Megan Rapinoe

MEGAN RAPINOE

Megan Rapinoe with her Golden Boot (for the top tournament scorer) and Golden Ball (for the tournament’s best player, determined by a vote) after the 2019 Women’s World Cup final between the US and the Netherlands on July 7, 2019

THE STAR OF 2019

In the summer of 2019, the US women’s national soccer team won their second World Cup in a row. The team steamrolled most of their opponents in the tournament. Despite the US squad’s insistence that the most important ingredients in their victory were teamwork and solidarity, there is no question that the brightest star of the team, and of the tournament as a whole, was Megan Rapinoe. With her determination, cheerfulness, unique focus, and fighting spirit, both on and off the field, Rapinoe’s light shone brilliantly that summer. She would have stood out even if she hadn’t dyed her hair pink. Though there are many aspects of Megan Rapinoe’s career worth mentioning—not least her verbal sparring with the president of the United States—her achievement on the field matters the most.

THE REBIRTH OF WOMEN’S SOCCER

Women began playing soccer early on. Women’s soccer became very popular in Europe in the years before and after World War I. On Boxing Day, 1920, there were 50,000 spectators at a women’s soccer match in Liverpool, and some 10,000 to 15,000 more people were turned away from the stadium. In those days, women players were both admired and respected.

After this period, however, a calculated and consistent attempt was made to crush women’s soccer by characterizing the sport as not “feminine.” Women’s professional soccer began to fade from the public eye and lay dormant for many years, even though many women still played recreationally.

Women’s soccer finally gained popularity again in the 1960s, first in Europe and then in the United States. The first organized women’s soccer league in the United States was the Craig Club Girls Soccer League, which consisted of four teams in St. Louis, Missouri, playing 15-game seasons in 1950 and 1951. In 1972, the US Congress passed a law called Title IX

(later renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act) to improve gender equality across the country. For example, it made equality mandatory for public educational institutions, including collegiate athletics. Title IX spurred the development of many women’s sports, not least of them soccer. Soccer became popular with American women, although they still lacked professional opportunities. The US women’s national team was established in 1973, and played its first international game on August 18, 1985, losing 0–1 to Italy.

Still, it would not be long until the US national team counted among the world’s best. The team had great ambition, and powerful individual players soon emerged. The first FIFA Women’s World Cup was held in China in 1991. The US took a solid victory—not surprising given the strength of the lineup. April Heinrichs served as captain of the team, which was composed of many soon-to-be legends, such as Michelle Akers, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, and Carin Jennings, as well as rising stars Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Kristine Lilly.

That first World Cup victory failed to attract much attention, but this was not the case eight years later, when the US hosted the tournament. The magnificent US team lay waste to one opponent after another. They defeated two giants, Germany and Brazil, in the knockout stage, and then went on to beat China in a penalty shootout at the final, thereby taking a second world championship. This time the US women’s victory was widely covered in the media, and women’s soccer saw a significant rise in popularity nationwide as a result.

WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED

“ The ’99 Women’s World Cup came around at the perfect time for me. . . . And everything changed. . . . Nothing like this had existed. All of a sudden, there was a World Cup for women. . . . And people were going crazy, painting their faces and wrapping themselves in the flag. It was just this wave that nobody saw coming. . . . I think you probably had thousands of girls in the stadium that day who went home and grabbed a ball. . . . It was finally possible to dream that big.”—Megan Rapinoe

THE NATIONAL TEAM COMES KNOCKING!

Megan Rapinoe gained attention as soon as she began playing with the Pilots, the University of Portland’s soccer team. She was not quite a wunderkind but grew decidedly more confident over time, both at scoring and at setting up goals. Rapinoe eventually drew the interest of the USWNT, and made her international debut at age twenty-one, in a friendly game against Ireland on July 23, 2006. She scored her first two international goals on October 1, 2006, against Taiwan. However, Rapinoe’s forward march was impeded by injuries, which prevented her from participating in both the 2007 World Cup and

MEGAN’S SKILLS

the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Her first major tournament was the 2011 World Cup in Germany. By then Rapinoe had become part of the backbone of a young and highly talented squad, poised for the World Cup crown. At one point, Rapinoe scored a goal against Colombia and then ran to the corner flag and sang a few lines from the Bruce Springsteen song “Born in the USA,” in honor of her brother Brian. She also made three assists. To the surprise of many, the US was defeated in the final by a tough Japanese team, and a major tournament trophy would have to wait—but not for long!

