Megan Rapinoe’s indelible impact goes far beyond sport she played

FILE - United States’ Megan Rapinoe celebrates after scoring her team’s ninth goal during the Women’s World Cup Group F soccer match between the United States and Thailand at the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, France, Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Whether she was advocating for equal pay and racial justice, or even scoring a rare goal off a corner kick, Megan Rapinoe was always unabashedly authentic during her soccer career.(AP Photo/Francois Mori, File) ORG XMIT: NY165 (Francois Mori, AP Photos)

For some time, the discussion surrounding the transitional state of one of American sports’ more formidable teams — the U.S. women’s national soccer team — has been nothing more than chatter.

Injuries ahead of the World Cup and the youth on one of the most inexperienced squads the U.S. has fielded for the tournament — 14 of the 23 rostered players had no World Cup experience — were undeniable signals of the impending changes. Nothing truly made that official like Megan Rapinoe’s retirement announcement.