By Pat Gainor, Staff Writer

The U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team bid farewell to longtime midfielder Julie Ertz and striker Megan Rapinoe with two international friendly victories against South Africa last week.

Both players made it clear that this season would be their final one representing Americaon the pitch, with Rapinoe announcing her planned retirement ahead of the Women’s World Cup and Ertz announcing afterwards, on September 1st. In two emotional matches at TQL Stadium and Soldier Field, both players got a rousing send-off as they hung up the cleats for the final time.

Ertz, a native from Arizona, played collegiate soccer from 2010 to 2013 with Santa Clara, where she led the Broncos to two NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament berths and two selections to the NSCAA All-American First Team. In 2014, she was selected third overall by the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL, where she would play until she was traded to Angel City FC in 2021. In 2015, after many successful appearances in friendlies, she was selected to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Roster, cementing her roster spot on the USWNT.

Rapinoe, who grew up in Redding, California, burst onto the scene at Portland University, where she helped lead the Pilots to a perfect season and the 2005 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament Championship as a freshman. Her early success cemented her spot on the women’s team roster in 2006 – at just 21 years old – and though back-to-back ACL injuries caused her to miss almost three years of action, she became a centerpiece of the national team for the subsequent decade and change, helping the USA to a goal medal in the 2012 London Olympics and back to back FIFA Women’s World Cup Championships in 2015 and 2019. In the latter, she was awarded the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball for her performance, topped off by her game-winning goal in the USA’s victory over the Netherlands in the final.

Last Friday night, TQL Stadium was ablaze with appreciation for two-time World Cup Champion Julie Ertz (left) and Megan Rapinoe (right), who stands third all-time in assists for the USWNT.  

In Ertz’s final match, which was held in Cincinnati last Thursday, the USA put pressure on South Africa’s own 18 throughout, before a corner kick by Lindsey Horan was headed in by Lynn Williams to open the scoring. Less than two minutes later, Horan forced a turnover, leading Alex Morgan to tee up Trinity Rodman on the breakaway and give the USA a 2-0 lead. In the 36th minute, Ertz took her curtain call, being substituted out to a raucous standing ovation of 22,000. A second goal by Williams before the break secured the 3-0 win.

“I gave everything I had to the sport that I love,” she said after announcing her retirement on September 1st, “With that I can walk away with no regrets because while I gave soccer every ounce of myself, soccer gave me even more, and for that I’ll always be thankful.”

Ertz closed her international career with 20 goals, and started all 17 World Cup matches she played in. She scored six goals with the Red Bulls over 95 games and scored once over three matches with Angel City.

The US Women’s National Team returned to the pitch on Sunday at Soldier Field for Megan Rapinoe’s sendoff. In the 18th minute, Alex Morgan beat her defender with a tough challenge before sending a cross for Trinity Rodman to send into the net to break through early. In the second half, a corner by Rapinoe was deflected by the South Africa goalkeeper, but Emily Sonnett got to the ball before it was cleared and sent it in for her second career international goal. Shortly after, Rapinoe took her exit in the 54th minute to a standing ovation.

“I know that I mean a lot to the game,” she said following the 2-0 victory, “But to have this night come and to actually feel it and see it — from my teammates, from our staff, and certainly from the fans, who have been such a huge part of our success on and off the field, really — it was very special.”

Rapinoe’s career with the Women’s National Team is the 4th longest ever at 17 years and 61 days. She ranks tenth all-time in goals scored internationally with 63 and third all-time in assists with 73, tying with the great Abby Wambach.

Both Ertz and Rapinoe have been praised as irreplaceable parts of women’s soccer history. Ertz won the Golden Ball in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship and was twice named the US Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2017 and 2019, the highest accolade for women’s soccer. Rapinoe was selected as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year following her performance in the 2019 World Cup, and was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 for her work in advocacy for gender equality and LGBTQ+ representation.