Megan Rapinoe is one of the world’s greatest soccer players. On the one hand she has incredible precision and cunning, in terms of both shooting and passing, and on the other she possesses a brilliant and unique ability to read the game. She usually plays left wing, breaking free and either dashing into the opponents’ penalty box or delivering razor-sharp passes to her team’s strikers. Rapinoe’s many talents are on display whether she finds herself on the left or right wing or in any other position, and she often thunders midfield to burst open the defense or direct the flow of play to the flanks.

Rapinoe is a remarkably crafty and artful player, a soccer brainiac brimming with passion and finesse. Speed has never been her strong suit— particularly now that she is over thirty—but she is still agile enough to shake off defenders and take the shot.

It is also worth mentioning just how graceful and entertaining Rapinoe is to watch on the field. Her fans are never disappointed with her performances, and her teammates can always count on her to set up the perfect shot and make a calculated pass, all while wearing an encouraging smile.

Penn State player Lindsay Bach jerks Portland's Megan Rapinoe away from the ball during the 2005 NCAA Women's College Cup semifinal game on December 2, 2005, at Texas A&M’s Ellis Field, College Station, Texas.

COMING OUT

It took Megan Rapinoe many years to realize she was gay. But when the realization finally sank in, she was entirely content with the fact. It helped that her sister Rachael also came out to her. In July 2012, before the US national team headed for the Olympics in London, Rapinoe was interviewed by Out magazine and openly announced her orientation. She said that she had not really been hiding anything; it was just that no one had

ever asked her about it directly. “I think they were trying to be respectful and that it’s my job to say, ‘I’m gay.’ Which I am. For the record: I am gay,” Rapinoe shared. Rapinoe’s openness was hugely important during a time when few athletes would publicly offer such information. The struggle for LGBTQ rights has figured heavily in Rapinoe’s public persona ever since, and she proudly continues to fight for recognition and respect.

LUCKY

In August 2016, the Bleacher Report published an essay by Rapinoe called “Dear Megan,” in which she gave life advice to her thirteen-year-old self. Some of the advice was about how to accept herself as a gay woman, and some of it could apply to anyone:

“I’ve been lucky enough to experience extraordinary successes. Never forget to be humble about these moments. You are no better than anyone. You do not deserve it more. Be appreciative. . . . When you are presented with opportunities to do amazing things and meet amazing people, embrace them. . . . Life will throw you some curveballs. . . . Be honest about how you approach failure. Don’t just be critical. . . . Approach it honestly . . . and assess the areas where you have fallen short. Correct them and move on.”

Rapinoe is honored at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s 41st Anniversary Gala Vanguard Awards at Westin

Hotel on November 10, 2012.

WINNING MENTALITY

The 2015 World Cup victory gained nationwide attention in the US, and it was now clear to everyone that a new generation of soccer players had emerged who were fully on par with the stars from 1991 and 1999. After all of the team’s hard work during the World Cup, they happily returned home to much praise and celebration. Given that professional women’s soccer is less developed in the US than in other parts of the world, it was all the more impressive that the country had built such a dominant national team. Yet the fighting spirit and passion of the USWNT, along with their unwavering confidence and skills, had catapulted them to the highest summit, and they fully intended to stay on the top for a long time! Former president Barack Obama is one of many who fell for the team.

THE 2019 WORLD CUP

A RECORD IN THE FIRST GAME

The US team’s first game was against Thailand, which also marked the World Cup debut of the Thai national team. Unfortunately for the Thai players, the game turned out to be a 13−0 thrashing. No other team has managed such a feat in World Cup history, either in the men’s or the women’s tournament. The US squad dominated the game so completely that they drew criticism for not doing what they could to downplay the humiliation of their opponent, given the uneven odds. Some said the US team took

excessive pleasure in their goals and celebrated too loudly, even long after the outcome had become clear. Others said that the US team had in fact showed their opponents respect by playing against them full force from start to finish. The Thai team stood tall despite the crushing defeat and said they had no complaints. Alex Morgan excelled in the game and scored five goals. Megan Rapinoe scored in a counterattack after a slick cross from Mallory Pugh, who made three assists during the game.

2019 WORLD CUP GROUP GAME 1

STADE AUGUSTE-DELAUNE, REIMS, FRANCE JUNE 11, 2019

USA – THAILAND

13–0

MORGAN 12, LAVELLE 20, HORAN 32, MEWIS 50, MORGAN 53, MEWIS 54, LAVELLE 56, MORGAN 74, RAPINOE 79, MORGAN 81, PUGH 85, MORGAN 87, LLOYD 92+

NAEHER

O’HARA - DAHLKEMPER - ERTZ (PUGH 69) - DUNN

LAVELLE (PRESS 57) - MEWIS - HORAN HEATH (LLOYD 57) - MORGAN - RAPINOE

US players take a moment to revel in scoring during the 2019 Women’s World Cup Group F match between the US and Thailand.

