Bearing the hopes of an entire nation on your shoulders is an undemanding job, right? Some iconic players have seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Well, Megan Rapinoe is one of them. The soccer icon had a decorated career representing the USWNT, helping them bag two consecutive World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. Despite her invaluable contributions to the national team, Rapinoe had a melancholy end to the story, with the player missing a penalty in the 2023 edition of the Women’s World Cup that saw the United States crash out of the tournament.

Sometimes, beloved heroes live long enough to become the most reviled villains. That’s precisely what happened with Megan Rapinoe as fans quickly turned against her following the World Cup exit, criticizing her for the team’s performance. However, Megan Rapinoe isn’t one to be affected by what people say about her. The OL Reign star talked about her missed penalty during her appearance on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast.

Rapinoe claimed, “There are so many more important things than this, it’s sad. I don’t think it takes anything away from my career. I don’t think missing that penalty takes anything away from my career. Actually, it’s all part of it. If you don’t try, you’re never gonna do anything.”

While it’s easy to focus on recent events, fans often forget what players go through in their daily lives. Megan Rapinoe is among the best players to have played for the United States, and as she said, a missed penalty takes nothing from her illustrious career.

The missed penalty that broke Megan Rapinoe’s dream

The USWNT headed into the 2023 World Cup with high expectations. However, things started poorly for the defending champions, with the side somehow scraping their way into the knockouts, finishing second in their group table. However, it all went downhill from there as the side found themselves on the receiving end of a massive upset at the hands of Sweden during the round of sixteen.

READ MORE: Megan Rapinoe Says People Celebrating Her Torn Achilles During Farewell Game ‘Are in a Special Place in Hell’

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Megan Rapinoe was at the very center of the upset, with the player missing the decisive spot-kick during the penalty shootouts. With the score set at 3-2, USWNT needed Megan to slot home her shot to keep her side in the game. However, as luck would have it, the player, despite having converted so many spot-kicks over the years, couldn’t do it when it mattered the most and sent the ball flying into the stands, shattering the dreams of millions watching.

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