The retirement comes after Rapinoe played through 199 international matches since 2013, securing an Olympic Gold Medal with the U.S. national women's soccer team at the 2012 Olympics in London and two World Cup championships.
From UPI:
Rapinoe thanked her teammates and her finance, former WNBA basketball player Sue Bird.
"I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years," she said in a statement issued by U.S. Soccer.
"Thanks to all my teammates and coaches all the way back to my first days in Redding (Calif.), on to college at the University of Portland and of course thanks to U.S. 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 am beyond excited for one last ride with the National Team and the Reign."
Rapinoe has appeared in 199 international matches and won about 86% of them. This year, she will participate in her fourth Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
"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 Rapinoe the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
IN 2016, she became the first prominent white athlete to kneel for the U.S. National Anthem in solidarity with NFL player Colin Kaepernick's anti-racism protest.
Well, it seems that Rapinoe is done showering herself in glory on the soccer field, but I'm sure this isn't the last we'll see of her.
Freeing up time on the field will surely give her even more opportunities to promote her social beliefs, much like Colin Kaepernick.
