‘It’s disgraceful!’: Megan Rapinoe lays into Manchester United for their failure to put ‘effort and pounds’ into women’s football for YEARS before signing two of her US team-mates this summer
- Megan Rapinoe has slammed the lack of investment in the women’s game
- She says sides like Manchester United should have supported the WSL more
- United only created women’s team in 2018 but they are now top of the WSL
- Rapinoe also spoke out about fight against racial injustice and police brutality
USA women’s star and two-time World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe has slammed Manchester United for their delay in forming a female team.
The Women’s Super League has seen a dramatic rise in popularity over the last few years, but United only created their own team in the summer of 2018 – eight years after the initial formation of the WSL.
Since then, United have achieved promotion to the top flight and Casey Stoney’s team are now top of the WSL after six matches of the current campaign.
Megan Rapinoe has hit out at Manchester United and others for their lack of investment
United only formed a women’s team in 2018 but they are already top of Women’s Super League
Although they have enjoyed a successful start, even managing to recruit two of the USA’s top stars in Christen Press and Tobin Heath this summer, Rapinoe insists they – and others in England – need to do more to support the women’s game.
‘I think women’s football in England is the same as in America,’ Rapinoe told the BBC. ‘It is so far behind because of what we’ve had to overcome in the lack of investment.
‘It’s 2020. How long has the Premier League been around? And we’re only just seeing a club like Manchester United put effort and pounds towards a women’s team? Frankly, it’s disgraceful.’
The outspoken Rapinoe is not afraid to share her views and hit the headlines four years ago when she took the knee in support of Colin Kaepernick and his fight against police brutality and racial injustice in America.
Rapinoe says Premier League teams should have been more supportive of the women’s game
Casey Stoney is the manager of Manchester United, earning promotion in their first season
‘I’m proud of it, to be honest. I’m proud of speaking my mind and doing the right thing. I feel this is how change is made,’ Rapinoe added.
‘Any time I have someone try to explain or argue with me about kneeling or arguing, it’s just an incoherent, fumbling, patriotic mess, right?
‘Taking a knee sharpened my understanding of what I did, how I supported Colin and sharpened my resolved in that.’
Rapinoe hit the headlines in 2016 when she took a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick
Some of the USA’s top stars, like Tobin Heath (pictured), now play for Manchester United
