The story originally appeared in Glamour.
Women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe is set to retire from the National Women's Soccer League.
The 38-year-old athlete announced the news on July 8, revealing that her retirement will follow her fourth Women's World Cup, which kicks off on July 20. Before stepping back from the field, Rapinoe is going for her third World Cup win, having helped take the team to victory in 2015 and 2019, as well as winning an Olympic gold medal in 2012. Now, she's hoping for one last big win in Australia and New Zealand.
“I’m just really grateful to be able to do it in this way," Rapinoe said ahead of a pre-Cup match against Wales. “I understand that it is incredibly rare for athletes of any stature to be able to go out in their own way, on their own terms, at the time that they want, in a way that feels really peaceful and settled for them."
She continued, "So just wanted to do it now and honestly kind of get it out of the way before we go down to New Zealand so we can focus on the task at hand, which is winning another World Cup.”
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Off the field, Megan Rapinoe has been an integral figure in the U.S. Women's National Team's fight for equal pay and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden in 2022.
“I’ve been able to have such an incredible career, and this game has brought me all over the world and allowed me to meet so many amazing people,” Rapinoe also said in an official statement. “I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to be as successful as we’ve been, and to have been a part of a generation of players who undoubtedly left the game better than they found it. To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.
She continued, “I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years. Thanks to all my teammates and coaches all the way back to my first days in Redding, 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.”
Last year, Rapinoe told NPR she was “looking forward” to spending more time with her fiancée, WNBA player Sue Bird. "I think we're both looking forward to, like, that freedom of, yeah, maybe we like do weekend trips," she said in May 2022. “I honestly want to take, like, a year and just figure it out and not do too much.”
Of course, when one door closes, another one opens. On July 5, Simone Biles confirmed her own return to gymnastics following a two-year hiatus. Biles will be competing in the U.S. Classic in early August, marking her first event since the Tokyo Olympics, which took place in the summer of 2021.
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“Sorry, I've been a little MIA since the announcement,” she tweeted on July 5. “I'm overwhelmed with all your messages, support & love! Excited to get back out on the competition floor.”
One thing is certain: This will be a big summer for the GOATs.
