Megan Rapinoe

Megan Anna Rapinoe is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder and winger. She spent the majority of her career with Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League and with the United States national team. Recognized as one of the prominent figures in the sport, Rapinoe won the Ballon d'Or Féminin and was named The Best FIFA Women's Player in 2019. She earned gold at the 2012 London Olympics and won back-to-back FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, having previously finished as a runner-up in 2011. She also served as co-captain of the national team alongside Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan from 2018 to 2020.

Rapinoe was raised in Redding, California, by her parents, Jim and Denise, alongside five siblings, including her fraternal twin Rachael. She began playing soccer at three years old, inspired by her older brother Brian. While attending Foothill High School, she competed in track and basketball and played club soccer for Elk Grove Pride in the Women's Premier Soccer League. She received high school All-American selections from Parade and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, as well as a selection to the McDonald's All-American Girls High School Soccer West Team in 2004.

She attended the University of Portland on a full scholarship to play for the Portland Pilots. As a freshman, Rapinoe helped lead the Pilots to an undefeated season and the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship. Despite suffering two separate anterior cruciate ligament injuries during her college years, she returned for the 2008 season to earn West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors. Across 60 collegiate matches, she recorded 30 goals and 28 assists before entering the professional draft.

Rapinoe was chosen second overall in the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Draft by the Chicago Red Stars. She later played for the Philadelphia Independence, magicJack, Sydney FC, Seattle Sounders Women, and French club Lyon, where she appeared in the UEFA Women's Champions League. In June 2013, she joined Seattle Reign FC during its inaugural season. She remained with the club for a decade, earning NWSL Shields, multiple accolades, and a Reign Legend designation in 2019 before retiring from professional soccer after the 2023 season.

On the international stage, Rapinoe debuted for the senior national team in 2006. At the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, her cross to Abby Wambach against Brazil led to an equalizer that earned an ESPY Award for Best Play of the Year. During the 2012 Olympics, she contributed three goals and four assists toward a gold medal, becoming the first player to score directly from a corner at the Olympic Games. At the 2019 World Cup, she won both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards.

Rapinoe is an advocate for LGBTQIA+ organizations, including GLSEN and Athlete Ally, and received the Board of Directors Award from the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center in 2013. She was named to Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden in July 2022.