Rapinoe missed a crucial spot-kick as the United States were dumped out of the Women's World Cup by Sweden in a shootout
(Image credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Megan Rapinoe says her miss in the United States’ penalty shootout defeat to Sweden at the Women’s World Cup felt like “a sick joke”.
Rapinoe skied her team’s fourth spot-kick as the USWNT suffered their earliest ever World Cup exit, bowing out at the last 16 stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Sweden went on to clinch victory in Melbourne – where the scores were tied at 0-0 after 120 minutes – as goal-line technology ruled that Lina Hurtig’s penalty had gone in by the finest of margins – and US legend Rapinoe was caught between devastation and gratitude as her international career ended on a disappointing note.
The United States had reached at least the semi-finals of every previous Women's World Cup (Image credit: Robin Alam/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
“I thought we played really well,” Rapinoe, 38, told FOX Sports. “I'm so happy for us that we went out like that, playing the way we did.
“I mean, this is like a sick joke for me personally. I'm just like, ‘This is dark comedy that I missed a penalty’. I still just feel really grateful and joyful.
“I know it's the end and that's sad – but to know this is really the only time I've been in one of these shows, how much success I've had and how much I’ve loved playing for this team, it’s been an honour.”
Rapinoe was an integral member of the United States sides which won the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups, co-captaining her country at the latter.
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The iconic midfielder – who plays her club football for Seattle-based OL Reign – earned 202 caps altogether, scoring 63 goals in a 16-year international career.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...
