“Never Crossed My Mind”: USWNT Star Megan Rapinoe’s Father Was Left in Disbelief When She Became the World’s Best Player

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. 

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.

“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.

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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. 

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.

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.”

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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