Megan Rapinoe

Megan Anna Rapinoe (born July 5, 1985) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a winger.

She spent most of her career playing for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.

Rapinoe played for the under-14 Northern California state Olympic Development Program (ODP) team in 1999, as well as the regional ODP team in 2002.

From 2002 to 2005, Rapinoe played for Elk Grove Pride in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) along with her sister, Rachael, and future national teammate, Stephanie Cox.

She and her family commuted two-and-a-half hours from her hometown to play with the team.

She was named to McDonald's All-American Girls High School Soccer West Team in 2004.

Rapinoe played in the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in 2004, where the United States finished third.

The result was that she did not play college soccer in that year.

In 2005, as a freshman, Rapinoe helped the Pilots to an undefeated season and the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.

During the College Cup quarterfinal against Notre Dame, she scored twice and served one assist, helping the Pilots win 3–1 and advance in the College Cup.

During the College Cup final against UCLA, she scored one goal and served an assist helping the Pilots win 4–0.

Her precise cross to Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal match against Brazil resulted in an equalizer and eventual win for the Americans after a penalty shootout.

The last-minute goal received ESPN's 2011 ESPY Award for Best Play of the Year.

During the 2012 London Olympics, she scored three goals and tallied a team-high four assists to lead the United States to a gold medal.

She is the first player, male or female, to score a goal directly from a corner at the 2012 Olympic Games, having done so twice.

In 2013, she received the Board of Directors Award from the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.

Rapinoe co-captained the national team alongside Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan from 2018 to 2020.

She previously played for the Chicago Red Stars, Philadelphia Independence, and MagicJack in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), as well as Lyon Women in France's Division 1 Féminine.

Rapinoe is internationally known for her crafty style of play and her activism off the pitch.

During the US Youth Soccer National Championships, she scored an equalizer goal in the 18th minute to tie the game 1–1 against the Peachtree City Lazers.

Elk Grove United finished second at the nationals after the Lazers scored a game-winning goal in the second half.

Rapinoe and her sister attended the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon.

The Rapinoe twins almost committed to Santa Clara University before choosing to play for the Portland Pilots on full scholarships.

Winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin and named The Best FIFA Women's Player in 2019, Rapinoe won gold with the national team at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup and played at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the U.S. finished second.

She won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

Rapinoe is an advocate for numerous LGBTQIA+ organizations, including the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and Athlete Ally.

Rapinoe was included in Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

In July 2022, Rapinoe received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden.

Rapinoe grew up in Redding, California, with her parents, Jim and Denise, and five siblings, including her fraternal twin Rachael Rapinoe.

Denise and Jim raised seven children together, not all their own.

Denise has a son and daughter, Michael and Jenny, from a previous marriage; then came older brother Brian and then the twins five years later.

Jim and her grandfather Jack both served in the Army.

She has Italian (from her paternal grandfather) and Irish ancestry.

She idolized her older brother Brian and started playing soccer at age three after watching him play the sport, but he started using drugs when the girls were in second grade.

When she was ten and he was fifteen, he was put in juvenile detention, and was thereafter in and out of various prisons including Pelican Bay State Prison.

Brian has since made a determined effort to avoid drugs after seeing his younger sister's success in international soccer.

Rapinoe spent most of her youth playing with teams coached by her father until high school.

Instead of playing soccer at Foothill High School, Rapinoe played for the Elk Grove Pride club team, located south of Sacramento.

She competed in track as a freshman and sophomore; competed in basketball as a freshman, sophomore, and senior; and was on the honor roll every semester of high school.

Rapinoe was named Parade and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American as a junior and senior.