Just one thing has eluded Megan Rapinoe in her illustrious career: an NWSL championship.
The 38-year-old forward has won two World Cups, an Olympic gold medal, the Ballon d’Or, Best FIFA Women’s Player and more. Last year, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But she has not won an NWSL title.
OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey is aware of the gap on Rapinoe’s résumé, and she would like to address it in the 2023 playoffs.
“I feel like we’re trying to prepare for our games and send her off in the right way. We obviously want to win ’em and get in the playoffs and try and get her a championship to finish out the season. I think that’s our priority,” Harvey told the Messenger. “It sort of hit everybody this weekend when we were watching the U.S. stuff that it’s actually happening.”
Rapinoe played in her final match for the USWNT last Sunday, and some pageantry is following her as she plays in her final matches across the various NWSL cities. But Harvey knows that, even amid the send-offs, Rapinoe wants to focus on winning.
“We want to send her out the right way,” Harvey said. “And that’s getting in the postseason and getting the championship. That’s what we all want to do. That’s part of our aims and objectives. So how we do that, where we do that, that’s down to us now.”
OL Reign has three matches remaining in the regular season, starting with its next match at 8 p.m. ET Sunday against the North Carolina Courage. The club sits in fifth place in the NWSL standings with 27 points.