Megan Rapinoe announced that he will retire after the 2023 NWSL season. The striker for the OL Reign is presently getting ready to represent the USA, the two-time defending champions, at the Women’s World Cup, which gets underway this month in Australia and New Zealand.
“I’ve had such a phenomenal career, and this game has taken me all around the world and introduced me to so many fantastic individuals,” Megan Rapinoe said. “I’m really appreciative to have played for as long as I have, to have achieved the kind of success we have, and to have been a member of a group of players that unquestionably improved the game. It’s really great to be able to play in one last World Cup and one final NWSL season before retiring on my terms.”
“I will always treasure the relationships and encouragement I have had through the years in this sport, and I am really thrilled about one more journey with the national team and the Reign,” he added. “I want to express my gratitude to my family for supporting me for so long. Sincerely grateful to all of my teammates and coaches, dating back to my first days in Redding. Also grateful to US Soccer, the Seattle Reign, and especially Sue [Bird, Rapinoe’s partner] for everything.”
With the USA, Rapinoe has won 199 caps, a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, as well as World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. Rapinoe won the Ballon d’Or Feminin and was voted Best FIFA Women’s Player following her second World Cup victory. Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022, making him the first football player to do so. On July 22, the USA take on Vietnam to start their 2023 World Cup campaign. Following that, they play the Netherlands and Portugal in Group E.
On October 6 against the Washington Spirit, Rapinoe’s final regular-season game at Seattle’s Lumen Field will take place. She joined the Reign in 2013, the first year of the NWSL, and now owns the club records for goals (48) and assists (25) scored. With the Reign, Rapinoe has won three NWSL Shields and been selected for one Best XI and two Second XI teams.
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