Megan Rapinoe INTERVIEW! Seattle Reign jersey retirement, life after football & more! | ESPN FC

well the woman the myth the legend that is Megan rapino wrote her name further into history tonight as she became the first ever player to have their jersey retired at the Seattle Reign and it was truly fitting for a woman who is just an absolute icon both on and off the football pitch and like I said she made history tonight and she didn't even have to take the pitch there but of course she's felt the love at the Seattle rain where she spent over a decade with them starting with them way back in 2013 emotional night for someone who has done so much for the game and so much just for women and the sport off of it there you see some of her accomplishments and it's something that we can wax lyrical about and to all of us she is an absolute icon someone that we just absolutely love to be in her presence but to Ali creger she's just one of her besties Megan rapino one of my best friends thank you for joining us tonight on football w I am so happy that you're here congratulations what an incredible night first and foremost though Alexis and iron studio and we've been checking out the fit you look beautiful as always where did you get those pants you know I picked these up when I was in Paris do Street Market is Elite over there and the shirt too and I just really had to get all involved and and pop out in my best for Seattle today well you look amazing and what an incredible night and moment for you in front of the supporters your city um your teammates uh your friends and most importantly your family what does tonight mean to you in this moment as you look back on your Club career playing for the rain I mean I said it uh a little bit in my speech I know like my number is going up and um that will be you know something that the fans can look at and think about me but when I look at that number I'll see them I'll see the you know the years the decade plus that I played here I'll see the wins the losses I'll see all the advocacy work that they did right alongside us and all of the pride flags and the Equal Pay chance and um I'll see little kids with pink and purple hair and I'll see like fans crazed just the way that we were so to me it's like so special to be able to share this with everyone obviously to be honored in this way I don't even have words for that I mean I I'm just like a little too overwhelmed in that way to even like totally fully let that um honor sink in but for me I think to have the opportunity to thank them back for all of these incredible years was just really special and again to have my family here and so many people who I love so much um it just means the world and like you mentioned it's been you know incredible years and you've played you know your NW Club career the entire time for the rain and that's almost unheard of not many players get the opportunity to do that and you've been performing this well at the stage for so long um but what will you miss most playing for the City and for the rain I already know I miss it every day and it's showing up to the locker room um getting a coffee and like a weird bagel with hares and Jess and Lou and all the other players and just banter and talking my is and having so much fun and battling and being in it like we you know some years we were great some years we were not great sometimes we won sometimes we didn't but being able to show up every day and knowing that you're in it like that with other people and uh knowing you're all kind of fighting for the same goal that was amazing and then obviously you know to score bangers I miss scoring bangers always like oh do you missed the game and do you want to come out of retirement I'm like if I can come out of my Prime and like play in the gold medal match yes I'm ready you're like one game one game and I'll be back I'll be back just to score the goals um so I know that obviously transitioning uh you know into life after sport you know it's sometimes difficult for all of us because it's just new and you know other passions that you want to achieve and and go for so what is the most surprising aspect of this transition of life after sport for you and uh what have you basically you know I guess what's been surprising um to you along you know along this foot football Journey that you've chosen um I don't know if it's surprising to me but just how physically done I was I was so tired at the end obviously I had a a terrible um injury I still feel like maybe we shared um the chip but it's fine weze the ring I can have a little piece um but I think just how much I've been able to like stay involved in the game just as a fan and like how ready I was to be on the other side of things um and then how much like I love doing what I'm doing obvious soon when I just started a podcast and touch more um and we're really excited about that we're still like figuring out how to do it we're very green and very new we're accepting feedback um what do but I feel like just like how ready I was and how excited I am to be in this next phase of life even though it's weird and it's hard and it's you know really a challenge um you know kind of transitioning into a just a totally different way of life that doesn't have soccer at the center of it um it's also really fun and enjoyable and something that I'm really loving so I know um you've obviously had a tremendous impact on the global game and I was lucky enough to watch it unfold in real time um your visibility your popularity your advocacy for equality uh for social justice and activism um has been incredible to to watch and and what are you most proud of of the impact that um you've had in your career on that side of the game I think I'm most proud that the game is in just such a better place and I think that you should be able to say the same and you know Becky and Kelly and Tobin and press and Alex and so many people har that we played with for all of these years like we really were doing two things at once we were trying to be the best that we could and win championships and be elite and