U.S. women’s national team legend and longtime women’s professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe is planning to retire following the 2023 NWSL season, her club OL Reign announced on its website on Saturday.
Rapinoe confirmed the news on her personal Twitter account.
“It is with a deep sense of peace & gratitude that I have decided this will be my final season playing this beautiful game,” Rapinoe wrote, along with a childhood photo. “I never could have imagine 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.”
It is with a deep sense of peace & gratitude that I have decided this will be my final season playing this beautiful game. 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. pic.twitter.com/XGZ1T9i7Wy
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) July 8, 2023
Per the team’s official website, OL Reign plans to “commemorate Rapinoe’s illustrious career” on Oct. 6 against the Washington Spirit, which will be the team’s final regular season game. Rapinoe has played with the Reign since their first NWSL season in 2013, and holds the club record for most goals scored (48) and assists (25).
This is just a part of Rapinoe’s soccer story though, as her best work came representing the USWNT in international competition. She’s a two-time World Cup champion and has won an Olympic gold as well representing the United States. She captured the award for best FIFA women’s player in 2019, and also won the women’s Ballon d’Or that year.
Rapinoe will once again be part of the USWNT roster at the 2023 World Cup, which begins on July 20.
The 38-year-old will go down as one of the most decorated women’s soccer players in U.S. history when she hangs it up this fall.
