Megan Rapinoe, a unique soccer player on and off the field, hung up her soccer cleats this Saturday. In San Diego, at the age of 38, he made it to the final of the American league, the NWSL, defending the colors of his team, OL Reign from Seattle, against Gotham FC from New Jersey. His career was full of glory, but in the end fate played a few tricks on him. In his last official game with the national team, he missed the decisive penalty that eliminated the United States from the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In his last club game this Saturday, he foolishly injured himself two minutes into the game and was unable to continue playing. In the end, his team lost 2-1 to Gotham, coached by Spaniard Juan Carlos Amorós and with Spaniards Maitane López and Esther González in their ranks.
After her injury, Rapinoe laughed nervously on the grass. He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. The match had just begun. He had already played an outside pass that almost resulted in a goal. But in the 2.25. In the minute, when Gotham received the ball from behind, Rapinoe slipped while pressing and injured himself. The legendary player remained lying down as the assists poured in, but she held her hand to her ankle, aware that she couldn’t continue. The audience at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego saw them off with a standing ovation, but also some disappointment.
The American star watched the final from the bench. From there he saw Lynn Williams score on the right in the 24th minute after a great run from Margaret Purce to give Gotham the lead. Rosa Lavelle equalized for OL Reign five minutes later in a quick attack, taking advantage of the gap left by the opposing centre-backs. In injury time of the first half, Esther González scored the decisive goal with a header from the center of the penalty area from a corner taken by Purce. Veronica Latsko missed a one-on-one in the 60th minute that would have tied the game after another Gotham defensive collapse. A save from goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn saved her team.
Latsko had another chance in stoppage time in a controversial move within the time limit to almost land in an empty goal. Goalkeeper McGlynn touched the ball with her hand outside the penalty area, Latsko shot and the ball went wide. After the VAR review of the move, the goalkeeper was sent off and OL Reign committed a foul on the edge of the penalty area that left a Gotham field player lying under the sticks.
Spain’s Esther González celebrates the winning goal in the NWSL final. Ray Acevedo (USA TODAY Sports via Portal Con)
The championship title is a success for the Spaniard Juan Carlos Amorós, who was named the best coach of the year in the NWSL a few days ago. Amorós began his career as a women’s soccer coach at English club Tottenham Hotspur and passed through Betis in the 2021-2022 season before embarking on his American adventure. After leading the Houston Dash to their first playoff appearance as interim coach last year, Amorós signed a three-year contract with Gotham FC in November 2022. He came to a team that had finished last in the NWSL last year with 17 losses in 22 games and made them champions.
At the same time as Rapinoe, Gotham said goodbye to another player who defined an era in American women’s soccer, center Ali Krieger, 39, with a great track record in the national team and in the clubs she played for, but at the that he also had to win the NWSL.
Proud and smiling
At the press conference the day before, Rapinoe had indicated that she could leave her career smiling and proud. “I always tried to play properly, I always tried to enjoy it. At the end of the day, I think we’re in the entertainment business, and especially in a growing sport and a growing league, I think that’s very important,” he said. “I have always tried to improve things and I leave very proud and happy, not only for my contribution to the sport but also for the time I played. “I know that football is doing better and that is a credit to all the players who were part of this generation and played in this league, some of us also in the national team,” she added. “This year the league has been crazy, a lot of fun to watch and be a part of with all the stories, so I feel like I can go home smiling no matter what and very proud of mine entire career.”
The player, who was born in Redding, California, has a shorter track record in her club career than with the national team. In 2013 he won the French championship and cup with Olympique Lyonnais, but failed to win the Champions League. In Seattle, where it has played for 10 years, the team was first in the regular league three times, but the first two times it lost the title in the finals in 2014 and 2015 against FC Kansas City and the third time it even lost the title in the semifinals. This Saturday was the last chance to become NWSL champion.
With the American team, meanwhile, she won gold at the 2012 Olympics, became runner-up in 2011 (after losing the final on penalties) and won the 2015 and 2019 World Championships. At the latter she was the top scorer. She was the best player of the entire tournament and played in three games, including the final. Rapinoe then became the global image of her sport, particularly through the iconic image of her celebrating a goal in the final with her arms outstretched and purple hair. She was voted FIFA’s best player of 2019 and received the Ballon d’Or. She became the first footballer in history to receive both awards.
Footprint outside the field
Beyond her successes on the field, Rapinoe’s rebelliousness and personal commitment make her even greater mark, setting her apart from other brilliant players of her generation. She was a tireless activist for minorities and for equality and recognition of women’s football. In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor. She had previously argued with her predecessor Donald Trump.
US President Joe Biden awards Megan Rapinoe the Presidential Medal of Freedom.SAUL LOEB (AFP)
She was one of 28 players who sued the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) in a Los Angeles court in 2019 for discrimination and demanding equal pay to the men’s team. Because of this demand, the American federation announced in May 2022 separate agreements with the associations of soccer players of both sexes so that the men’s and women’s teams would earn the same amount.
He gained national attention for kneeling during the national anthem at an international game in September 2016 in solidarity with NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who initiated the gesture as a protest against racism and discrimination.
Rapinoe was also an activist and defender of LGBT rights. In 2012, weeks before the London Olympics, Rapinoe publicly announced that she was a lesbian in an interview for Out magazine. In it she stated that she had been in a relationship with Australian soccer player Sarah Walsh since 2009. After nearly five years together, they married and called off their relationship in 2013. Then Rapinoe and artist Sera Cahoone announced their wedding in August 2015, but ultimately called off their engagement. He then began a new relationship with basketball player Sue Bird, a five-time Olympic champion on the US basketball team, who was sitting in a box in San Diego this Saturday.
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