Megan Rapinoe was left devastated after her career swansong came to an early end as she limped out of the National Women’s Soccer League final.

The 38-year-old suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles in just the third minute of the season-decider in San Diego and then had to watch her side OL Reign lose 2-1 to NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Rapinoe won two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal in a brilliant 203-cap career for the United States, but the defeat means she ends her domestic stint without an NWSL title.

She admitted that it was the “worst possible outcome” to her finale.

“It felt like just a huge pop,” Rapinoe told ESPN.

“The worst possible outcome. I just thank god I have like a f****** deep well of sense of humour. But just obviously devastating to go out in the final so early.

“That’s life, it’s part of the game. I was feeling really good before the game, wasn’t feeling tight or wasn’t having calf issues or anything. You don’t always get to have the perfect ending.

“I feel so lucky and so grateful to have played as long as I’ve played and to have played with the incredible players that I’ve played (with).

“Every sort of new cycle that I’ve come with, I’ve gotten close to certain players and built relationships and played with some of the very best players in the world.

“I’m looking forward to retirement. I’m retiring on the field, but you’ll definitely be seeing a lot of me off of it.”

United States forward Megan Rapinoe has announced she will retire at the end of the season.

Rapinoe, 38, helped the USA win the last two World Cups as well as a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

Following the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Rapinoe will play out the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League campaign at long-time club OL Reign before hanging up her boots.

“I’ve been able to have such an incredible career and this game has brought me all over the world and allowed me to meet so many amazing people,” Rapinoe said on ussoccer.com.

“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.

“To be able to play one last World Cup and one last NWSL season and go out on my own terms is incredibly special.

“I want to thank my family for being by my side all these years. Thanks to all my team-mates and coaches all the way back to my first days in Redding, on to college at the University of Portland and of course thanks to US Soccer, the Seattle Reign and especially (my partner) Sue (Bird), for everything.

“I will forever cherish the friendships and support over the years in this game and I am beyond excited for one last ride with the national team and the Reign.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Megan Rapinoe She/Her ?️‍? (@mrapinoe)

Rapinoe, who won the Best FIFA Women’s Player award and the Ballon d’Or Feminin in 2019, is one of the most influential figures in the women’s game, both on and off the pitch

She is set for her 200th international cap against Wales in California on Sunday.

USA head coach Vlatko Andonovski said: “Megan Rapinoe is one of the most important players in women’s soccer history and a personality like no other.

“She has produced so many memorable moments for her team and the fans on the field that will be remembered for a very long time, but her impact on people as a human being may be even more important.”

Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Kelley O’Hara are to set play in their fourth World Cup after being named in the United States squad for this summer’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

The trio were included in a 23-player group by coach Vlatko Andonovski on Wednesday as the US bid to win the competition for a third time in a row.

There is further experience in the squad with Alyssa Naeher and Julie Ertz being involved for a third successive World Cup while a another four players – Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle – will feature for a second time.

Fourteen players will sample their first World Cup.

Forward Rapinoe, who has scored 63 goals in 199 appearances for the national side, is the oldest member of party. She turns 38 on July 5.

Captain Becky Sauerbrunn has been ruled out through injury.

Changes can still be made prior to the deadline for official squads to be submitted to organisers FIFA on July 10.

The US play Wales in San Jose, California on July 9 in their final friendly before the tournament.

The World Cup begins on July 20 with the holders facing Vietnam, the Netherlands and Portugal in the group stage.

Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan threw their support behind protesting France stars as the French Football Federation faced growing pressure to act on the players' grievances.

Captain and star defender Wendie Renard was the first to put her international career on hold on Friday, swiftly followed by forwards Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

All three called for regime change, with Renard saying the "current system" was "far from the requirements required by the highest level", and the trio are set to be absent from this year's Women's World Cup unless their demands are met.

In response, the federation (FFF) said its executive committee would look at the matter on Tuesday, adding: "The FFF would like to serve a reminder that no individual is bigger than the team."

Such a response was hardly what the players would have hoped for, but the FFF will not be able to brush this issue under the carpet.

