olympic gold medals. She earned the 2012 FIFA World Soccer Player of the Year award, is a six-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, and currently holds the record (182) for international goals by any male or female player in the world, among countless others accolades. One honor, though, has eluded her: Wambach has yet to win a World Cup.

Her national team career started in 2001, two years after the U.S. women last won the crown. On Wednesday, she told media gathered at the U.S. Women's National Team media day that her career will absolutely not be complete without a World Cup title. Asked if she needs to win it, she didn't hesitate.

"You're damn right I need it," she said.

Regardless of what happens in Canada this June and July, Wambach is expected to retire after this Cup. She'll celebrate her 35th birthday on June 2, four days before the team's first game. By U.S. team standards, she could keep playing for at least a few more years, following the lead of 39-year-old Christie Rampone (who will turn 40 during the Cup). But Wambach says this is it. This is her last shot.

She compared the pursuit to that of falling in love: "You have to be willing to be crushed by it; completely give into it."

Give into it she has. She's known to have one of the most intense training regimens of any players. She's endured more bloody noses and forehead splits than most people see in a lifetime. She's given it everything she has.

Her teammates say it's hard to imagine the team without her. She's the vocal leader, on and off the field.

"I'll remember Abby just absolutely taking over," said Heather O'Reilly, recalling a moment from a 2011 World Cup qualifying game in Mexico. She's speaking of the same game in which Wambach was later injured. "We ended up getting scored on early by Mexico. And just the look in Abby's eye was so intense and passionate. A few minutes later she took this run, she literally had a couple of defenders hanging off her, and she buries this goal.

"It was one of those moments when I just looked at her and thought, 'This is so cool that she is my teammate. I just saw something incredible.' It really inspired me. That's what Abby does to a lot of us, she really inspires us by her passion and her bravery."

She'll look to inspire them one last time in Canada, perhaps to reach that one peak that has thus far eluded her.

"I want it to be fairytale like," Wambach said. "I want to go out on top."

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Danielle Elliot is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact her at delliot@yahoo-inc.com or find her on Twitter and Facebook.