Megan Rapinoe Net Worth: Star's Millions Didn't Come From US Soccer Salary

Megan Rapinoe, one of the best-known players in women's soccer, was recently announced as one of the celebrities Victoria's Secret has hired in its rebrand attempt. Here's how she made her fortune before joining the lingerie giant.

The 35-year-old California native plays as a winger and captains the OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Rapinoe was a key part of the U.S. women's national team (USWNT) that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and was also a major contributor to the team's second-place finish in the international tournament in 2011.

After making a name for herself in the sport, the star athlete currently has an estimated net worth of $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

After the 2011 World Cup, Rapinoe was given “cash considerations” of $100,000 after being traded to Florida-based club MagicJack. Female soccer players had an average salary of $25,000 at the time, Wealthy Genius reported.

Rapinoe earned considerably more during the two seasons she played in Europe. Between 2013 and 2014, she received an annual salary of $168,000 playing for French side Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon), according to Insider.

But after the USWNT negotiated for a better deal in 2017, Rapinoe and her teammates now earn $4,950 for every tournament game they win and make an average of $167,000 per year, as per Celebrity Net Worth. The outlet noted that star players such as Rapinoe usually earn over $400,000 annually from all sources.

The majority of Rapinoe’s net worth comes from her various endorsement deals, which include Procter & Gamble, BodyArmor, Hulu, LUNA Bar, Smirnoff, Samsung, Vitamin Water, medical device company DJO Global and clothing company Wildfang.

But the most lucrative among them is her deal with Nike. She was featured in a Nike commercial with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2016. The footwear giant also launched a campaign in 2020 titled “You Can’t Stop Us” in collaboration with the star athlete, USA Today reported.

Despite being one of the U.S. team's veterans, however, Rapinoe's earnings pale in comparison to what her teammates Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz are said to be making. The former is estimated to rake in $3.5 million a year. The difference in earnings is mainly due to the difference in the number of their endorsement deals, Goal reported.

Rapinoe has a large following on social media, boasting 2.2 million followers on her Instagram, around 900,000 followers on Twitter and over 700,000 followers on Facebook.

As for her personal life, Rapinoe, an outspoken proponent of LGBTQ+ rights, is dating Women’s National Basketball Association’s Sue Bird, who plays for the Seattle Storm as a guard. The couple began dating in 2016 after meeting at a press event shortly before the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Rapinoe proposed to Bird in October last year.