One of the most recognized soccer players and personalities in the sport’s history, Megan Rapinoe, has declared that she will be retiring after the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.
The 38-year-old made the announcement on Saturday, just days before her 200th appearance for the USWNT against Wales on Sunday. For the last ten years, she has played club football for OL Reign, making 102 appearances and scoring 50 goals.
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“I’ve been able to have such an incredible career, and this game has brought me all over the world and allowed me to meet so many amazing people,” said Rapinoe. “I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to be as successful as we’ve been, and to have been a part of a generation of players who undoubtedly left the game better than they found it. To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.”
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The seasoned player, who will compete in her fourth World Cup when it begins on July 20, has announced that she will pack after the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season is over. With crucial performances in key games, the offensive midfielder has demonstrated her incredible scoring range and clutch ability.
Rapinoe famously contributed to the USA’s two most recent World Cup victories. She previously represented the USA in 2011 in Germany, 2015 in Canada, and 2019 in France. She also participated in the Olympic Games in 2012 (where she won a gold medal), 2016 and 2021, as well as the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Thailand in 2004.
Rapinoe is praised for her work off the pitch as well as her amazing talent on it. On the personal front, she publicly came out as gay in July of 2012 and has been a strong advocate for a number of social problems, such as gender and pay parity, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial inequity. Her reputation is firmly established as one of the most significant individuals in American and global women’s soccer history.
