Megan Rapinoe, a midfielder who represented the United States in women’s soccer for 17 years, will be remembered for more than the way she dominated the 2019 Women’s World Cup while leading the Americans to their fourth championship. She will be remembered for more than her two Women’s World Cup titles, her Olympic gold medal and her FIFA award as the world’s best female player in 2019. She even will be remembered for more than the penalty kick she missed Aug. 6, as the United States lost to Sweden in the Round of 16 at this year’s tournament.

No, Megan Rapinoe will be remembered for turning the national women’s soccer team into a personal political plaything, for contaminating team morale and for alienating large segments of the team’s fan base — in many cases, permanently.

[I don’t watch soccer; I don’t watch baseball or basketball either, and am growing increasingly disconnected from football too. Nevertheless, if I was at all interested in soccer at some point, the incessant politicization of it by Rapinoe would likely have turned me off, too. That said, I’d root for the US no matter what when playing against international competitors, so I’m sorry they lost. I won’t be sorry to see Rapinoe retire, though. — Ed]