Megan Rapinoe’s final game of her football career ended in heartbreaking fashion | OneFootball

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·12 November 2023

Megan Rapinoe’s final game of her football career ended in heartbreaking fashion

Article image:Megan Rapinoe’s final game of her football career ended in heartbreaking fashion

Highlights

  • Megan Rapinoe's football career ended in devastating fashion as she suffered a non-contact injury in the NWSL Final, dashing her hopes of winning the title.
  • Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Rapinoe remains grateful for her long and successful career, expressing her luck and appreciation for playing alongside incredible players.
  • Rapinoe looks forward to retirement, promising to stay active off the field and continue making an impact in other ways.

Megan Rapinoe's incredible football career ended in the most heartbreaking fashion possible on Saturday evening. The 38-year-old has won almost everything there is to win in her football career, including two World Cup titles and an Olympic title with The United States.

But one trophy has continued to allude her: the National Women's Soccer League final. Rapinoe had one final chance to win that title as OL Reign and Gotham FC met in the final at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

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But disaster struck in just the third minute for Rapinoe as she fell to the ground in agony after suffering a non-contact injury. Medical staff rushed on to the pitch to treat Rapinoe but, after a few minutes of being on the ground, it was decided that she could not continue.

The 38-year-old was helped off the pitch and given a standing ovation as she made her way to the dressing room. To compound Rapinoe's misery, OL Reign were defeated 2-1 on the evening, with goals from Lynn Williams and Esther Gonzales giving Gotham FC the victory. Watch a video of her injury below...

VIDEO: Megan Rapinoe suffers injury after three minutes in final ever game

Megan Rapinoe looks back on her football career

Rapinoe, who put on a protective boot after suffering a suspected achilles injury, revealed she was 'devastated' in her post-match interview.

“It felt like just a huge pop,” Rapinoe told ESPN. “The worst possible outcome. I just thank god I have like a f****** deep well of sense of humour. But just obviously devastating to go out in the final so early.

Despite the heartbreaking end, she said she was 'lucky' and 'grateful' to have enjoyed such a long and successful career in the sport.

She added: “I mean, I don’t deserve this, I’ll tell you that much. I thought about that a little in the last two hours. This one feels different from missing the penalty [in the World Cup] but that’s life, it’s part of the game. I was feeling really good before the game, wasn’t feeling tight or wasn’t having calf issues or anything. You don’t always get to have the perfect ending. “I feel so lucky and so grateful to have played as long as I’ve played and to have played with the incredible players that I’ve played (with). Every sort of new cycle that I’ve come with, I’ve gotten close to certain players and built relationships and played with some of the very best players in the world. “I’m looking forward to retirement. I’m retiring on the field, but you’ll definitely be seeing a lot of me off of it.”

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