Megan Rapinoe may have achieved international recognition as an Olympic gold medalist and a two-time World Cup champion, but her twin sister, Rachael Rapinoe, was just as much of a soccer powerhouse — especially when they were kids.
“I always remember Rachael being the best athlete I knew,” Megan told GQ in 2023. “Certainly the best in our household.”
The twin siblings were born on July 5, 1985, in Redding, Calif., to parents Denise Rapinoe and Jim Rapinoe. According to Sports Illustrated, Rachael is technically the oldest and was born 11 minutes before Megan.
Denise, a steakhouse waitress, has two children — Michael and Jenny — from a previous marriage. She met and married Jim, a general contractor, and together they had son Brian and the twins. They also took in Denise’s youngest sister and Brian’s son, Austin Rapinoe, who needed care during his father’s struggle with drug addiction.
Megan and Rachael learned to play soccer from a young age …