Megan Rapinoe made her senior debut for the United States women’s national team in 2006. A creative, fearless winger, she helped lead the USA to World Cup glory in 2015 and again in 2019, where she scored six goals, won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, and later claimed the Ballon d’Or Féminin. At club level, she starred in the NWSL, most notably with Seattle Reign, as well as having earlier spells in the United States and abroad.
But Rapinoe’s impact reaches far beyond the pitch. She publicly came out as gay in 2012 and has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, as well as gender equality, and equal pay in women’s sport.
She was one of the plaintiffs in the USWNT’s landmark equal pay lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation, alongside teammates including Alex Morgan. The historic $24 million settlement ensured equal pay for men’s and women’s national teams, a moment Rapinoe has called her greatest achievement “by a mile.”
In 2016, she knelt during the national anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, standing firmly against racial injustice. She has consistently defended LGBTQ+ rights, including trans inclusion in sport, challenging attempts to weaponise women’s football against marginalised communities.
In 2022, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden, recognising not only her sporting brilliance but her courage and advocacy.
Rapinoe retired in 2023 as one of the defining athletes of her generation. Her legacy isn’t just trophies and titles, it’s visibility, advocacy, and using football as a force for change.