successful and we also were trying to do that off the field and I look at you know the national team now or where the league is they just signed an incredible new CBA and a new media deal last year and just a place that women's sports is I feel like we had a really big impact on that and I just look at the next like 10 years in the nwsl and think wow how incredible that's going to be and then I think also you know seeing how many out players there are and seeing you know trans flags flying in the stands and seeing black lives matter flags flying in the stands and you know not just players expressing what they believe and who they are but fans as well and we've created I think a really beautiful inclusive you know really Progressive place for not just the players to play but for the fans to show up and be exactly who they are as well and I feel like undoubtedly we've just been a part of making the game a a better place to play and to be a fan and to be a part of and I'm really proud of that and I think so many players from our generation should be very proud of that you as well yeah thank you and I I've always been inspired by you in that way and like I know you encouraged me over the years to continue to do that you know fight for for what's good and um and fight for what's right and so thank you for you know always pushing us to to be better in that way but you know what drives you to to continue to fight for what's right I mean for me I just feel like I obviously was born with this gift in this Talent of of playing soccer that that you know of course I worked hard throughout the years but like yeah I was born with an incredible Talent so it's like what are you going to do with that yes I want to win and I want to win championships I want to be the best player I can but I feel like I was part of a generation that took a lot of pride in making the game a better place than when we found it and leaving the game in a better place and like when we put our mind to something as women as athletes like we're generally successful and I feel like you look back at this period of time just in women's sports not just in soccer but in in basketball and hockey and tennis and you know everything and like look at what we've done like look at the growth that we've had whether it's in the media deals of the business or um you know players being able to come out and just be who they are and and play the game that they love I feel like for me you only get this short amount of time on Earth and if my only purpose is like being a good soccer player like I don't think that is enough for me so I want to maximize my time here and and use every you know little bit of gift and talent and skill and hard work that I have to try to make the world a little bit better of a place I know that's a little bit cliche but I feel like that's kind of been the Mantra all along for me and a lot of people that I've played with and I feel like it's been a successful Playbook so I'm GNA continue with that I agree and I think if you take care of your little puzzle piece in the world and all the other puzzle pieces will come together eventually and we'll all be on the same page but um and that that's also such a beautiful platform you can use now with the touch more too to also encourage others to want to continue to do the same um but most importantly in the last question because I want to be mindful your time the game is going to continue um but what's your favorite memory you share with me playing football together over the years cuz I know there's a lot so you're GNA have to sift through it all but yeah 99% of them are are totally unable to be uh put out on National Television wi and dinner nights nothing that has to do with football yeah that's those are those are like for the documentary um you know to be honest I think my two moments um the 2011 World Cup you're winning um penalty kick against Brazil which was still the most like insane game I've ever played in and that whole thing was just so wild but when you subbed in at halftime of the 2019 World Cup um I mean I was in those trenches with you for those number of years that you were inexplicably left off the team and um wrongfully in my opinion and I you know we had so many night but I was just like I just don't think you're done I really don't I understand why you would think that because you're not getting called in but I was like I just felt like there's just no way your talent's going to be undeniable and in the moment where we like needed you the most literally in the final of the World Cup there you were being exactly who you are and I think not not just for me to be able to witness that but I think just knowing you and knowing what went into that and being able to be on the same field as your friend as someone who I'm G to you know love you forever and um be your friend forever I thought that for you that was just an unbelievably special moment and not everybody gets moments like that and I feel like it was just so deserved and uh yeah you boded it and he loved it okay well tonight's not about me all right so it's back to you and um I just wanted to say pen like you know I love you so much you're one of my best friends and I value our friendship and that's probably one of the most important things that I've gained you know over the years uh playing alongside you as your teammate and just supporting you um so I'm so glad football brought us together I'm I'm glad we're damn good footballers so that we could participate on the same team but beyond you know your like your contributions extend far beyond the playing field um and and your achievements and so you've played such a crucial role in advancing uh the visibility equality and social relevance of women Sports leaving a lasting Legacy for so many generations and so you absolutely deserve this achievement I'm so proud of you as one of your friends and former teammates um and you're stuck with me so I wish I could be there tonight drinking Abol Spritz for me and yeah um congratulations again I appreciate you so much and I love you so much [Music]