MEGAN RAPINOE suffered a devastating injury during her last-ever football match.
The US Women’s national team legend started for OL Reign in the NWSL Championship final on Saturday.
However, just three minutes into the match against Gotham FC she went to ground off the ball with an Achilles issue.
After receiving treatment from the medical team she limped off the pitch in tears to a standing ovation from both sets of fans.
Fans took to social media to react to the heartbreaking incident, with one person writing: “Worst way for a legend of the game to go out 😔.”
Another added: “Regardless of what you think of Rapinoe, it’s a shame to see a player of her stature, talent, and impact lose the chance to play to the final whistle.”
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While a third said: “I’m heartbroken to see her go off her final career game with an injury like this. She’s a true legend. Thank you, Pinoe.”
Gotham went on to win the match 2-1 thanks to goals from Lynn Williams and Esther Gonzalez.
Discussing her devastating injury at full-time, Rapinoe said: “It felt like just a huge pop. The worst possible outcome.
“I just thought, ‘Thank God I have like a f***ing deep well of sense of humour’.
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“But yeah, I mean, just obviously devastating to go out in the final so early.
“I wasn’t overly emotional about it. I mean, I just f***ing yeeted my Achilles in the sixth minute in my last game ever, in the literal championship final.”
Rapinoe is considered one of the USWNT’s greatest-ever players.
She scored 63 goals in 203 appearances for her national team and won the World Cup twice.
She also won the Ballon d’Or back in 2019.
The 38-year-old announced her plans to retire from football before the start of the Women’s World Cup in July.
She tweeted: “It is with a deep sense of peace & gratitude that I have decided this will be my final season playing this beautiful game.
“I never could have imagined the ways in which soccer would shape & change my life forever.”
Rapinoe played for seven different clubs throughout her professional career, including Chicago Red Stars, Seattle Sounders and Olympique Lyonnais.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
