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Megan Rapinoe “Just Remember Barely Being Able to Speak” When Soccer Legend Walked Up to Her on Her First Day at USWNT Camp

Published 09/21/2022, 11:30 AM EDT

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Megan Rapinoe is a legendary soccer player of the USWNT. She is one of the best players women’s soccer has ever witnessed. Moreover, Rapinoe is known for her outspoken nature. She stands for her opinions on social matters, be it gender-related issues or equal pay demand for men and women.

However, there was an instance when Megan Rapinoe was speechless. She felt so nervous and overwhelmed at the same time, that she couldn’t process her words correctly.

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A moment of speechlessness in the life of Megan Rapinoe

Kristine Lilly is another one of the GOATs in the history of women’s soccer. She is a legend and idol for many, including Megan Rapinoe. The 37-years-old Megan shared the incident of her first encounter with her hero during an interview a few years back. She said“I’ll never forget when Kristine Lilly walked into the room for the first time.”

via Getty

And when her idol, so chilled and ground-to-earth, came to her with a bunch of younger players, she was like, “What’s up? What’s going on?” On the other hand, Rapinoe just lost all her words.

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READ MORE- “More Relatable than Actresses Who Make Millions”: Megan Rapinoe Once Made a Controversial Statement on the Pay Scale of Women in Sports

Rapinoe further added, “And I just remember barely being able to speak, like, “Uh, we don’t know. We’re just here. We don’t know what we’re doing. We’re just trying to survive and you’re you. You’re Kristine Lilly and I love you and I had your posters and obviously you didn’t have mine because I’m me, O.K., byeeeeeeeeeee.”

That fan-girl feeling is unforgettable

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Watching Kristine Lilly such closely was a big moment for the young girl pursuing professional soccer. Rapinoe said, “She was my freaking hero. Obviously, she blocked the shot off the line against China in the ’99 final that saved the match, and she was just such a badass.”

USA Today via Reuters

Rapinoe tried to explain her feelings in the interview and said, “I was already 21 years old, but when Kristine walked into the room … I mean, you just can’t help it — you’re instantly 12 years old. You’re a mess.”

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Watch this story: Soccer Legend Megan Rapinoe Wants Dwayne Johnson Led XFL to Change Their Logo

Every legend is once a fan. Today, Rapinoe has done no less than her idol Kristine Lilly for the American Soccer team. Both the greats, Kristine Lilly and Megan Rapinoe stand high in the list of the best soccer players in the world.

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Written by:

Kaivalya R Pillai

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One take at a time

Dr. Kaivalya R Pillai is a US Sports author working at EssentiallySports. An accomplished academician, he recently completed his doctorate degree in pharmacy.
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Edited by:

Rupak Kumar Jha