OL Reign celebrating Megan Rapinoe ahead of Friday’s home match

SEATTLE — The OL Reign is celebrating Megan Rapinoe ahead of her last regular season home match on Friday.

Among her many accomplishments are an Olympic gold medal and two World Cup wins. She also became the first soccer player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year.

In July, the forward announced she would retire from professional soccer at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.

Rapinoe joined the Reign in its first season in 2013 and has remained with the team ever since.

To kick off the celebration, the King County Council has proclaimed “Megan Rapinoe week” to honor the local star.

Rapinoe shared her feelings about retirement during a 45-minute press conference on Thursday.

She brought tears to the eyes of onlookers when speaking about how she enjoyed playing for one team here in Seattle.

“I am just riding the waves, letting them come in and out. It is a lot to try and hold all at one time, a lot of them are a little bit of competing emotions to try to sit back and reflect and enjoy everything that is happening while also being very focused on the game,” said Rapinoe. “But I feel that I am finding the right moments to do both and just have a little bit of grace in myself, but you also know that I am competitive and want to win.

On Friday, “Forever Rapinoe” flags will fly on Seattle ferries and at Lumen Field. Later in the evening, buildings across downtown will be lit in “Pinoe Pink.”

Friday’s match against the Washington Spirit has already drawn a record-breaking attendance for the Reign with over 28,150 tickets sold, according to the team.

The match begins at 5 p.m., but gates at Lumen Field will open at 3:30 p.m. Fans who come early can enjoy live music, food trucks, a giant jersey to sign, and family activities. In addition, the first 3,000 people to arrive will receive “Forever Rapinoe” sunglasses.

For more information about the festivities, visit this link.

You can watch Rapinoe’s final regular season match with Gary Horcher and Monique Ming Laven on KIRO 7.

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