Sometimes, sports are just cruel.
In what was widely believed to be Megan Rapinoe’s final game in the National Women’s Soccer League, the veteran forward suffered what appeared to an awful lower-body injury in just the second minute of the match. Rapinoe, playing for OL Reign in the NWSL Championship game against Gotham FC, went down without making contact with another player.
A few minutes later, Rapinoe hobbled off the field after exchanging a hug with her U.S. national squad teammate, Ali Krieger
Megan Rapinoe goes down with an injury less than three minutes into the NWSL Final in her last career game 💔
She receives a standing ovation from Snapdragon Stadium pic.twitter.com/uwqG2epzMK
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) November 12, 2023
Rapinoe, 38, has had a decorated career in women’s soccer and will go down as one of the best to ever wear the uniform for the U.S. national team. She helped lead the Stars-and-Stripes to gold medals in the 2012 Olympics, and the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. She was also named FIFA’s Best Women’s Player in 2019. And for her club, OL Reign, she’s tallied 51 goals and 26 assists across 115 matches in 10 seasons.
Saturday night was supposed to be a storybook ending for Rapinoe. Instead, her career ended in disappointment with an untimely injury.
Fans and media alike in women’s soccer were devastated for how Rapinoe’s night came to a halt:
Jesus man that's how her career ends?
— Kim McCauley (@kimischilling) November 12, 2023
If you’re not crying right now for Pinoe, you’re not human!!!!!!!!!
— Jessica McDonald (@J_Mac1422) November 12, 2023
This is truly devastating for Rapinoe, I can’t believe this
— NWSL Fit (@NWSLfit) November 12, 2023
Absolutely hate that for Rapinoe. #NWSLChampionship
— Lewis Gettier (@LewisNC) November 12, 2023
Absolutely gutted.
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) November 12, 2023
You suck, soccer gods
— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) November 12, 2023
do you mind if we say bad words? we want to say all of them right now 😭
— Our Game Magazine (@OurGameMagazine) November 12, 2023
An absolutely tragic moment to have your final game get destroyed by a turf monster
— SAÑDRA 💙💯⚽️ (@Sandherrera_) November 12, 2023
i'm going to blame the field, i've decided
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) November 12, 2023