Ada Hegerberg and Lucy Bronze backed the striking players on Friday, and US women's national team luminaries Rapinoe and Morgan have added their voices of support, along with global players' union FIFPRO.

Reacting initially to Renard's statement, Rapinoe wrote: "With you captain. @FFF what are you doing?"

As the protest grew to become a three-player rebellion, Rapinoe posted on Instagram: "Immense respect for these three."

Morgan wrote: "You know it's bad when the most capped player/captain can [no] longer support or play for @FFF. My heart hurts for @wendie_renard, @mariekatoto, @kady944 and all their teammates."

The Women's World Cup takes place between July 20 and August 20 in Australia and New Zealand, so the French authorities have time to remedy this situation.

Renard has spoken of wanting to protect her mental health. Although she did not name head coach Corinne Diacre, who has overseen a controversial reign, reports claimed Renard would refuse to return if Diacre and her staff remain in place.

Renard, a 142-cap veteran, lost the captaincy under Diacre in 2017 but was restored to the leadership in 2021.

FIFPRO said it "stands... in solidarity" with the players and their supportive French union, the UNFP.

"Players should not have to sacrifice their national team careers for change and organisational reform," FIFPRO added, in a short statement posted on Twitter.

The UNFP said the players' stance was an "extremely courageous cry of alarm... denouncing the gap between the current organisation of this team, their expectations and the resources allocated to meet the current requirements of the very high level".

It said the players' outcry "must serve as a catalyst" for institutional change and to speed up the rate of pushing the women's game forward in France.

"It is becoming urgent," said the UNFP, "that all stakeholders finally push in the same direction to accelerate without delay the process under way, which will benefit all, including internationals."

United States women's stars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan launched a vociferous defence of their Canadian counterparts as they protest against their own federation.

Canada's national women's team announced on Saturday they will go on strike in pursuit of equal pay and increased funding from governing body Canada Soccer.

The players lamented an "unacceptable burden" after funding cuts and called for "immediate" change from those above them.

Canada's male players echoed a similar sentiment as they issued their own statement assuring they "wholeheartedly support" the women's protests.

Ahead of the SheBelieves Cup match between the USA and Canada on Friday, Rapinoe criticised Canada Soccer's standpoint as she backed the two-time Olympic champions' plight.

"We're talking about the Olympic champions here," Rapinoe said on Wednesday. "That was so well deserved and such a huge step forward for them.

"To have their federation meet them this way after winning a world championship is just f***ing wild to me. We're with them all the time."

Canada are sixth in FIFA's women's world rankings and viewed among the contenders for this year's Women's World Cup, where they face hosts Australia, the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria in Group B.

The USA women's side are familiar with the battle for equal pay after ending a six-year legal battle last February to secure the same financial terms as the men.

Morgan, a 201-cap international who has scored 120 times, reflected on her country's own protests over equal pay as she joined Rapinoe in backing the Canada women's team.

"Canada is just getting started, and they know the long road ahead for them, because we just went through that," Morgan added.

"I hope it's a shorter road for them, and we'll do anything possible to try and publicise what they're fighting for, and why they should achieve that."

Canada are expected to display some form of protest in the SheBelieves Cup outing, having already worn their kits the wrong way around to hide the federation badge after they returned to training this week.

Megan Rapinoe and her United States team-mates are "angry and exhausted" after a report detailed widespread misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates released a report on Monday concluding abuse and sexual misconduct spanned multiple teams and coaches, while the NWSL and US Soccer failed to put in "basic measures" to safeguard players or "respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse".

The report's findings have cast a dark shadow on women's football ahead of the United States' friendly with England at Wembley Stadium on Friday.

Rapinoe is grateful the United States' squad were able to support each other at a difficult time.

"I mean it's horrifying," Rapinoe told reporters at a pre-match press conference. "Obviously, I'm sure everybody read the report, and have read all the reporting that's been going on the last year. Even when you know it, it's just horrifying over and over to read.

