As far as soccer star Megan Rapinoe is concerned, her Achilles injury in the final game of her storied career comes as evidence that there is no God.
Rapinoe, 38, was forced to leave the National Women’s Soccer League championship game Saturday after injuring her right leg, saying afterward she was “pretty sure” that she tore her Achilles tendon. Her team, the Seattle-based OL Reign, lost 2-1 to the NY/NJ Gotham.
“I thought about it a little bit. I mean, I’m not a religious person or anything, and if there was a God, like, this is proof that there isn’t,” she said at the press conference following the game. “This is f—-ed up.”
The non-contact injury came about three minutes into what was billed as the last game of her illustrious athletic career, which may explain the gallows humor.
Megan Rapinoe insults God and your faith in him. Wow. https://t.co/x76ef2LU0Z
— John Matrixx (@RealJohnMatrixx) November 12, 2023
That said, the notoriously left-wing athlete’s comment did nothing to endear her to fans on the right.
“This proves that God does have a sense of humor. Bye bye Rapinoe,” tweeted @BMWAdvRider.
Another commentator, Franci King, tweeted: “Megan Rapinoe is totally narcissistic to presume her injury means there is not God!”
The Proud Elephant account tweeted: “Just when you thought this woman couldn’t get any more disgusting.”
On the other side were Rapinoe fans distressed by the ill-timed injury. The crowd at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego gave her a standing ovation as she was helped off the field.
“God that is so so devastating. Megan Rapinoe deserves so much better for the end of her career. I hope Reign win it for her,” tweeted freelance sports producer Becky Taylor-Gill prior to the end of the match.
Rapinoe, the winner of two World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal, has advocated for equal pay for women’s soccer as well as transgender athletes in women’s sports. In July, she said she would welcome a male-born athlete who identifies as female taking the place of a female soccer player.
“’You’re taking a real woman’s place,’ that’s the part of the argument that’s still extremely transphobic,” Rapinoe told Time magazine. “I see trans women as real women.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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