Megan Rapinoe has dedicated her career to the pursuit of on-field perfection, but the World Cup winner does have a lighter side and Germany international Dzsenifer Marozsan says the USWNT star is a “clown of the team” at OL Reign.
The United States midfielder, who has 187 caps to her name, has graced the very top of the game, collecting the Ballon d’Or Feminin and FIFA Best Women’s Player award along the way, with relentless drive allowing her to achieve legend status.
Life is not all work and no play for Rapinoe, though, with Marozsan – who spent time playing alongside the 36-year-old while taking in a Seattle-based loan spell in 2021 – revealing that Rapinoe is the perfect team-mate.
What has been said?
Marozsan told GOAL and SPOX of playing with the two-time World Cup winner: “She is a great person, great on a human level and very funny.
“She has a huge character, but is also a bit like the clown of the team.”
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What did Marozsan make of the States?
GettyGetting the chance to grace the same club side as stars such as Rapinoe was an opportunity that Marozsan could not pass up, with the 29-year-old enjoying her spell in America before returning to France at Lyon.
Of her experiences Stateside, a midfielder that has taken in 109 appearances for her country, said: “Everything was at an absolutely top level.
“It would certainly be very interesting to play with OL Reign against a top European club. Personally, I would say that you would have the level to keep up with top European clubs."
She added on life in Washington: “I had an apartment in beautiful Gig Harbor, about 15 minutes by car from Tacoma. It's incredibly idyllic there.
“The place is in Puget Sound, a roughly 150-kilometre-long, island-rich, fjord-like bay in north west Washington. I have to say, it's a really nice part of the world.”
Experience of NWSL scandal
While Marozsan thoroughly enjoyed her time in the U.S., it was during her stint with OL Reign that the NWSL was rocked by allegations of sexual coercion and verbal abuse against experienced coach Paul Riley.
Fixtures were shut down at one stage, as an investigation was opened, with everyone connected with the game in America pulling together at a challenging time.
Marozsan said: “Of course, this news was shocking for me too and difficult for the entire league to process.
“But I found it remarkable how all the teams in the league tackled it. Everyone banded together like a big family and held the culprits accountable and the allegations were resolved. That deserves a lot of respect.
“I really hope that something like this never happens again in the future. This scandal certainly put the sport in the USA in a bad light.
“All players in this league should feel safe and go about it without fear and be able to do what they love!”