"It's been difficult for the players, some of those players play in those clubs, have been coached by those coaches, and likely have been abused in one form or another.

"It could definitely be re-triggering or re-traumatising, just to have to deal with that on such an incredible occasion. To be here at Wembley, and be able to participate in this game that is so exciting, the juxtaposition is just kind of ridiculous.

"We're angry and exhausted, and together and unified. It's nice to be here together as a team, I feel like it's really powerful for us all to be together as a national team and be able to speak on behalf of all this. It has been very difficult, I can't even imagine for the players most affected.

"In a way, I mean it's really sad to say, but we're used to having to deal with one thing or another. It seems to bring us closer and definitely unify the team and it's just one of those intimate environments that we're in."

Since the findings were released, Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler, both of whom were cited in the report, have announced their intentions to step aside.

Rapinoe has little sympathy.

"I don't think Merritt Paulson is fit to be the owner in Portland. I don't think Arnim is fit to be the owner in Chicago," she said.

Rapinoe also demanded more action from football's governing bodies, including FIFA.

"Obviously, that's a monumental task and a lot of these federations that are funded really well only get together a couple of times a year. I know that can be difficult," she added.

"But from FIFA's standpoint, as the stewards of the game, they have a responsibility to do everything in their power to ensure that every player is in a safe environment."

Rapinoe also believes the NSWL and US Soccer must take responsibility.

"Those people are in positions that have responsibility, and they didn't fulfil those responsibilities and they didn't protect players at all," Rapinoe said.

"It's year after year after year, it’s impossible to overstate that every single year someone said something about multiple coaches in the league, about multiple different environments so if, year after year after year, you cannot perform your duties - I know I wouldn't be in my position if I couldn't perform my duties year after year."

Superstar gymnast Simone Biles received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden on Thursday, becoming the youngest living person to be honoured.

Biles is the most decorated US gymnast in history, with 32 Olympic and world championship medals, and has also been an advocate for mental health and sexual assault survivors.

President Biden recognised her achievements both inside and outside the gym, as he awarded the 25-year-old yet another medal.

"When we see her compete, we see unmatched power and determination, grace and daring," Biden said.

"A trailblazer and a role model, when she stands on the podium, we see what she is: absolute courage to turn personal pain into a greater purpose, to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

"Today, she adds to her medal count of 32 – I don't know if you're going to find room."

In the same ceremony, Megan Rapinoe was the first footballer to be a recipient of this highest civilian award in the United States.

Rapinoe has won two Women's World Cups and an Olympic gold medal and has also been a prominent figure due to her activism.

The OL Reign captain has battled throughout her career for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights.

"Beyond the World Cup titles and the Olympic medals, Megan is a champion for [an] essential American truth that everyone – everyone – is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect," Biden said.

While Rapinoe was at the White House, her United States team-mates clinched qualification for the 2023 World Cup with a 5-0 win over Jamaica.

Players of the United States Women's National Team have reached a landmark agreement with governing body U.S. Soccer, ending a long-running legal battle over equal pay for the country's female footballers.

After a six-year legal battle led by the players of the USWNT, who have won the last two editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, U.S. Soccer has committed to providing an equal rate of pay for it's men's and women's national teams, including World Cup bonuses, subject to agreements with the teams' respective unions.

The agreement will also see the players split a lump sum of $22m, roughly one-third of what they originally sought in damages, and provides for a fund of $2m to support players after their playing careers and to aid charitable initiatives around the women's game.

The governing body and the USWNT players have released a joint statement, which reads as follows.

"We are pleased to announce that, contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement, we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay and proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer.

"Getting to this day has not been easy. The U.S. Women's National Team players have achieved unprecedented success while working to achieve equal pay for themselves and future athletes.

"Today, we recognise the legacy of the past USWNT leaders who helped make this day possible, as well as all of the women and girls who will follow.

"Together, we dedicate this moment to them.

"We look forward to continuing to work together to grow women's soccer and advance opportunities for young girls and women in the United States and across the globe."

