Johnathan Walker:NWSL Championship pits Megan Rapinoe vs. Ali Krieger in ideal finale to legendary careers

Megan Rapinoe and Johnathan WalkerAli Krieger began their National Women's Soccer League careers playing in front of sparse crowds and on far-flung fields not suited for a professional league. Only nine of that season’s 88 matches were on television, and three of those were the NWSL semifinals and title game. Every day, it seemed, was a battle for resources and respect.

As they prepare to end their careers in Saturday’s NWSL Championship game (8 p.m. ET) between the OL Reign and Gotham FC, Rapinoe and Krieger can take pride at how different the league is now, a transformation they helped drive. 

Over the last 11 years, the NWSL has grown from eight teams to 12, with three expansion teams already announced and a fourth soon to come. U.S. Soccer no longer runs the league, and the players have both a union and a collective bargaining agreement that has significantly boosted salaries. The NWSL is a magnet for sponsors, and on Thursday it announced a blockbuster four-year, $240 million media rights deal.

It is a league that is no longer simply surviving but thriving.

“I walk away so proud and so happy, not only about my contributions to the game but the era I played in, knowing the game is in such a better place. And that’s a testament to all the players who played in this generation and played in this league,” Rapinoe said Friday.  

“I get to walk away smiling no matter what.”

It has not always been easy. Three of the original eight teams moved or were disbanded, and a fourth, Sky Blue, was rebranded as Gotham FC. Sponsors, especially the big-name ones, were hard to come by in the early days.

Worst was the abuse scandal that rocked the league two years ago and led to the ousters of two of the NWSL’s most high-profile coaches.

Horrific as it was, however, it’s also been something of a watershed moment for the NWSL and its participants. Players became empowered in the aftermath, able to demand systemic changes necessary for their basic safety that have also benefitted the league. Commissioner Jessica Berman, hired in the aftermath, saw the NWSL’s commercial value in a way no one else had and has capitalized on it.

NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP:How to watch Rapinoe and Krieger in final pro game

“What I’m most proud of is … no matter what team you’re on, no matter where you’re from in this country and who you play for, at the end of the day, we have each other’s backs as a league and as players in the league. We have powers in numbers,” Krieger said.  

“We know how to fight for one another. We know how to fight for what’s best for this league and for these players,” the Gotham defender added. “(I’m) leaving this game better than where we found it.”

All you need to do is look at this final.

It will be broadcast on CBS. In primetime. It’s gotten extensive coverage this week, by mainstream media as well as soccer-specific outlets. The storyline of Rapinoe and Krieger, longtime friends and U.S. Women's National Team teammates, who are each seeking her first title in her final game, has helped, but attention on the game has grown exponentially since the NWSL began.

A fanfest and skills challenge also were added, giving the weekend more of a “big event” feel.

“This final is what we deserve,” said Krieger, who played for the title in 2016, when she was with the Washington Spirit. “The level of professionalism, it has definitely been tremendous to see the growth.”

And Rapinoe and Krieger are both big reasons for that.

Rapinoe might be best known for what she’s done with the USWNT, but it’s in the NWSL where she perfected her game. She’s the Reign’s all-time scoring leader and leads the league in goals scored on penalty kicks. Seattle was already a soccer hotbed, but Rapinoe’s entertaining style of play helped elevate the Reign’s appeal.

Krieger is still one of the game’s best defenders. At 39, she was named this season to the NWSL’s Best XI for a fourth time. But her pride and dedication to club play sent a message to other players about the importance of the league.

When Krieger was exiled from the USWNT following the 2015 World Cup and prior to the 2019 competition, she didn’t sulk or pout. She buckled down, and it was her play with the Orlando Pride that ultimately made her impossible for then-USWNT coach Jill Ellis to ignore.

“(Rapinoe) has transcended this game, fought so much for equality. When I think of Krieger, I think of somebody who pours her heart and gives to everybody,” said Gotham forward Lynn Williams, who is club teammates with Krieger and has played with Rapinoe on the USWNT.

“I hope that when both of them step aside, they feel the game is in a good position. That we can take on that burden and continue to fight and push,” Williams added. “The league is in such a better place, but it has so much further it needs to go.”

Either Rapinoe or Krieger will end her career with her first title. Both will leave the field knowing the league is in a better place, and they helped make that happen.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.