Everything to know about Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird’s relationship, from Olympic first meeting to engagement

US football star proposed to basketball star in 2020, seven days after saying she’d marry her

Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have been an exciting match to watch since the star athletes first got together.

A chance meeting at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro led to the pair’s engagement in 2020, with the couple now enjoying a long engagement.

As the couple previously told People, they didn’t want to rush planning their nuptials, because they’ve “always kind of known this was forever”.

“We’ve always kind of known that this was forever, so we aren’t necessarily in a rush,” the former WNBA player told the outlet in 2020.

From their first meeting to their eventual wedding plans, this is everything to know about Rapinoe and Bird’s relationship.

They first met in 2016

In August of 2016, Rapinoe and Bird bumped into each other at the Summer Olympics in Rio. Both professional athletes were doing press for NBC’s coverage of the Games when Rapinoe noticed Bird.

The American football player told NBC Sports: “She was in her basketball uniform, and she had her hair down.”

Rapinoe took it upon herself to make an introduction, which she admitted was “such a bad impression,” with the athlete opening with the “dorky” line: “Oh, hey! Ready for your game?”

Bird confirmed they were dating in 2017

Bird confirmed her sexuality and her new relationship with Rapinoe simultaneously in 2017. According to Bleacher Report, she told ESPNW: “I’m gay. Megan’s my girlfriend. I don’t feel like I’ve not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you’re not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it’s this secret. That was never the case for me.”

Addressing her potential critics, Bird added: “It’s happening when it’s happening because that’s what feels right. So even though I understand there are people who think I should have done it sooner, it wasn’t right for me at the time. I have to be true to that. It’s my journey.”

Rapinoe publicly identified herself as “gay” in her 2012 Out Magazine feature story.

Couple posed together for ESPN’s Body Issue in 2018

The US women’s national star and the former Seattle Storm point guard posed nude for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue together as the first same-sex couple to be featured.

“I think it’s important to do these things first. It’s important for people to come out. Visibility is important,” Rapinoe said in the accompanying interview. “I feel like [there are] a lot of negative ideas that hopefully I can break down just by being myself. Not only are we female athletes, but we’re dating as well. It’s kind of badass.”

At the time, Bird admitted she was excited to look back on the shoot in a few years.

Bird publicly expressed support for Rapinoe’s comments about White House visit in 2019

During a video filmed in July before the World Cup, Rapinoe conveyed zero interest in visiting the White House if the country’s national women’s soccer team won the championship title. She said: “I will not go to the f***ing White House.”

Former president Donald Trump tweeted in response to the athlete’s message said: “Megan should WIN first before she TALKS. Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House or our flag.”

Bird understood why Rapinoe refused to go and outwardly supported her decision in an essay she wrote for The Players’ Tribune. “Megan, man … I’ll tell you what. You just cannot shake that girl. She’s going to do her thing, at her own damn speed, to her own damn rhythm, and she’s going to apologise to exactly NO ONE for it,” Bird wrote. “So when all the Trump business started to go down last week, I mean - the fact that Megan just seemed completely unfazed? It’s strange to say, but that was probably the only normal thing about it. It’s not an act with her.”

When the US team won later that month, the 2002 first overall WNBA draft pick was in the stands for her partner’s victory and immediately ran up to Rapinoe to give her a champion’s kiss.

Couple became engaged in 2020

In October 2020, Rapinoe discussed the possibility of marriage during an interview with People, where she revealed that the pair had “talked” about the prospect of tying the knot.

A week later, Rapinoe proposed to her partner of four years, with Bird sharing the news of their engagement on Instagram. In the photo, the WNBA champion could be seen standing in an infinity pool while Rapinoe, who was kneeling on one knee, placed a ring on her finger.

Rapinoe showed support for her fiancée in 2021

In April of 2021, Rapinoe showed immense love and support for her fiancée in her activism efforts, and then again in July when Bird won her fifth Olympic Gold in Tokyo. An Instagram post of the two women kissing on the sidelines read: “I am so proud of you @sbird10. As if I could love you any more. Congrats baby!”

Speaking to NBC about Bird’s win, Rapinoe continued to praise her hard work. “[I’m] honestly inspired, and I told her the other day, it feels, like, corny to say but it’s like everything you would want in someone that you would look up to. Obviously, I get to be with her and I love her, that’s the most special part,” she said.

In 2022, Bird discussed potential wedding plans before announcing her retirement

Bird discussed wedding plans with People for the first time since December 2020 in March 2022, when she hinted that the couple may host their nuptials in Mexico.

“We’re kind of toying with having a wedding in Mexico maybe. So there’ll definitely be Coronas on deck. I can count on that for sure,” she said.

On 16 June, Bird stunned fans with the news of her retirement in an Instagram post. “I’ve decided this will be my final year. I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year just like this little girl played her first. #TheFinalYear,” she captioned a video of her on the court.

Rapinoe sent love to her partner in the comments under the post, where she wrote: “I love you baby. Congrats on the greatest career the @wnba has ever seen!”

Bird supports Rapinoe after football star announced her own retirement in 2023

This past month, Rapinoe made her own retirement announcement.

“It is with a deep sense of peace and gratitude that I have decided this will be my final season playing this beautiful game,” she captioned a childhood photo on Instagram. “I never could have imagined the ways in which soccer would shape and change my life forever, but by the look on this little girl’s face, I think she knew all along.”

Bird mirrored Rapinoe’s encouragement on her previous retirement announcement, when she wrote: “Congrats, baby!! That little girl is going to continue to do so much good in this world (but she sure did kill it on the field. I love you.”