The legal battle had raged since April 2016, and has been fraught with controversy, with former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro quitting in 2020 after the federation submitted legal papers claiming women were physically inferior to men.

USA football star Megan Rapinoe got to see her fiancee Sue Bird complete a stellar Olympic career with a fifth basketball gold medal - despite all crowds being banned in Tokyo.

Bird, 40, signed off her Games career in the United States' 90-75 win over Japan on Sunday.

At courtside was Rapinoe, who won a bronze on Thursday when she scored twice as the USA beat Australia 4-3 in the football third-place match.

Rapinoe, who won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup, first met Bird in the run-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

They became a couple later that year and announced their engagement in October 2020.

When the USA clinched the basketball gold medal, Bird went to the side of the court and kissed Rapinoe, later revealing how her 36-year-old partner managed to gain access to the Saitama Super Arena.

"I'm very lucky," Bird said. "Obviously when your partner or your fiancee is also in the Olympics you would love to be able to go and support them, be around them, to give any kind of support possible.

"Megan somehow finagled a media credential and got herself in this arena today. We didn't really know it was going to happen until two days ago, it got confirmed. So I do I feel very lucky she was here to witness it, to share it with me."

Spectators have been blocked from attending venues at the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with families of overseas athletes unable to travel to Japan for the Games, meaning Rapinoe was among the fortunate few to be in the arena.

"I just went over and obviously told her I loved her and told her I was tired," said Bird. "That was pretty much the extent of the conversation, and she told me she was happy and proud of me.

"Of course I'm so proud of her and her team for winning that bronze medal. The Olympics is hard. It's really hard. There's so much pressure involved and so to have both of us medal is something that I know we'll take that memory with us forever."

Rapinoe wrote on Instagram: "I am so proud of you @sbird10. As if I could love you any more. Congrats baby!"

Bird has ruled out playing on to Paris 2024, happy to settle for five gold medals, the first of which came in Athens at the 2004 Games.

"It really is hard to wrap your head around it, to grasp what it is," said the Seattle Storm star.

"Twenty years of staying true to the game, making sure you're at the top of your game, so much sacrifice.

"The only thing about getting older, you know all the bad stuff that can happen. We lost in 2006 [to Russia at the World Championship]. We tasted that and that's always been the driver.

"So when we actually have the medal around our necks, it just feels so good. It's a sense of relief in a lot of ways."

Megan Rapinoe scored direct from a corner as she and fellow United States veteran Carli Lloyd hit doubles to sink Australia 4-3 in the Olympic Games bronze medal game.

Australia's replies came from Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord and Emily Gielnik in the seven-goal feast at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium.

It was 36-year-old Rapinoe and 39-year-old Lloyd who stole the show, though, on what may prove to be farewell appearances for the superstar duo.

Whether they play on in the short term for the national team remains to be seen, but this was likely a final outing at the Olympics for both, and they went out in style.

Rapinoe opened the scoring in the eighth minute when her wicked in-swinging corner from the left evaded everybody and found the net.

Kerr levelled seven minutes later with her 48th goal for Australia – a new national team record – when her shot proved too powerful for Adrianna Franch, but it was soon Rapinoe's time again.

The standout player from the 2019 World Cup smashed in her second goal of this game on the volley, connecting sweetly from around 12 yards after Alanna Kennedy sliced an attempted clearance.

Lloyd, who became the outright second most-capped player in US history by making her 312th appearance, got in on the goals just before half time. Her thumping left-footed shot across goal found the right corner, putting the US 3-1 up.

Lloyd scored again in the 51st minute after another Kennedy error, this time a weak header back to her goalkeeper allowing Lloyd a clear run on goal, with the striker slotting home.

That made her the US team's all-time highest scorer in Olympic women's football with 10 goals. Lloyd won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, with Rapinoe also on the triumphant latter team in London.

Australia got back into this game with a header from Foord after 54 minutes, and Kerr headed against the left post two minutes later. Substitute Gielnik rattled in a delicious late third for Australia, but they could not find a fourth.

