A DFB star will also resign soon
Soccer legends say goodbye with the World Cup
7/20/2023 7:18 am
Megan Rapinoe, who is playing her last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, wants to “write history”. With her, some football stars step down from the big stage. Among them, Marta, an icon of the sport – the German captain, on the other hand, has not yet revealed what will happen next.
Megan Rapinoe would like to dance with Marta one more time – on the lawn, of course. “Marta is the greatest player who has ever played our game. One last duel with her, that would be my dream,” says the US icon about the Brazilian superstar with whom she has so much in common. Both were world footballers, both won the World Cup top scorer – and now both are facing their last World Cup, their “Last Dance”.
Rapinoe, 38, and Marta, 37, stand for a large generation that shone at the 2011 World Cup in Germany and is now leaving the big stage in Australia and New Zealand. Because the 40-year-old Christine Sinclair, a Canadian legend with an incredible 190 goals in 323 international matches, Sweden’s captain Caroline Seger (38) or the French Eugenie Le Sommer (34) are about to say goodbye to the World Cup.
“The time has come to prioritize other things,” says Marta. It’s hard to believe that the Brazilian and Rapinoe have only met once at a World Cup. That was in 2011, in the quarter-finals in Dresden. Brazil led 2-1 until the 120th minute, Marta had struck twice when Rapinoe threw a cross at Abby Wambach – equaliser, penalties, USA won. To date, Brazil – and thus Marta – has never won the title.
Popp is still keeping his options open
The six-time world soccer player has nevertheless collected records en masse – with her 17 World Cup goals, she is ahead of Miroslav Klose, who holds the men’s record with 16 goals. She is also one of only three players to have scored in five different World Cups. “There’s something surreal about all these numbers,” says Marta, who was last out for a long time due to a cruciate ligament tear.
Rapinoe will also leave huge footprints, the third world title in a row would be the perfect conclusion for her and probably also for her teammate Alex Morgan (34). “We want to make history,” says Rapinoe, who has never hidden herself off the field in her career. The hoped-for last duel with Marta could, however, take place in the final at the earliest – it would be almost too cheesy.
Sweden’s captain Seger, who has played 235 international matches so far, more than any other European, will also complete her last World Cup dance Down Under. Sinclair’s record career, which led Canada to Olympic victory in 2021, is also coming to an end. The same applies to the former Bayern player Ali Riley (35), captain of co-hosts New Zealand, or the Dane Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen (34), who also has 176 international matches under her belt.
And in the German team? So far, only Marina Hegering has an approaching end to her career, after the 2023/2024 season the 33-year-old is supposed to switch to the coaching team at VfL Wolfsburg. Alexandra Popp, who is one year younger, is still considering it. “The topic is completely open,” says Popp about her future in the DFB team. A World Cup participation in 2027 is at least not excluded.