Megan Rapinoe, OL Reign and USWNT star, announces she’ll retire after 2023 season

July 8, 2023 Updated Sat., July 8, 2023 at 2:52 p.m.

Seattle Times

OL Reign star Megan Rapinoe, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion, announced Saturday via Twitter that she will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League season.

The 38-year-old forward will compete in her fourth FIFA women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this month. The U.S. women’s national team begins its journey for an unprecedented third consecutive global championship on July 21 against Vietnam.

Rapinoe, one of the most decorated U.S. soccer players, has played for the Reign since its inception in 2013. She’s helped lead the charter franchise to three NWSL Shields, which honors the top-finishing club after the regular-season schedule.

“I’ve been able to have such an incredible career, and this game has brought me all over the world and allowed me to meet so many amazing people,” Rapinoe said in a statement to U.S. Soccer. “I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to be as successful as we’ve been, and to have been a part of a generation of players who undoubtedly left the game better than they found it. To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.”

The Reign announced it will honor Rapinoe and her career at the club’s home finale at Lumen Field on Oct. 6 against the Washington Spirit. Depending on the USWNT’s performance in Australia/New Zealand, Rapinoe’s earliest return match with the Reign would be against the Orlando Pride in September.

The 11-year NWSL veteran was allocated to the Reign when USSF was paying USWNT salaries. The individual teams handled those now, Rapinoe signing a one-year extension in January.

Teaming with midfielder Jess Fishlock and club captain Lu Barnes since the inaugural season, Rapinoe has been instrumental in shaping the Reign’s identity and level of competitiveness in a league overflowing with star internationals.

Rapinoe, who celebrated her birthday Wednesday, currently holds the Reign record for most career goals scored (48) and assists (25) and ranks fourth all-time in regular season appearances (109) for the club. She finished last season setting a record for consecutive games with either a goal or assist (seven matches) and her seven goals and four assists overall, tied for the most for the Reign in both categories.

On the league level, Rapinoe was named to either the NWSL Best XI First Team (2018) or Second Team (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022) in six seasons, which is tied for the third-most combined selections in league history. The Californian is one of five players to have been with the same club every year since 2013.

The only award Rapinoe hasn’t won is a NWSL championship. The Reign (7-5-3) is poised to, again, make the elusive run for a league title and Challenge Cup win. The team is currently third in the league table and leads their Challenge Cup group in pool play.

“I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years,” said Rapinoe, who, along with twin Rachael, is the youngest of five siblings. “Thanks to all my teammates and coaches all the way back to my first days in Redding, on to college at the University of Portland and of course thanks to U.S. Soccer, the Seattle Reign and especially [fiancee] Sue [Bird], for everything. I will forever cherish the friendships and support over the years in this game, and I am beyond excited for one last ride with the national team and the Reign.”

Rapinoe has helped lead the U.S. to profound success, including a gold medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, and World Cup championships in 2015 and 2019. She also earned honors as The Best FIFA Women’s Player and France’s prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2019.

Off the pitch, Rapinoe has used her platform as one of the world’s biggest sports stars to advocate for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, marriage equality and women’s rights. She also spearheaded the USWNT push for equal pay, which resulted in a milestone deal that gives women’s and men’s national team players an equal share in World Cup prize money.

Last summer, Rapinoe was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Biden in recognition of her efforts.

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