Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird open the doors to their posh New York apartment as USWNT’s biggest star gears up for a life outside football after the World Cup

The latest edition of the home and living magazine ELLE DECOR has a more athletic flair than usual.

USA women’s national team player Megan Rapinoe and retired WNBA legend Sue Bird opened the doors of their home to discuss the various design elements of their new home in New York City.

The athletic power couple found a 150-square-foot, two-bedroom pied-à-terre complete with high ceilings, great views of the city and a rooftop terrace.

Rapinoe says that after getting the spot in 2021, they enlisted the help of designer Mark Grattan – who had previously been featured by the magazine.

As the story goes, Rapinoe took to Grattan’s DMs on Instagram and said, “My fiancée and I just got a place in SoHo and need HALP!”

The athlete power couple gave a look at their NYC home and its redesigned interior

Rapinoe is currently in New Zealand, participating in her last World Cup with the United States

Grattan, who says he “usually makes people sweat a little bit” when they ask for his services, said he replied the same day.

The condo, complete with a custom-designed open kitchen featuring Brazilian quartzite countertops, backsplash, and custom island, reflects an emerald green color.

That may somehow be related to the couple’s shared time in the Pacific Northwest, where they both played their sports professionally for years.

Rapinoe said the apartment is a place where they want to stay happy and build a future.

“New York is a very special place for both of us,” says Rapinoe. ‘Sue is from here. It feels like the place where we fell in love – it feels like home in so many ways.”

The couple was constantly traveling while the remodeling and design of the place was being done – mostly living in their home in Seattle.

“Athletes and artists aren’t that different,” says Bird. ‘There is a process. And you can’t skip steps, you just can’t.’

“When I think of retirement and the future, I think of our friends and family sitting on the couch and sharing joy together,” says Rapinoe.

The 1,650-square-foot SoHo condo features a beautifully designed open kitchen

As Rapinoe tells it, the couple chose New York because “it feels like home in so many ways”

Rapinoe has played in two World Cup matches so far, with the knockouts coming up

For Rapinoe, that retirement comes sooner rather than later.

The two-time World Cup winner, Olympic gold medalist and major women’s soccer star announced ahead of the start of the 2023 World Cup that she would retire at the end of this NWSL season.

It is the end of a long and successful career that has taken her across the country and to places all over the world.

So far, Rapinoe has only participated in the group stage of the World Cup twice at this World Cup.

She came off the bench in the 61st minute for both the 3-0 win over Vietnam and Tuesday’s 0-0 draw against Portugal.

That result saw the United States advance to the knockout stages once again, but struggles in all three of their matches have cast doubt on their ability to become the first country to win three World Cups in a row – both men’s and women’s. with the women.

After the conclusion of the World Cup for the United States, Rapinoe’s NWSL team – OL Reign – has six regular season games left in the season before the playoffs.