Who Is Sue Bird’s Partner Megan Rapinoe? All About Soccer Icon Who Won WNBA Legend’s Heart

It’s impossible to rattle Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. On a stormy March evening in Manhattan, as rain lashed against their apartment windows, the couple logged onto Zoom looking as composed as if nothing could touch them. Whether it’s about shrugging off a presidential tweet or laughing about “boring” nights cooking together, they carry the ease of two people who know exactly who they are. Together, they are one powerful unit. Let’s dive deeper into their lives…

Who is Megan Rapinoe?

Megan Rapinoe is the kind of person who makes introductions feel unnecessary, as her reputation often walks in first. Born on July 5, 1985, in Redding, California, she grew up juggling soccer balls and expectations. She quickly proved she was built for the big stage. At the University of Portland, alongside her twin sister Rachael, Rapinoe carved out a collegiate career that hinted at the greatness to come, even as injuries tested her resilience.

What sets her apart, though, is that she never confined her identity to the sidelines of sport. With her signature pink hair, unapologetic celebrations, and a voice that carries beyond stadium walls, Rapinoe became more than just a winger. For fans worldwide, Rapinoe today represents the courage to stand tall, speak loudly, and embody authenticity in every space she occupies.

Megan Rapinoe’s Standout Career and Achievements

To talk about Rapinoe’s career is to trace a story equal parts medals and meaning. On the field, she reigned supreme as a two-time World Cup champion (2015, 2019), Olympic gold medalist in London, and the star who turned pressure into performance with her 2019 Golden Boot and Golden Ball.

However, her résumé is more than statistics. It’s filled with highlight moments, like her Olimpico corner kick at the Tokyo Games that stunned even seasoned fans. At the club level, she left an indelible mark with OL Reign. Her farewell game drew record-breaking crowds that spoke to her enduring pull.

Off the pitch, she championed equal pay, kneeled in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, and became the first openly gay woman to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom! Few athletes manage to pair swagger with purpose the way Megan Rapinoe does.

How Did Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe Go Public?

This is an interesting one, as for years, Sue Bird’s closest circle knew who she was and who she loved. But in 2017, the world finally got to hear it in her own words. In an interview with espnW, the Seattle Storm point guard said it plainly: “I’m gay. Megan’s my girlfriend. … These aren’t secrets to people who know me. I don’t feel like I’ve not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you’re not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it’s this secret. That was never the case for me.”

Her decision came after near-misses in public acknowledgment, whether at the 2016 Olympics or when Elena Delle Donne came out a year earlier. This time, she chose to speak, and in doing so, she became one of the most accomplished athletes in the WNBA to come out publicly.

But Sue Bird acknowledged the trailblazers before her. She praised Jason Collins as the one who “kind of broke down the barrier” for men’s basketball, while noting the stigmas that still lingered. Yet, it was her step forward that symbolized how far the women’s game had come. In a league already at the forefront of LGBTQ advocacy, Sue Bird’s revelation felt like a celebration.

And of course, her relationship with Rapinoe (herself no stranger to visibility, having come out in 2012) elevated them into one of sports’ most powerful pairings. Two champions, two leaders, both rooted in Seattle, both unafraid to claim space. What started privately in Rio blossomed publicly in a single sentence that would resonate far beyond basketball: “I’m gay. Megan’s my girlfriend.”

How did Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe meet? From Dating to Engagement

It wasn’t glamorous. If anything, it was adorably awkward backstage at the 2016 Rio Olympics during a photo shoot. Megan Rapinoe remembers it vividly: “She was in her basketball uniform and she had her hair down.” The two crossed paths, exchanged a few words, and immediately walked away with very different impressions.

Sue Bird recalled Rapinoe teasing her with, “Oh, hey! Ready for your game?” to which she laughed politely, later joking, “We joke about it now ’cause she was a total dork.” Rapinoe, meanwhile, replayed the moment with a wince: “I walked away like, why would you ever say that? I made such a bad impression.” Neither knew that dorky introduction would become the opening line in a love story that’s only growing stronger.

What bridged that clumsy start was the unique bond of elite sport. “I think being an elite athlete it’s really a one-of-a-kind experience, and to be dating somebody who has that same experience, it’s really incredible,” Sue Bird later reflected. Rapinoe agreed but softened it: “I mean to be honest it’s like totally normal, but I also know that she’s GOAT status.”

From there, their relationship blossomed in the most ordinary yet intimate ways: cooking together, laughing over Bird’s playful claim that Rapinoe is only a good “sous chef,” and finding comfort in the rare moments at home. By 2020, Megan Rapinoe dropped to one knee and proposed, and Bird said yes. Just like that, what began as an Olympic meet-cute had transformed into one of the most celebrated engagements in sports…

 Life Together – Shared Passions and Public Moments

If their playing days were defined by medals and trophies, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe’s post-retirement life is being defined by microphones, stages, and the shared mission of shaping the future of women’s sports. What began during the pandemic as playful Instagram Lives has now evolved into A Touch More. It’s their live podcast that has become a hub for community and conversation.

As Rapinoe told Vanity Fair, “We’ll be taking over Indy, basically,” describing their packed WNBA All-Star weekend with live tapings, after-parties, and Bird’s own Bird’s Eye View podcast debut. For the couple, it’s about building spaces they never had. “We definitely want to continue widening our footprints at these events, to create cool spaces that, frankly, we never had before,” Rapinoe said.

Sue Bird added that fans and players alike deserve more than fleeting highlight reels; they deserve storytelling, nuance, and platforms rooted in the expertise of those who built the game. Their live shows attract audiences that blur the lines between sports and pop culture. Like Breanna Stewart rushing over postgame, Jason Sudeikis in Liberty gear, Pablo Torre mingling with fans sipping on a “Home Opener Spritz.”

Amongst them, Megan Rapinoe remains the bold advocate, lending her voice to LGBTQ+ rights and equal pay, while Sue Bird brings order and history to their media ecosystem. “Over my dead body am I going to be one of the chorus of us who’ve been here a long time…who is going to not own what is happening in the future,” Rapinoe declared. She reminded everyone that their partnership is both personal and profoundly cultural. And as Bird prepares for her Hall of Fame induction, no one doubts that Rapinoe will be front and center, cheering, just as she did.