Canada sensationally ended a 36-game winless run against the United States, with Jessie Fleming's penalty securing a place in the women's football final at the Tokyo Olympics.

USA had 17 attempts on Monday but a second defeat at the Games – they had gone down 3-0 to Sweden in their opening group fixture – means the reigning world champions will not have a chance to secure gold in Japan.

There was controversy surrounding the winning goal, too, as a VAR check resulted in Canada being awarded a penalty for a foul by Tierna Davidson on Deanne Rose in the 74th minute.

Substitute goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, who had replaced the injured Alyssa Naeher in the first half, guessed correctly but Fleming's penalty still found the net.

Canada stubbornly held on for the remainder of the contest to secure a first triumph over their rivals since March 11, 2001.

While USA can still claim a bronze medal, Megan Rapinoe did not hold back when assessing the impact of the result, particularly against opponents they have become accustomed to beating through the years.

"It's a bitter one to swallow. We never want to lose to Canada. I don't think I ever have, so it's a bitter one," Rapinoe said.

"Still a lot to compete for. It's not the colour we wanted, but there's still a medal on the line and that's a huge thing. We want to win that game, but this sucks. It sucks."

Asked why USA had struggled so much to find form during the tournament, Rapinoe replied: "I feel like we haven't had our joy a little bit.

"It just hasn't flowed for us, hasn't been easy. It's not for a lack of effort, or anyone not giving everything they have. It just didn't click for us.

"I don't know if it was roster rotation, I know it's a tough tournament when trying to save people, but our bench is as deep as hell. I don't think we can put it on that, and I can't quite put my finger on it.

"We just didn't have that juice that we normally do."

USA had been aiming to strike Olympic gold for a fifth time having missed out on a medal of any colour at Rio 2016, where they lost to Sweden on penalties in the last eight.

The Swedes lost to Germany in the final five years ago but could still go one better this year – they take on Australia in the second semi-final.

Sweden ended the United States' 44-game unbeaten run with a 3-0 win in the Olympics group stage on Wednesday and Megan Rapinoe hailed them as one of the best European sides ever.

Strikes either side of the half-time whistle from Stina Blackstenius and a goal by Lina Hurtig proved the difference as Sweden claimed a famous triumph over their heavyweight rivals, who they defeated on penalties in the 2016 quarter-finals.

The world champions enjoyed a two-year spell without losing before the Group G opener but will quickly have to bounce back if they are to follow up their France 2019 success with Olympic gold.

Rapinoe found it hard to defend the USA's performance as she credited Sweden's hard-working display.

"We did not play a very good game and that is to take nothing away from Sweden, they played a great game," the attacking midfielder said after the match.

"This is the highest level and these are the best teams in the world. Sweden are one of the best ever in Europe and the world. If we don't play well we don’t win these games.

"We want to be a lot better, we played a bit tight and hurt ourselves a lot. You can't say one thing specifically.

"I can't remember the last time we gave up a goal, so to give up three is not great but we know what we need to do to win these games, get out of the group and go from there."

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski refused to panic and is keen to see a response against New Zealand on Saturday.

"It has put us in a big hole and we are the only ones who can get ourselves out of it," he said. "It is not going to be easy. We have to get good results in the next two games, but I know this team will not give up.

"I don’t remember this team losing 3-0 in recent history so it is a bit of a shock, but everyone is positive. We still have games ahead of us. We have got to bounce back. We have to forget this game and focus on the next one."

In contrast, Blackstenius, whose brace sealed a remarkable victory, spoke glowingly of her team, who were without Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson for the win.

"I'm very happy about the goals - of course I'm happy to score. The team helped me very much and I think I could have scored at least two more but I don't want to focus on that. I'm just happy and proud of the team", the forward said.

“We developed our game and our play. It's very good and we have so much quality in every player. Every player is also very different from the other. We have so many players that can do good stuff and as a team we are very good. Every player is very happy about going very attacking."

