“It was a fun way to tell everyone to go to hell” – Megan Rapinoe’s reason for dyeing her hair pink and blue resurfaces ahead of retirement

Ballon d'Or winner Megan Rapinoe has enjoyed a hugely successful professional career, one which she is set to call time on. She revealed the reason and thought process behind her iconic hair colours in an interview with AS.

Rapinoe is one of the world's most recognisable female footballers due to her bold choice of dyeing her hair pink or blue. She first appeared with pink hair at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, a tournament she won with the USWNT. She embraced it for the remainder of her storied career.

Every football fan who knows Megan Rapinoe is aware that she has a very strong persona, having stood her ground in the fight for equal pay. Her choice of hair color, she revealed, is a way of doing things her own way on the pitch.

“For me, having pink hair is a way of expressing the way I relate to beauty. When I’m on the pitch, I want to look beautiful. That’s a different form of beauty.

“I always tell myself: ‘Look good, feel good, and play good’, in that order. It was a fun way to express my style and my individuality. Obviously, at a World Cup, everything is so serious and stressful. It was a fun way to tell everyone to go to hell.”

Rapinoe, 38, is certainly an icon of the USWNT for her performances and achievements over the years. As she closes her international football chapter, she will be looking to enjoy life a bit differently.

Megan Rapinoe is set to end her storied USWNT and professional career

The USWNT will face African champions South Africa in a friendly match as they build up to next year's Olympic Games. The match is of huge significance to Rapinoe, as it will be her last with the national team.

Megan Rapinoe has scored 63 goals for the USWNT and is one of only four players to play 200 matches for the country. She won the FIFA Women's World Cup twice, in 2015 and 2019, as well as an Olympic gold medal in 2012.

She won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup in France, where she shone alongside Alex Morgan.

Rapinoe is still contracted to NWSL side OL Reign, where she will continue to feature. She has decided to retire fully from professional football but will continue to play for her club for a bit more until the season ends.