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LYON, FRANCE – JULY 07: Megan Rapinoe of the USA poses for a photograph with the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball award following the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France Final match between The United States of America and The Netherlands at Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

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LYON, FRANCE – JULY 07: Megan Rapinoe of the USA poses for a photograph with the Golden Boot award and the Golden Ball award following the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France Final match between The United States of America and The Netherlands at Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
USWNT star Megan received the Presidential Medal of Honor last month, flying to the White House to meet President Joe Biden. As a veteran player, Rapinoe has led the US Women’s National Soccer Team to victory in many competitions.
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In 2019, they defended the World Cup title, and Rapinoe even bagged the Golden Ball and Golden Boot. She has been an irreplaceable part of the team’s success, and her father, Jim Rapinoe, couldn’t be more proud of her.
Jim Rapinoe opened up about his daughter’s career
Talking to the Daily Mail in 2019, Megan Rapinoe’s father shone with pride as he shared his perspective on the star soccer player’s success. He was her first coach, training her when finding professional coaches for young female soccer players proved difficult.
Rapinoe’s parents drove her back and forth from the soccer club situated about 150 miles away. All so she could compete at a higher level than what her school team offered. Her club soccer coach knew from the beginning that she would grow up to be a superstar. However, her father hadn’t expected her to become a legend in the sport.

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MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 23: The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year Lionel Messi and The Best FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe pose for the photos at the end of The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019 on September 23, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)
“I never thought Megan would end up in the World Cup. Every time I see Megan on TV, I pinch myself… when you look up and see her, it’s pretty cool,” Jim Rapinoe shared. He had humble dreams for her daughter, wanting to put her through college comfortably.
“Growing up, I just wanted Megan to get into college and get it paid for. I knew she was a good player, but being one of the best players in the world never crossed my mind,” he continued. In the end, Rapinoe’s career shone as he remained headstrong in letting his daughter pursue her passion.
Megan Rapinoe sacrificed a lot from a young age
In the interview, Jim Rapinoe outlined how their family made sacrifices so that his two daughters could play soccer. Megan Rapinoe’s sister didn’t mesh well with the traveling lifestyle of a soccer player, so she quit shortly after 2009. Instead, Rachael Rapinoe pursued a Master’s Degree in a health-related field.
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Her brother, Brian, introduced her to the sport, but finding a girls’ team in Redding, California, had been difficult. So when the OL Reign captain turned nine, her dad put her on the boys’ team. Here, she proved to be better than her teammates.

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YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – AUGUST 06: Bronze medalist Megan Rapinoe of Team United States poses with their bronze medal during the Women’s Football Competition Medal Ceremony on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at International Stadium Yokohama on August 06, 2021 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Her father said, “Megan only went to one high school dance. She didn’t attend her high school graduation, nor did she attend her college graduation, because she was playing in soccer tournaments.”
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And the Olympic champion’s family gave up a lot for her passion too. “Megan’s success is a family deal. We all missed a lot of family get-togethers because we were shuttling Megan and her sister around to various tournaments up and down the west coast,” Jim shared.
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