United States striker Megan Rapinoe announced, on Saturday, her retirement from professional football at the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s Soccer League season.
The 11-year veteran and US Women’s National Team will play her last regular season game at Lumen Field in Seattle on Oct. 6 against the Washington Spirit.
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Rapinoe, 38, is set to compete with the two-time defending USWNT champion at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which runs from July 20 to August 20 in New Zealand and Australia.
Rapinoe also confirmed on Saturday that this will be her World Cup Final.
Rapinoe said in an interview with Team Statement to US Soccer.
“I am incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have played, to be as successful as we have been, and to be part of a generation of players who left the game undeniably better than they found it. Playing one last World Cup and another NFL season and getting out on my own terms is unbelievable.” Believe “.
Rapinoe joined the OL Reign during the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013 and holds the club records for goals (48) and assists (25) in 109 games.
She won three NWSL Shields with the Reign and was named Best XI and two Second XI selections. She is also the league’s all-time leader in penalty goals scored with 13.
Internationally, Rapinoe has 199 caps and a 2012 Olympic gold medal along with World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019. In 2019, she was named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year and won the Women’s Ballon d’Or.
Rapinoe has 63 goals and 73 assists with the USWNT while posting a record of 157-14-28.
“I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years,” Rapinoe added. “Thank you to all my teammates and coaches all the way back to my early days at Redding, to college at the University of Portland and of course thanks to the US Soccer team, the Seattle Reign and especially Sue [Bird]For everything.
“I will forever cherish the friendships and support over the years in this game, and I am so excited to get to ride one last time with the National Team and the Reign.”
Information from Reuters is included in this report.
