July 8 (UPI) — U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe announced Saturday that she will retire from the National Women’s Soccer League at the end of the 2023 season.
Rapinoe distinguished himself on the soccer field, winning an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. women’s national soccer team at the 2012 London Olympics and two world championships. Since 2013, Rapinoe has been a winger for Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL.
Rapinoe thanked her teammates and her finances, former WNBA basketball player Sue Bird.
“I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years,” he said a statement issued by US Soccer. “Thanks to all my teammates and coaches from my early days in Redding (California), in college at the University of Portland, and of course, thanks to US Soccer, the Seattle Reign, and especially Sue, for everything.
“I will forever cherish the friendships and support over the years in this game. And I’m beyond excited for one last ride with the national team and the Reign.”
Rapinoe has played in 199 international matches and has won around 86% of them. This year, she will participate in her fourth Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to have had as much success as we have and to have been part of a generation of players who certainly left the game better than they found him,” he said.
“To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.”
Rapinoe came out as gay in 2012 and has been active in LGBTQ+ advocacy. In July 2022, President Joe Biden awarded with Rapinoe the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
IN 2016, she became the first prominent white female athlete to kneel for the US national anthem in solidarity with a female NFL player. Colin Kaepernick‘s protest against racism.
“Megan Rapinoe is one of the most important players in the history of women’s soccer and a personality like no other,” said U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski.
“It’s been a wonderful experience coaching her in the NWSL and the National Team and I’m looking forward to her being a big part of our team at the World Cup.”
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