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Megan Rapinoe admitted to being overwhelmed by the reception she received during her final match for the USWNT against South Africa in an international friendly on September 24.
Rapinoe's side completed a 2-0 victory against their opponents on the night. The 38-year-old attacker started the fixture for her nation but failed to get on the scoresheet.
After being substituted off in the 54th minute, she said (via BBC Sport):
"So overwhelming. It has been amazing. It has been really wonderful, to hear all the nice things, to have a closure moment, to play in front of a big crowd again. I'll miss it forever. I don't think I'll ever be at a moment where it will feel perfect but this is pretty close."
Rapinoe made her international debut back in 2006. Since then, she's managed 203 appearances, bagging 63 goals across competitions. On her time with the national team, she added:
"It has been such an honour to be able to wear this shirt and play with all these amazing players and to just live out my childhood dream, casually, just like in front of the world."
"We fought so hard off the field to continue to create more space for ourselves to be who we are but hopefully in turn more space for you guys to be who you are."
Rapinoe is a two-time FIFA Women's World Cup winner with the USWNT in 2015 and 2019. She secured the 2019 Ballon d'Or and was a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics.
When does Megan Rapinoe retire from club football?
Megan Rapinoe had earlier expressed her intentions to retire from professional football after the completion of this year's National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season in October.
Speaking before the recently concluded FIFA Women's World Cup, Rapinoe announced she would bring down the curtain on her professional career. The American forward said while announcing her retirement (via Goal):
"I feel incredibly grateful to have played as long as I have, to be as successful as we’ve been, and to have been a part of a generation of players who undoubtedly left the game better than they found it."
Rapinoe's current club OL Reign will play their final match of the NWSL season against the Chicago Red Stars on October 15. She managed 112 appearances for the club, scoring 49 goals.
