Megan Rapinoe waves to the group earlier than her closing recreation on the U.S. nationwide crew on Sunday in Chicago.

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

conceal caption

toggle caption

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Megan Rapinoe waves to the group earlier than her closing recreation on the U.S. nationwide crew on Sunday in Chicago.

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

In her final recreation for the nationwide crew on Sunday, Megan Rapinoe took a closing bow for her profession as a global soccer participant, basking within the applause and the hugs of her teammates.

While it is the end to her outstanding nationwide profession, it would not fairly really feel like an ending, as a result of a lot of who Rapinoe is and what she stands for extends past the pitch.

Sometimes it appeared unbelievable that somebody with such ethical braveness and aplomb may additionally rating probably the most objectives on the 2019 Women’s World Cup, a winger with a foot like a laser. How may all of this expertise and nerve be in a single particular person?

The final match

In Sunday’s pleasant match in Chicago, the U.S. beat South Africa 2-0. Rapinoe did not notch a purpose or an help, however got here very shut.

There was her curving nook kick early within the second half, punched away by the South Africa goalkeeper, then headed in by USWNT’s Emily Sonnett.

And there was the second, so completely teed up for the finale: Rapinoe’s free kick within the 52nd minute, the possibility to exit with a purpose in one among her numerous surgically executed set items. She blasted it towards the purpose and the keeper leapt to cease it – however the ball narrowly sailed over the crossbar.

So there was not an ideal purpose to finish her nationwide profession, simply as there was not an ideal efficiency on the Women’s World Cup final month, the place the U.S. was knocked out sooner than ever earlier than.

But that did not dampen the followers’ admiration when Rapinoe was subbed out for the final time, within the recreation’s 53rd minute, giving the 25,000 spectators at Soldier Field an opportunity to pay their respects.

Rapinoe transferred the captain’s arm band to Lindsay Horan, obtained the embraces of her teammates, and hugged her alternative, Midge Purce.

“I’m out!” Rapinoe exclaimed.

A star on the sphere and in social justice activism

At 38 years outdated, Rapinoe’s closing match got here 17 years and 63 days after her first look on the USWNT — making hers the fourth-longest profession in crew historical past. She performed in 4 Women’s World Cups (successful two), and was a part of the 2012 Olympic gold-winning squad. She scored 63 worldwide objectives, placing her at tenth place in USWNT historical past, and tied with Abby Wambach for assists at 73.

She discovered her place in soccer followers’ hearts on the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal in opposition to Brazil, when an extended move to Abby Wambach resulted in a header that despatched the U.S. to penalty kicks — Rapinoe made hers — and victory within the match.

In 2016, she was the first white athlete to kneel through the nationwide anthem in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police violence in opposition to Black individuals. U.S. Soccer then enacted a ban in opposition to kneeling for greater than three years, earlier than repealing the rule in 2020 and saying its coverage had been incorrect.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties,” she said after the first game at which she kneeled. “It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

At the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, Rapinoe grew to become a hero to many and a villain to others. During the match, Rapinoe ended up in a war of words with then-President Donald Trump. The U.S. went on to lift the Cup, with Rapinoe successful the Golden Boot for many objectives – and her arms-outstretched celebratory pose grew to become her signature.

She was additionally among the many outspoken leaders of the USWNT gamers who battled U.S. Soccer to vary its pay construction so the lads’s and girls’s groups got equal pay for equal work — a battle they gained in 2022 with a new contract and settlement that included $22 million in back pay.

She did all of this whereas changing into a homosexual icon and LGBTQ advocate, alongside her associate Sue Bird, the WNBA star who retired from basketball final 12 months.

In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Rapinoe with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Rapinoe was the primary soccer participant to obtain the award, and simply one among six feminine athletes.

“Beyond the World Cup titles to Olympic medals, Megan is a champion for an essential American truth: that everyone, everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect,” Biden stated.

Her soccer profession is not over simply but, although. Rapinoe will end out the season along with her membership crew, OL Reign.

While she’ll be hanging up her cleats, do not count on Rapinoe to fade away. She and Bird launched a production company late final 12 months that goals to spotlight underrepresented voices. She hopes to sometime personal a professional girls’s soccer crew, transform her home, and journey not for matches, however for enjoyable. “I want to go to Italy for a month,” she told The Ringer. “It’d be so nice.”

What about entering into politics? She admitted she’s thought of it, as a result of she’s been requested many occasions. But she stated her retirement plan is to be an activist, not a politician.

“I do want to live my life,” she advised The Ringer. “Probably selfishly I just am like, ‘That seems like a lot.'”

President Joe Biden awards the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Rapinoe on the White House in July 2022.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

conceal caption

toggle caption

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

President Joe Biden awards the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Rapinoe on the White House in July 2022.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

A legacy past sport

In an on-field speech after the sport, Rapinoe thanked followers from across the nation and around the globe.

“I feel like I’ve grown up in front of all of you,” she stated. “When I think about what it means to me to represent not only this team, but our country…we’re just a little snapshot of all of you,” she stated, gesturing to these within the stands.

“It has been such an honor to be able to wear this shirt, and to play with all these amazing players, and just to live out my childhood dream, casually just like in front of the world,” she stated, inserting a joke in traditional Rapinoe vogue. “I’m one of you guys now, be the biggest fan of this team.”

After the match, Rapinoe mirrored on how the sport had modified since she began enjoying — and the way she and her teammates had pushed that change.

“As we’ve worked to create more space for ourselves and fight for equality for ourselves, I think that we’ve done that for other people as well,” she told reporters.

“The players want to see themselves reflected back in the fans also,” she stated. “It’s a really beautiful thing to look out and see little Black girls, and little trans kids and boys with our jerseys on, families of all kinds. I think that’s something all of us are really proud of. And all of us know, especially in our generation, know the impact that we’ve made and know that it’s a lot different than when we started.”