The athlete, who has played in 17 World Cup matches and in 14 Olympic matches, announces her retirement by sharing a photo when she was a kid on her Instagram page.
- Jul 9, 2023
AceShowbiz - Megan Rapinoe has announced her retirement. Taking to social media, the two-time Women's World Cup winner informed her online devotees that she will retire at the end of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season.
On Saturday, July 9, the 38-year-old shared on Instagram a photo of herself as a child. "It is with a deep sense of peace & gratitude that I have decided this will be my final season playing this beautiful game," she captioned it. "I never could have imagined the ways in which soccer would shape & change my life forever, but by the look on this little girl's face, she knew all along."
The post has since been flooded with supportive comments from many. One in particular was POTUS Joe Biden, who replied, "World Cup and Olympic Champion. Medal of Freedom recipient. Tireless advocate of equal pay for women and for the dignity and respect of all. Congrats on an incredible career. Looking forward to seeing how you continue to help people believe in themselves and the possibilities of our nation."
Retired soccer player Abby Wambach penned, "Your bravery and the way you have shown up for all these years continues to stun me Pinoe! You are a LEGEND. Go on and get yourself another World Cup, and then give yourself a much deserved rest and recovery." Megan's fiancee, Sue Bird, added, "Congrats, baby!! That little girl is going to continue to do so much good in this world (but she sure did kill it on the field). I love you."
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on the U.S. Soccer website, Megan noted, "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. 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." She continued, "To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special."
Megan has played in 17 World Cup matches and in 14 Olympic matches. The athlete scored 199 caps and a 2012 Olympic gold medal, and won World Cup victories back in 2015 and 2019, according to ESPN. In 2019, she was honored as the Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year and also won the Golden Ball as the best player in the World Cup.