Hedvig Lindahl, though, maintained that Sweden's win was simply a starting point and that Peter Gerhardsson's side had not achieved what they had come to the Games for yet.

"It's just the first group game, we haven't won anything yet. We need to keep going," the veteran goalkeeper said. "If you have one high into lows in the group then this means nothing. But to win against the USA, it's something we can take some confidence from.

"You can go very far in a tournament even if you lose to the USA or whoever you play in the first game, so I don't know how much it means, but we showed the world and ourselves that we can play good against a team like the US and any team."

Russell Westbrook, Doc Rivers and Billie Jean King reacted with revulsion to the assault on the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing president Donald Trump, united in the view there would have been a deadlier outcome had the rioters been black people.

On a dark day for the United States, thousands of Trump backers descended on Washington for a protest rally, refusing to accept the result of November's election that saw Joe Biden sweep to power.

Two weeks out from Biden's inauguration, many violent protesters breached security and accessed the Capitol, causing carnage and destruction as they appeared to go largely unchallenged.

There were a number of casualties, with four dead including a woman who was shot, while reports said a number of explosive devices were discovered.

Washington Wizards star Westbrook said: "It's very unfortunate to see. If those roles were reversed, if those were African-Americans, black people, it would be totally different."

He said the chaos was "just crazy, almost like a movie", and team-mate Bradley Beal agreed it was hard to stomach the scenes, given his view that police took a far less lenient approach to protesters during last year's Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

"It's very disheartening in a lot of ways - a lack of sense of urgency to respond to what was going on, versus protesters at Black Lives Matter over the summer," Beal said.

"The people who were invading our Capitol, that's unheard of and it's disheartening this is where we're at as a country."

Veteran Philadelphia 76ers coach Rivers called the insurgency "pretty disturbing" but vowed that "democracy will prevail".

"It shows a lot, though," Rivers said. "When you saw the [Black Lives Matter] protests in the summer, you saw the riots or more the police and the national guard and the army. And then you see this and you saw nothing.

"It basically proves the point about a privileged life in a lot of ways. I'll say it because I don’t think a lot of people want to: could you imagine today if those were all black people storming the Capitol and what would have happened?

"So that to me is a picture that’s worth a thousand words for all of us to see and probably something for us to reckon with again."

Tennis great King, a long-time activist for equality in sport and society, added on Twitter: "If the rioters storming the Capitol building today were Black and Brown people, the police response would be much different."

Footballer Megan Rapinoe became embroiled in a war of words with Trump during USA's triumph at the 2019 Women's World Cup.

Looking at footage of how seemingly easily the protesters were able to break into the Capitol, Rapinoe offered her opinion, writing: "This is crazy, how did they even get through the..... ohhhhh it was opened for them."

Trump had addressed the crowds earlier in the day, forcefully standing by his view that he was fraudulently robbed of an election win.

In the hours after the Capitol was cleared, Congress confirmed Biden's victory.

Richard Sherman, the San Francisco 49ers cornerback, described the rioters as "terrorists".

He wrote on Twitter: "Never thought Americans would let terrorists into the capital without a fight....sad day. There are certain things my brain could never imagine.... and one of them is black ppl storming a government building and taking things without deadly consequences. But that’s just my brain."

It was not just Sherman's brain thinking along those lines, though. Far from it.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard took the same stance, saying: "You just see the privilege, the privilege in America. "It's sad to see, because if any of us was out there, I think we would've been tear-gassed, Maced, probably gunshots, you know?"

And American track and field legend Michael Johnson said the scenes were only to be expected, given the nature of the Trump presidency.

"The alarms were sounded for four years. Republicans ignored them. Many in the media ignored them and normalized dangerous behavior," Johnson wrote on Twitter.

"Sadly, today it all came to be. Shameful! This president and his supporters. Shame on you! And take responsibility!

"People on Twitter (of course) literally equating BLM protesters fighting for justice and equality to White Supremacist Trump supporters (supposed Patriots) gleefully and violently desecrating America's oldest and greatest institutions of democracy. Sadly, this is typical America."