Megan Rapinoe is retiring from soccer — however she’s received one final thing to attain on her guidelines earlier than doing so … profitable one other World Cup.
The longtime U.S. girls’s soccer legend — who’s been on the nationwide staff since ’06 — made the announcement Saturday at a presser, telling reporters this upcoming tourney could be her final as an expert … and that she’d be hanging up her cleats afterward.
Megan Rapinoe broadcasts that is her last World Cup, and will likely be her last season within the #nwsl #uswnt pic.twitter.com/NvCGzxkWIt
— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) July 8, 2023
@itsmeglinehan
She does say there will be extra to come back for her down the street — presumably that means she’ll nonetheless be concerned in soccer in some capability — however first, her focus is on snagging the gold.
Throughout her remarks … MR received a bit of choked up as she mirrored on her storied profession, thanking teammates, coaches, followers and everybody who’s supported her through the years. She additionally touched on the sport itself and commented on simply how far it is taken her in her life.
She additionally shouts out her accomplice, WNBA star Sue Chook, for giving her inspiration in coming to the choice — ICYMI, SB introduced her retirement from professional basketball simply final 12 months.
Megan’s ideas are touching … and it is an enormous second, seeing how she’s been on a number of U.S. Ladies’s Soccer groups, having performed with a number of the greats of the fashionable period. She’s performed with the likes of Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo and so many others … and is, by and huge, thought-about to be one of many last gamers of the outdated guard to nonetheless be on the pitch immediately. She’s additionally served as a captain on the staff for years now.
After all, her accolades are many. Megan’s helped the U.S. win the World Cup twice, and he or she’s additionally led the U.S. to a gold medal within the Olympics earlier than. MR’s received loads of awards, too, together with the Golden Boot and Golden Ball from FIFA for her standout performances.
It is the top of an period — however not earlier than one final go-around. The Ladies’s World Cup kicks off in New Zealand on July 20, and the U.S. has its opening match scheduled for July twenty first.