Retiring star Megan Rapinoe was honored by club team OL Reign on Friday night in front of a National Women’s Soccer League-record crowd of 34,130 fans, many of whom wore pink wigs in her honor.
With her family and fiancée Sue Bird looking on, Rapinoe started for the Reign in a scoreless draw against the Washington Spirit. Lumen Field’s public address system played “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone” when she took to the field with her teammates.
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“I do know my impact but it’s one thing to know it, and another thing to really feel it and see it,” Rapinoe said. “To see some of the signs and the pink wigs and see what that means to people.
“It’s hard to put just this deep sense of gratitude and joy and thankfulness for being able to have a moment like this into words.”
Rapinoe had already played her final match with the United States women’s national team last month in Chicago, but Friday marked her final regular-season home game for the Reign.
“I don’t ever think we took it for granted our 11 years here one bit. I think that’s how Pinoe lives, she lives with this joy, she lives for those moments, and she really pushes us to also do that,” teammate Lauren Barnes said. “I think it’s undeniable the positive impact she’s had.”
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