SAN JOSE, Calif. — But first, an announcement: Megan Rapinoe will retire after this NWSL season and this, her fourth World Cup. She announced it upon arrival Saturday morning at the news conference previewing the USWNT World Cup send-off match set for Sunday here against Wales.
The 38-year-old star mainstay entered the news conference, sat down next to Coach Vlatko Andonovski and began the proceedings with “a really deep sense of peace and gratitude and excitement” in giving the news. She stated it now, she said, partly so it would be out of the way before the USWNT travels to New Zealand on Monday to begin trying to win a third straight World Cup title.