Megan Rapinoe forced off in tears after just five minutes in the final game of her career

Megan Rapinoe suffered a devastating end to her professional career as she was forced off through injury just three minutes into her final game.

The 38-year-old announced prior to last summer's World Cup that she would hang up her boots at the end of the NWSL season with OL Reign.

And her side reached the final of the NWSL Championship - giving Rapinoe the opportunity to win the first league title of her career.

But the occasion ended in heartbreak for the midfielder, who suffered a suspected Achilles injury in the early stages of the match.

Cameras appeared to show Rapinoe's foot getting caught in the turf at the Snapdragon Stadium, and she fell to the ground in agony.

After receiving treatment, the midfielder left the field to a standing ovation, and there was plenty of emotion on her face as she exited for the last time as a professional player.

But speaking after the match, Rapinoe stated that while she was initially 'devastated' at the injury, she managed to see a amusing side of it.

She said: "It felt like just a huge pop. The worst possible outcome. I just thought, 'Thank God I have like a f***ing deep well of sense of humour. But yeah, I mean, just obviously devastating to go out in the final so early.

"I wasn't overly emotional about it. I mean, I just f***ing yeeted my Achilles in the sixth minute in my last game ever, in the literal championship final."

In more bad news for the 38-year-old, OL Reign went on to lose the final 2-1 to Gotham FC, with all three goals being scored in the first half in San Diego.

Rapinoe retires as one of the USWNT's greatest ever players, having won two World Cups and lifted the Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2019 - the latter by a record margin before Aitana Bonmati's win in 2023.

She scored 63 goals in 203 appearances for her national team, while her 73 assists are the joint third-most by an American player at international level.