Megan Rapinoe Was Golden and Glowing on the Set of SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot in St. Lucia

The former pro soccer player made her brand debut in the tropical location ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Megan Rapinoe was photographed by Ben Watts in St. Lucia. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

At the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season, Megan Rapinoe retired after a monumental season on the pitch. She had spent over a decade playing professional soccer—and successfully, too—and it was time to hang up her jersey and cleats.

Retirement, for Rapinoe, came on the back end of years of hard work and impressive accomplishments in the game of soccer (and beyond). During her professional tenure, she played in four different FIFA Women’s World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023)—helping her team to a title in two of her four appearances on the international stage.

Before her third appearance (and one of her two FIFA World Cup wins), the powerful athlete made a pitstop on the beaches of St. Lucia, where she posed for her first of two Sports Illustrated Swimsuit features. It was a momentous experience for Rapinoe, who took the opportunity to show off her incredible soccer skills and impeccable strength. Sporting golden swimwear and with a golden ball at her feet, she looked just as natural on the set of her photo shoot as she did on the pitch.

Following the feature, she traveled to France, where she helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) secure a second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup win. And while it wasn’t her last time on the international stage, retirement wasn’t far off, either. With one more World Cup appearance under her belt (in 2023), Rapinoe retired late last year.

“I’m thrilled to be retired after an amazing career. I played for a very long time, and it was incredible,” she reflected on the set of the 60th anniversary Legends photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla. this year. “I can’t even believe I got to live that life. I loved it. But I’m so happy to be done. I’m excited to figure out this next chapter. I’m just so passionate about women’s sports and where it’s going. Women’s sports is special because it intersects with every single part of life, every single part of progress and equality, making our world a better place. I think women’s sports has an amazing opportunity to do something very special in the next five to 10 years, and beyond that.”

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the former pro. In the meantime, we’ll be admiring her show of skill and strength on the set of her brand debut in St. Lucia.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated