It must be hard to live in the shadow of your sibling, particularly when your sibling is one of the most important athletes of a generation, and particularly when that sibling is your twin. Luckily Rachael Rapinoe doesn't live in the shadow of her twin sister Megan, the lilac-haired forward on the United States National Women's Soccer Team. Rachael is just as talented and accomplished, though you probably won't find her accomplishments broadcast on ESPN.
The pair grew up close and though their professional paths diverged in young adulthood, they remain close today as sisters, business partners, and each other's biggest supporters. You know Megan Rapinoe from her record-breaking wins, bold style of play, and outspokenness on sociopolitical issues like equal pay and police brutality - now we're getting to know the other Rapinoe sister. Here is everything we know about Megan Rapinoe's twin sister Rachael.
10 She's A Soccer Star Too
After making it clear to college recruiters that they were a package deal, the fraternal twins played for the University of Portland on full scholarships and Rachael became the team's #1 scorer after Megan suffered an ACL injury. She played for the U.S. national under-23 team and later played at the international level on the Iceland women's team, the Stjarnan Women.
9 Megan Helped Her Find And Own Her Sexuality
Rachael went to University of Portland a year earlier than Megan because Megan was playing for the U.S. team at the under-19 World Cup. During that time Rachael began a relationship with a woman, though she was struggling with her identity and didn't know for sure that she was gay. She says she had always felt different, and somehow she knew that Megan felt the same. When Megan joined her at college, Rachael broke off the relationship and, heartbroken, came out to Megan - who came out to her as well and made her feel strong and powerful about her identity.
8 An Injury Ended Her Career
Though she was showing just as much promise as her sister, their paths diverged further when Rachael sustained a torn knee ligament. She would later re-tear it, which effectively ended her career as a soccer player. Luckily, she had been exploring other interests and it wasn't too hard for this multitalented gal to make a big pivot.
7 She's Went On To Pursue A Career In Medicine
After retiring from soccer, Rachael continued to support Megan's career while putting her talent and aptitude for sports to good use, pursuing a Master's degree in Health Studies in Exercise from Portland State University. She graduated in 2016 and began applying her biology and medicine education to studying athlete performance. Read on to see what cool business ventures this has led her to!
6 Megan Accidentally Outed Her As Gay
Like her sister, Rachael Rapinoe identifies as a lesbian, though Megan was quicker to acknowledge her sexuality - at least to her parents. Megan has spoken in interviews about how, in coming out to her parents, she accidentally outed her sister as well. When Megan's coming out upset their mother, Megan blurted, "Well, Rachael is gay too!"
5 She Runs A CBD Company Called Mendi
Obsessed with sports, performance and recovery, Rachael has found the perfect niche in which to build her signature company. Mendi subverts traditional pain management for athletes and markets CBD products to players in recovery, an alternative to many more harmful drugs they might otherwise turn to.
4 Her Brother's Addiction Helped Form Her Mission Statement
Rachael and Megan's older brother Brian has spent his adult life in and out of incarceration after getting into drugs and gangs as a teenager. Both twins speak frequently about their immense love for their brother and lambaste opioid crisis profiteering. Rachael wanted to market a product that could keep athletes away from narcotics as a means of pain management, and calls for the FDA to recognize and regulate cannabis as a less harmful substance with healing properties.
3 She Co-Created A Soccer Training Company
Megan and Rachael Rapinoe weren't done working together just because they stopped playing soccer together. They began Rapinoe SC, a soccer training program, offering clinics and programs to kids ages 7 to 18. The brand also doubled as an apparel line, which the twins can frequently be seen sporting, though the apparel branch of the company shut down so that the two could focus on other business ventures.
2 She Was The Bolder Twin
It's hard to imagine Megan Rapinoe being shy. Her braggadocio on the field and her bold calls for equal pay have made her a star. But apparently it was Rachael who was the braver one growing up. Megan recounts constantly trailing after her sister in middle school, envious of Rachael's seemingly effortless ability to take on any new challenge, and holding onto her like a security blanket.
1 She's All About Self Love
Speaking on the values that led her to create Mendi, Rachael touts self love above all else. She explains that only when we are truly at peace with ourselves can we help each other evolve because “our relationship with the world is a direct reflection of the relationship with yourself.” Exercise and play are key for self love, and she wanted to create a company that reflected those values.