Less than three minutes into the US National Women's Soccer League Final, Megan Rapinoe fell to the ground with no other player near her. Several minutes later, after the medical staff had determined that there was no way that the 38-year-old could carry on, Rapinoe limped off the pitch with an apparent torn Achilles to a massive ovation from the crowd of 25,000 at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium.

To add insult to injury, Rapinoe's OL Reign lost Saturday's final 2-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC — meaning she leaves the game without having won an NWSL title.

Career climax in 2019

"You don't always get to have the perfect ending," Rapinoe said after the final whistle. "I've had so many perfect endings, even just thinking back to 2019, that was the most perfect whole script you could ever write personally and as a team, just what it meant. On balance, I don't think anything that negative about it."

That 2019 World Cup was one of a long list of highlights of Rapinoe's career, as she led the Americans to the title, scoring six goals, including a penalty in the final against the Netherlands.

That was Rapinoe's second World Cup title, the US having lifted the trophy in Canada in 2015. She also won Olympic goal in London in 2012 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

The 2019 World Cup, though, was where her star shone brightest, as she picked up the Golden Ball, the Golden Boot and was the Player of the Match in the final.

Social advocacy

However, as great as her career on the pitch was, Rapinoe will be remembered at least as much for her work off it, particularly her advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights, solidarity with NFL player Colin Kaepernick and famously confronting former US President Donald Trump.

"The off-field stuff is what is most meaningful (to me) and I think what I'm most proud of leaving this team and leaving the game," she said back in September when she was set to make her last appearance for the US national team. 

She finished her international career having scored 63 goals in 203 caps over more than 17 years.

"We've been a very special generation of players," Rapinoe concluded. "But I think it says a lot about us that everything we've accomplished on the field pales in comparison to what we've done off the field."

Edited by: James Thorogood