Megan Monday: The Athlete

Each Monday leading up to the retirement of Reign legend Megan Rapinoe, the club will be celebrating one element of her illustrious career. Up first is The Athlete. 

There is no denying that Rapinoe’s career has been anything short of spectacular. From being a consistent leader for the Reign to the United States Women’s National Team, she ranks among the top players to ever play the beautiful game. 

NWSL Career 

Her NWSL career, which has spanned over a decade, began when she was allocated to the Reign in 2013. After joining the team part way through the season, she became a mainstay in the lineup, appearing in 12 games and making 11 starts in the first-ever NWSL season. In that short time, she finished with five goals, one assist and 65 shots, giving the entire league a glimpse at what she would bring for a decade to come. 2013 marked the first of a record-breaking number of selections to the NWSL Second XI. 

Her dominance on the field carried into the Reign’s historic 2014 and 2015 seasons. Rapinoe’s combined nine goals and six assists in the regular season helped the Reign to earn back-to-back NWSL Shields after not making the playoffs in the 2013 season. The attacker also contributed three goals and one assist across the Reign’s playoff runs in 2014 and 2015, once again earning NWSL Second XI honors. 

After making five appearances and adding one goal and assist in 2016, Rapinoe set a career record for appearances in 2017 (18). She scored 12 goals and earned an assist, coming in third in the NWSL golden boot race and earning another NWSL Second XI honor. 

In 2018, Rapinoe led the team to another appearance in the NWSL playoffs. She earned her first-ever NWSL Best XI selection and led the team in shots. Her seven goals and six assists matched her goal contributions from the previous season, emphasizing her longevity as a difference maker for the Reign. The following season, Rapinoe spent a lot of time away at the World Cup with the United States, but still made five appearances for the Reign and was named to the NWSL Second XI. 

Across 11 regular season appearances and one playoff appearance in 2021, the forward recorded the third-most goals on the team, including two braces in the month of August. Ever the leader, she came up big as the team made a push for the playoffs. In 2022, Rapinoe helped the club to secure its third-ever NWSL Shield. 

She set a club record in consecutive games with either a goal or an assist when she recorded six goals and four assists in seven consecutive games and earned back-to-back Best XI of the Month selections. She was tied as OL Reign’s leading goal scorer, contributing seven goals and four assists throughout the season. 

Thanks to her long and impressive career, she currently holds the club record for most career goals scored and assists and ranks fourth all-time in regular season appearances for the Reign. With one of the most impressive NWSL resumes in history, Rapinoe has three NWSL Shields – all with the Reign, one NWSL Best XI selection and five NWSL Second XI selections, ranking third in combined selections. 

She has also earned NWSL Player of the Month four times, tied for the most in league history, and has been named to the NWSL Best XI of the Month eight times. She is the all-time league leader in penalty kick goals and is the sixth-most prolific NWSL player in all-time goals and assists. 

USWNT Career 

Just like her NWSL career, her USWNT career is unrivaled in greatness. She’s well known for her leadership and creativity on the field since her debut in July of 2006. In her career, she has played for five different USWNT head coaches and scored multiple goals under each coach. 

She boasts an impressive 202 caps and 63 international goals. The forward ranks third all-time in assists for the USWNT and is one of only seven players in USWNT history with 50+ career goals and 50+ career assists. She is also one of just 18 USWNT players to play more than 11,000 minutes in a U.S. uniform. 

Rapinoe has enjoyed several iconic moments with the national team, from cheeky goal celebrations to stunning game-winners. Some of her most well-known feats include her Olimpicos in the Olympics, her 2011 quarterfinal assist in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup and Golden Ball performance in 2019. 

2019 was a year of great success for Rapinoe, as she collected numerous prestigious awards including The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year, the France Football Ballon d'Or, the 2019 Golden Ball as the best player in the World Cup and the Golden Boot as the top scorer with six goals.  

Through her memorable career for the Stars and Stripes, Rapinoe played in four Women’s World Cups, representing the USA in 2011 in Germany, 2015 in Canada, 2019 in France and 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. She won two World Cup titles with the team. She also participated in the 2012, 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games, where she won a gold medal and bronze medal. 

There are few players in the world as accomplished as Megan Rapinoe. Join us in celebrating her illustrious career at our Forever Reign: A Celebration of Megan Rapinoe Match on October 6. Tickets are available HERE.