When renowned athletes declare they are retiring, there is typically a farewell tour filled with gifts and adulation.

Consider the recent NBA examples of Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, who both received lavish farewells during their final seasons.

Had NFL quarterback Tom Brady decided to retire in a timely manner, he would have received the same treatment (and possibly saved his marriage as well).

Even if the golden carpet is not brought out for a celebrity athlete’s farewell, he or she usually receives a token of honor.

Reggie Miller concluded his legendary NBA career with a home postseason defeat to the Detroit Pistons. During that crucial 2005 playoff game, Pistons head coach Larry Brown wasted the last of his timeouts in a game that his team was certain to win, just to give the Pacers faithful more time to shower Miller with affection.

Like Miller, the divisive soccer icon Megan Rapinoe made what is likely to be her final appearance with the U.S. Women’s National Team on Sunday on her home turf.

In contrast to Miller, one of the most prominent (and infamous) women’s soccer players in U.S. history received little fanfare in her U.S. farewell.

The national anthem protester, LGBT activist, and anti-Trump has made it clear that this is her last stand, so one would assume that the otherwise innocuous send-off game between the U.S. and Wales (the last before the USWNT travels to New Zealand for World Cup play) would be an ideal opportunity for Rapinoe to have her own Reggie Miller moment.

In addition, the game (which the United States won 2-0) was held in San Jose, California, which was not too far from her hometown of Redding, California.

But Rapinoe received nothing in recognition of her legacy at the game.

No, absolutely nothing. She did not participate at all.

“On Sunday, a day after she surprised her team and her fans by publicly announcing plans to retire at the end of this year, Rapinoe found herself settling into a seat on the U.S. women’s national team bench a couple hundred miles from her hometown,” The New York Times reported.

“That the U.S. struggled to break down a resolute Wales team that failed to qualify for the World Cup … was perhaps a hopeful indication that Rapinoe might still have an important role to play before she walks away from the team for good,” the Times’ Claire Fahy wrote.

“Her chance never arrived on Sunday: Rapinoe did not warm up and [coach Vlatko] Andonovski never called for her to come on.”

This could be the result of any number of factors.

On the one hand, it cannot be denied that Rapinoe is no longer the same player she once was. Age inevitably catches up with every professional athlete, and sometimes it’s simply unavoidable to retire with a sigh.

Perhaps she was benched because her performance as a player was subpar. (It is noteworthy that Reggie Miller scored 27 points in his final game while shooting 69 percent on fire.)

You might expect her to make at least a perfunctory appearance in front of her family and acquaintances if this were true. (According to The Times, approximately forty acquaintances and family members showed up for Rapinoe.)

Even Wade and Nowitzki were added to the NBA All-Star Game as “lifetime achievements” in their final season in the league.

Rapinoe’s instructor reported that she was healthy and authorized to play.

Vlatko says Ertz, Lavelle, and Rapinoe are "all healthy," with Ertz further ahead. Adds that Ertz could have played today if this were a World Cup match, & that Lavelle & Rapinoe are "medically cleared." #USWNT

— Jason Anderson (@JasonDCsoccer) July 9, 2023

Possibly she was simply sleeping, as this game is relatively inconsequential and the World Cup is about to commence. (The United States will face Vietnam in New Zealand on July 22 at 1 p.m. local time)

Regardless, it is a demeaning omission at best and a humiliating act at worst for the left-wing soccer icon.