THE

FINAL GOAL

Rapinoe scores the first goal with a penalty kick during the 2019 Women's World Cup final against the Netherlands.

2019 WORLD CUP FINAL

PARC OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS, LYON, FRANCE

JULY 7, 2019

USA – NETHERLANDS

2–0

RAPINOE (PENALTY) 61

LAVELLE 69

NAEHER

O’HARA (KRIEGER 46) - DAHLKEMPER - SAUERBRUNN - DUNN

MEWIS - ERTZ - LAVELLE

HEATH (LLLOYD 87) - MORGAN - RAPINOE (PRESS 79)

WINNING RECORD

Team USA now holds the record for consecutive wins in Women’s World Cup matches with 12, and for matches unbeaten with 17.

In the end, the US team managed a relatively confident victory over a challenging opponent, defeating the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup final. The teams played to a roaring crowd of 57,900, among them King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and French President Emanuel Macron. The US president was nowhere to be seen, but a vast number of Americans did show up to loudly cheer on their beloved team. The US drove hard early on, but the Dutch put up a strong fight and had a number of scoring chances. The deadlock was finally broken when a defender fouled Alex Morgan in the Dutch

penalty area. Megan Rapinoe stepped up for the penalty kick and netted the ball for her sixth goal of the tournament. When the promising young player Rose Lavelle leaped forward, ran the field solo, and scored only eight minutes later, Team USA felt sure that they would bag the win once again. The Dutch kept fighting, but a third American goal seemed more likely. When Rapinoe was taken out shortly before the game ended, the US crowd went wild: only moments away from the US’s fourth World Cup title, they acknowledged Rapinoe’s pivotal role in the achievement.

THE BEST

WINNERS OF THE BEST FIFA WOMEN’S PLAYER AWARD

2001 MIA HAMM, USA

2002 MIA HAMM, USA

2003 BIRGIT PRINZ, GERMANY

2004 BIRGIT PRINZ, GERMANY

2005 BIRGIT PRINZ, GERMANY

2006 MARTA, BRAZIL

2007 MARTA, BRAZIL

2008 MARTA, BRAZIL

2009 MARTA, BRAZIL

2010 MARTA, BRAZIL

2011 HOMARE SAWA, JAPAN

2012 ABBY WAMBACH, USA

2013 NADINE ANGERER, GERMANY

2014 NADINE KESSLER, GERMANY

2015 CARLI LLOYD, USA

2016 CARLI LLOYD, USA

2017 LIEKE MARTENS, NETHERLANDS

2018 MARTA, BRAZIL

2019 MEGAN RAPINOE, USA

In her acceptance speech, Rapinoe thanked her partner, family, and friends back home in Redding, but also emphasized the solidarity of the American national team and the fighting spirit and unity that soccer can inspire:

“We have such an incredible opportunity, being professional players. We have so much success, financial and otherwise, we have incredible plat-

forms. I ask everyone here . . . lend your platform to other people, lift other people up, share your success. We have a unique opportunity in football, different from any other sport in the world, to use this beautiful game to actually change the world for the better. . . . I hope you take that to heart and just do something, do anything; we have incredible power in this room.”

MEGAN RAPINOE, CELEBRITY

Thanks to her amazing soccer career and outspoken personality, Megan Rapinoe is all over the media, from magazine covers to late-night TV shows. She has more than two million follow-

ers on Instagram and almost a million followers on Twitter. She is even writing two books of her own, which will be published in fall 2020—one for adults and one for kids.

Other books in the World Soccer Legends series

Alex Morgan, 2nd Edition

ISBN 978-0-7892-1365-5

Stars of Women’s Soccer, 2nd Edition

ISBN 978-0-7892-1305-1

Before They Were Stars · ISBN 978-0-7892-1327-3

Stars of World Soccer, 2nd Edition

ISBN 978-0-7892-1316-7

Stars of All Time · ISBN 978-0-7892-1295-5

The World’s Greatest Clubs

ISBN 978-0-7892-1353-2

Messi, 2nd Edition · ISBN 978-0-7892-1225-2

Neymar · ISBN 978-0-7892-1227-6

WORLD SOCCER LEGENDS

Everything you need to know about the best players and the most exciting clubs on the planet

MEGAN RAPINOE

Learn all about Megan Rapinoe—how she grew up playing soccer with her twin sister, how she won the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and how she became an inspiring social activist and media superstar!

James Rodríguez · ISBN 978-0-7892-1237-5

Abbeville Press

655 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10017

1-800-A rtbook (in U.S. only)

Available wherever fine books are sold

Visit us at www.abbeville.com