PST: Rapinoe's first day with Lyon

Yesterday, Lyon Feminine made it official, announcing the short-term capture of U.S. Women?s National Team starlet Megan Rapinoe. The club?s president followed with his own message, Rapinoe posted pics with the new boss, but it wasn?t until seeing?these pictures of Rapinoe in training that it really set in. Megan Rapinoe?s going to be playing in France this winter.

I feel like I?m more intrigued by this than most. Lyon is the best team in the world (best club team of all-time?) with a loaded roster. Just training with the club will offer Rapinoe opportunities she can?t get outside of national team camps.

Lyon?s the two-time defending UEFA Champions League winners and are heavy favorites to make it three in a row. Along the way, they?ll have to defeat Swedish power Malm?, (likely) French rival Juvisy, then either German leaders Wolfsburg or defending English champions Arsenal.?Those are five games with a level of play that?s unlikely to be replicated in the new National Women?s Soccer League.

Combined with matches against Juvisy, Paris Saint-Germain, and Montpellier in France,?Rapinoe?s going to get more quality soccer than any of her NWSL-based peers.

Then there?s the money. Terms of Rapinoe?s deal haven?t been made public, but Lyon?s probably got the highest payroll in the world. Six-figure deals are not uncommon amongst their stars, and over the half-season Rapinoe plays in France, she may end up earning more money than she would have made over 22 games in the NWSL (given her time with Lyon, she will likely miss the start of the domestic season).

NOTE: One reader via Twitter pointed to a report that has Rapinoe making around ?4,000 per month, which would be an annual salary of just over $60,000.

This all assumes Rapinoe gets the playing time we expect. She should, but Lyon has nine international-quality midfielders and attackers, many of whom feature for the talented (if mercurial) French national team. If Rapinoe doesn?t assimilate quickly, it?s not?inconceivable?she?ll end up on Patrice Lair?s bench.

Still, it?s an amazing opportunity, one more of her teammates should be leveraging. While the NWSL needs prominent national team stars to draw fans, a number of players are at crucial points in their development. Opportunities like Lyon?s will make them better players. Failing to take advantage of them could stunt the development of players like Tobin Heath, Lauren Cheney, Sydney Leroux and (yes, even) Alex Morgan.

Rapinoe?s a few years older than that group, but he game is still maturing. The competition at Lyon will bring the best out of her.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/09/megan-rapinoe-pictures-lyon-training-signed/related/

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