Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger may have been opponents in Saturday’s NWSL Championship game, but they’ll always be lifelong teammates thanks to their successes on the U.S. women’s national team.
That couldn’t have been more evident than when NJ/NY Gotham FC’s Krieger approached Rapinoe, who was forced out of the championship due to injury just two minutes into Saturday night’s match.
The devastating non-contact injury to the OL Reign star, who was participating in the final match of a storied career that includes two World Cup titles, was met with empathy by her former USWNT companion.
We love you, Pinoe 💙 pic.twitter.com/W9hwe5vJuF
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 12, 2023
Krieger didn’t let playing for a championship stop her from appreciating the significance of the moment for Rapinoe. The injury that forced Rapinoe out of the match appears to be an unfortunate end to a storied 15-year soccer career.
The winner of Saturday night’s match between OL Reign and NJ/NY Gotham FC will be guaranteed to win their first NWSL title. Neither club has won the championship since the league’s first season in 2013.
