Rapinoe, FIFA Player of the Year and a two-time World Cup winner, including this year's tournament in France, was selected for dominating "the world's game, on the world's stage, under attack by a world leader."
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The magazine says Rapinoe is just the fourth woman in the award's 66-year history to win the honor unaccompanied, calling it "a remarkable athletic achievement and a reflection of entrenched gender biases."
Her pose, arms outstretched, chin up, head tilted back slightly after scoring the World Cup-winning goal against the Netherlands, represents one of the signature sports images of 2019.