Megan Rapinoe scored essential goals as the United States women’s national team won their way to a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and World Cup titles in Canada and France. She was named the winner of the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Ballon d’Or and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year award, all in 2019.
So why does it feel inescapable her greatest moment with the USWNT came in one of the few tournaments she played that didn’t end in triumph?
Her assist to Abby Wambach late in added time of the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal — an ideally placed cross Wambach was able to head into the goal to keep the U.S. alive “at the death”, as the English call it — was so dramatic it nearly is impossible to surpass. The USWNT later lost the final to Japan in a penalty shootout, but the perfection of her pass and the drama of the moment will remain, for many, what comes to mind when they think of Rapinoe’s career.
We could talk today, her final day with the USWNT, about her activism. Whether one views her as an advocate or antagonist, though, that’s not going to stop. She will continue to be an important voice. Today is about the end of her extraordinary playing career: 203 national team caps, 63 goals, 73 assists,…
