CHICAGO (AP) — Megan Rapinoe bid farewell to her illustrious soccer career with one final victorious celebration, marking the end of an extraordinary journey in one of the greatest sporting careers.
In a triumphant send-off, Rapinoe and her United States team defeated South Africa 2-0 on Sunday.
The goals were scored by Trinity Rodman and Emily Sonnett, sealing a memorable last game for Rapinoe as the national team’s captain.
Farewell to a Legend: Megan Rapinoe’s Triumphant Exit from Soccer
Rapinoe, at the age of 38, was presented with a framed jersey symbolizing her 203 international appearances for the United States. She raised her arms, greeted by an enthusiastic crowd whose cheers seemed to have no end. After the win, as she addressed the crowd before heading into the tunnel, Rapinoe expressed her gratitude, saying,
“I know that I am a liked player, and I know that I mean a lot to the game. But to have this night come and to actually feel it and see it — from my teammates, from our staff, and certainly from the fans, who have been such a huge part of our success on and off the field — it was very special.”
Trinity Rodman opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a precision shot into the net after receiving a cross from Alex Morgan, and it was Rapinoe who first congratulated her.
Emily Sonnett extended the lead to 2-0 with a header in the 49th minute. She then celebrated with Rapinoe, who had delivered a corner kick that caused some commotion in front of the net. Sonnett then turned Rapinoe around, and the iconic victory pose followed, with Rapinoe’s legs together and arms outstretched.
Rapinoe herself came close to scoring but narrowly missed with a free kick. In the 54th minute, she left the international stage for the last time, receiving a standing ovation, embracing and kissing her teammates, blowing a kiss to the crowd, and bowing.
A video tribute followed the game, and an emotional Rapinoe addressed the crowd. At one point, she playfully chided Lindsey Horan for her tears, saying,
“Pull it together, Lindsey. She’s not handling it well.”
Rapinoe announced her retirement in July, concluding a remarkable career that included two World Cup championships, as well as gold and bronze medals in the Olympics. Beyond the pitch, she used her platform to advocate for equal pay and social justice.
In recent weeks, Rapinoe has been increasingly emotional, shedding tears after the U.S. loss to Sweden in this summer’s Women’s World Cup, during her final rivalry match for her NWSL team, OL Reign, against the Portland Thorns, and on this Sunday, as she said her goodbyes.
Forward Midge Purce described Rapinoe as someone who “radiates acceptance and love,” and Lindsey Horan was emotional, saying, “It’s really hard for me because I’m losing, just, an idol. It’s hard. That’s what you’ve looked up to. It’s another reason why you fall in love with the game, those kinds of players that you watch on TV do those things. And you come in and now you’re training with them every day? It’s freakin’ wild.”
Rapinoe still has a few more regular-season games for the Reign, including a farewell match for local fans in Seattle on October 6, before her career comes to a close. Her soccer journey has been truly remarkable.
In her final match for the United States, Rapinoe had 63 goals to her name, including two directly from corner kicks at the Olympics. At the 2019 World Cup in France, she scored six goals and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player.
In addition to her stellar playing career, Rapinoe led the charge for equal pay with the men’s national team.
Publicly out since 2012 and engaged to basketball star Sue Bird since 2020, Rapinoe has been an advocate for LGBTQ rights, including transgender rights. In 2022, she became the first soccer player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, from President Joe Biden. She also showed solidarity with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick by kneeling during the national anthem in the fight for racial equity. When she looks into the stands today, she sees a more diverse crowd compared to when she started, signifying the positive impact she and her generation have made on the sport. “It’s a really beautiful thing to look out and see little Black girls and little trans kids and boys with our jerseys on,” Rapinoe said. “I think that’s something that all of us are really proud of and all of us — especially in our generation — know the impact that we’ve made. And we know that it’s a lot different now than when we started.”
Originally posted 2023-10-25 00:03:34.
