After shaking off a hamstring injury she suffered in the quarterfinals, Megan Rapinoe returned to the USWNT starting 11 on Saturday to fac...
After shaking off a hamstring injury she suffered in the quarterfinals, Megan Rapinoe returned to the USWNT starting 11 on Saturday to face the Netherlands in the World Cup Final - and she was already making headlines before the first whistle blew.
The fiery forward, 34, is as renowned for her sharp movement on the field as she is her sharp tongue off of it, telling a reporter last month that she would not be ‘going anywhere near the f***ing White House’ should the USWNT be crowned World Cup champions for a record fourth time.
But in her latest protest against President Trump - a man she has previously branded a ‘racist’ and a ‘misogynist’ - Rapinoe refused to sing along to the national anthem, standing emotionless with her hands clasped behind her back and her lips unmoved.
This is not the first time Rapinoe has opted not to recite the words of The Star-Spangled Banner, having not taken part in the anthem at all for the last three years.
She even chose kneel during the hymn through much of 2016, until the US Soccer Federation implemented a new rule requiring players to stand.
After shaking off a hamstring injury in the quarterfinals of the World Cup to return to the starting 11 against the Netherlands on Saturday, Megan Rapinoe was already making headlines before the first whistle blew
The fiery forward, 34, refused to sing along to the national anthem prior to kick-off, standing emotionless with her hands clasped behind her back
President Trump has yet to congratulate Team USA on their record-breaking win, but First Lady Melania tweeted on Saturday, 'Congratulations to 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions @TeamUSA!'
Standing in solidarity with NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who famously took the knee during the national anthem in protest against racism, Rapinoe explained her decision to abstain the anthem as a protest to racism and inequality - as well as an attempt to send a message directly to the president.
‘Because I’m as talented as I am, I get to be here, you don’t get to tell me if I can be here or not,’ she told Yahoo Sports this week. ‘So it’s kind of a good ‘F you’ to any sort of inequality or bad sentiments that the [Trump] administration might have towards people who don’t look exactly like him.’
She has since complied with the no-kneeling rule, but her latest objection is sure to irk Trump once more, particularly after claiming yesterday that ‘not many, if any’ of her teammates would accept an invitation to meet the president if they won the cup.
Trump hit back on Twitter, writing: 'I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women's Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!’
This is not the first time Rapinoe has opted not to recite the words of The Star-Spangled Banner, she has not taken part in the anthem since 2016. She even chose kneel during the hymn through much of 2016, until the US Soccer Federation implemented a new rule requiring players to stand
Heeding the warning, on Saturday afternoon Rapinoe played a key-role in the USWNT’s triumphant 2-0 victory of the Netherlands before her substitution in the 68th minute.
Following a scoreless first half, captain Rapinoe scored a penalty kick just after the hour mark before Rose LaValle added a second just eight minutes later in the 69th minute.
First Lady Melania was the first to to congratulate Jill Ellis' team on their emphatic win, tweeting on Saturday, 'Congratulations to 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions @TeamUSA!'
Her husband followed her lead hours afterwards, offering a surprisingly warm tribute despite a strained few weeks.
'Congratulations to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team on winning the World Cup! Great and exciting play. America is proud of you all!'
The self-described 'walking protest' to President Trump has been prolific throughout the road to the final, scoring five goals before she was forced to sit out the semi-final 2-1 win over England with a hamstring injury.
'We're crazy,' captain Megan Rapinoe said after the U.S. won its second consecutive World Cup title. 'That's what makes us special.'
In response to Rapinoe's claim that she wouldn't attend the White House if USWNT won, Trump hit back on Twitter this week, writing: 'I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women's Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!’
Following a scoreless first half, captain Rapinoe scored a penalty kick just after the hour mark before Rose LaValle added a second just three minutes later in the 64th minute - two goals that would secure a record-winning fourth World Cup
Dutch goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal was the unquestioned star of the first 45 minutes, making four difficult saves and shutting down several American chances.
The heavily-favored Americans previously scored in the first 12 minutes of every other tournament game. Sunday also marked only the second time in the tournament that the U.S. entered halftime without the lead.
The U.S. nearly scored off a corner kick in the 27th minute as the ball bounced to midfielder Julie Ertz, whose rife shot was saved easily by Van Veenendaal.
The Americans dominated the first half, but failed to convert a dozen or so chances with Van Veenendaal and the Dutch defense weather the storm of the US’ front line.
This is not the first time Rapinoe has opted not to recite the words of The Star-Spangled Banner, she had previously even chose to kneel during the hymn through much of 2016, until the US Soccer Federation implemented a new rule requiring players to stand
Rapinoe scored her sixth goal of the tournament in the final, tying her with Morgan and England's Ellen White at the top of the Golden Boot race
'We're crazy,' captain Megan Rapinoe said after the U.S. won its second consecutive World Cup title. 'That's what makes us special'
As the final whistle blew in Lyon, Fox play-by-play announcer Glenn Davis said: ‘'You're looking at one of the greatest teams in sports history'
The first goal came about after referee Stephanie Frappart awarded a penalty following a video review showed that defender Stefanie van der Gragt made a high challenge on American striker Alex Morgan.
Rapinoe, who was returning from a hamstring injury, confidently struck the spot-kick down the middle and past a static Sari van Veenendaal, who seemed to anticipate Rapinoe would shoot to the side and was wrong-footed.
And just as she did in the quarterfinal win over France, Rapinoe struck a dramatic pose after the goal, raising one arm like a ballerina.
'It's unbelievable,' Rapinoe told Fox after the win. 'We have all our friends and family here. It's surreal.'
It was Rapinoe's sixth goal, tying her with Morgan and England's Ellen White at the top of the scoring charts.
For her goal, LaVelle's collected the ball some 30 meters out, advanced to the penalty area and slaloming past defender Stefanie van der Gragt before planting a low shot past goalkeeper Veenendaal.
She was mobbed as she dived into the arms of her teammates as she sprinted to the U.S. bench to celebrate.
As the final whistle blew in Lyon, Fox play-by-play announcer Glenn Davis said: ‘'You're looking at one of the greatest teams in sports history.'
I want to see Colin hug Megan
ReplyDeleteJust another stupid dyke....she needs to go to Venezeula if she hates this country so much. Who watches soccer anyway?
ReplyDeleteYou need to go to Hell. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f6c3c8b78738fedf63cdcf3a2d8814cba485d017fe5629d240a3ac09992b685a.png
ReplyDeleteI think he's allergic to dykes....and only hugs mussies....
ReplyDeleteWhat's she protesting again? Anybody know?
ReplyDeleteKaepernick, I believe, was protesting the shooting of Michael Brown who had just done petty larceny and assault at a convenience store and charged a police officer that killed him.
If any of these people were protesting, say, our war in Afghanistan which NOBODY knows why we're fighting if they even know we're fighting it - I'd respect them.
Are they protesting the 100,000 to 1,000,000 Iraqis that were killed in Iraq over lies by our intelligence agencies, and administration at the time? Are they protesting that Obama bombed 7 nations over 8 years, and created the refugee crisis that is now in Europe? Or that the destruction of Libya has kept it in civil war, which now has slavery markets now?
They aren't, are they?
I don't respect them, they seem to be told what to protest, and have no real principles about what to protest. There is this vague cloud of what exactly they are protesting. They really aren't protesting anything, this is virtue signalling for idiots. The United States federal government has committed REAL CRIMES - the murder of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, with no real justification - in countries that were no threat to the United States. They won't protest that.