Megan Rapinoe & Ali Krieger Set To Face Off In An Epic Final Showdown

Bestill our Sapphic hearts — this is the final game to end all final games.

Soccer player Megan Rapinoe set the stage for an unforgettable final chapter in her illustrious career in San Diego on Sunday after OL Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)’s semifinal win over the Wave.

Post victory, she simply posted 'RONNIE' and a magic wand emoji on her Instagram story, referring to Veronica Latsko's crucial contribution that kept their remarkable journey alive.

Latsko, unintentionally, delivered the decisive goal in front of a record playoff crowd of over 32,000 fans in the Snapdragon Stadium. Her cross sailed over Wave's goalkeeper, Kailen Sheridan, sealing the victory for the Reign.

Coach Laura Harvey praised Rapinoe's tireless performance, noting, “She ran about tonight like she was 28, not 38.”

The anticipation for Rapinoe's impending retirement adds to the excitement, especially with Ali Krieger in the opposition, who also delivered a stellar performance for NJ/NY Gotham FC in a thrilling semifinal against the Portland Thorns.

Rapinoe and Krieger will face off in the last professional game of each other their careers with the NWSL title on the line. Krieger, with a second NWSL final in her career, aims to write a different ending, contrasting her past penalty shootout heartbreak. For Rapinoe, it's the third attempt to secure the silverware for the Reign, with past finals ending in disappointment.

This impending duel holds significance on multiple levels, including their World Cup victories, advocacy work, and their status as prominent LGBTQ athletes. The impact of Rapinoe and Krieger as LGBTQ role models is immeasurable — respectively ranked #2 and #14 on the Outsports Power 100 list — and their close friendship makes the face-off all the more exciting.

As the Reign and Gotham FC teams prepare for their showdown in San Diego, the narrative of their careers, both on and off the field, takes center stage. Krieger posted she couldn’t wait for the battle on her Instagram, which will go down on Saturday.