As the United States secured a record-breaking fourth World Cup win in a dominating display over the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon, cries for ‘Equal pay!’ erupted among jubilant supporters in the stands and online.
Under the lead captain Megan Rapinoe, Team USA convincingly breezed past the Dutch in an exhilarating 2-0 victory, cementing their legacy as the most successful international women’s soccer team of all time.
But, despite the euphoria, many of its team members were quick to declare there are bigger victories to be had off the field, particularly in relation to being held in equal regard to their male counterparts.
And the crowd at the Stade de Lyon appeared to agree in hair-raising abundance, with thousands demanding ‘Equal pay, equal pay!’ in a raucous chant where each syllable was accentuated by a thunderous chorus of claps.
Under the lead of fully-recovered captain Megan Rapinoe, Team USA convincingly breezed past the Dutch in an exhilarating 2-0 victory – but she says bigger there are bigger victories to be had off the field
‘At this moment of tremendous pride for America, the sad equation remains all too clear, and Americans won’t stand for it anymore,’ said Molly Levinson, spokeswoman for the US Women’s National Team Players Association.
‘These athletes generate more revenue and garner higher TV ratings but get paid less simply because they are women.
‘It is time for the Federation to correct this disparity once and for all.’
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also fiercely booed by the crowd as he walked on the pitch to present the team with their trophy.
Rapinoe praised the crowd for providing the executive with a hostile welcome, hoping the display ‘shamed’ him into fighting for sexual equality in the sport.
‘A little public shame never hurt anybody, right? I’m down with the boos,’ she added.
‘Everyone is ready for this conversation to move to the next step. We’re done with “Are we worth it. Should we have equal pay?”
‘Everyone is done with that. Fans are done with that. Players are done with that. In a lot of ways sponsors are done with that. Every player at this World Cup, we put on the most incredible show that you could ever ask for.
‘We couldn’t do anything more … let’s get to the next point.’
Fans were also heard bellowing out chants of ‘F*** Trump’, during a live Fox News segment at a near-by Lyon supporters bar.
An outcry on social media saw the hashtag ‘#EqualPay’ topping the trending section, with a number of high-profile figures such as AOC speaking out
The crowd at the Stade de Lyon appeared to agree in hair-raising abundance, with thousands demanding ‘Equal pay, equal pay!’ in a raucous chant where each syllable was accentuated by a thunderous clap
Ranked as the number one team in the world, USWNT players have long been asking questions of the US Soccer Federation over their seeming favoring of the men’s international side, despite a quite drastic gulf in acquired accolades.
In March, 28 members of the team sued the USSF for what they believed was ‘intentional gender discrimination’ by continuing to pay them less than the men’s team ‘for substantially equal work and by denying them at least equal playing, training, and travel conditions; equal promotion of their games; equal support and development for their games; and other terms and conditions of employment equal to the MNT.’
The lawsuit alleges that a federation representative told the players that ‘market realities are such that the women do not deserve to be paid equally to the men.’
As the complaint argues, the women aren’t actually asking for equal pay for equal work, but equal pay for better work.
After all, the women’s team have won two world cups in succession. The men’s team are still yet to win one, and even failed to qualify for last summer’s tournament in Russia.
Ranked as the number one team in the world for some time before the 2019 tournament kicked-off in France, USWNT players have long been asking questions of the US Soccer Federation over their seeming favoring of the men’s international side, despite a quite drastic gulf in acquired accolades
As the complaint argues, the women aren’t actually asking for equal pay for equal work, but equal pay for better work. After all, the women’s team have won two world cups in succession. The men’s team are still yet to win one, and even failed to qualify for last summer’s tournament in Russia
A graph produced by Twitter shows the spike in posts about #EqualPay after the final whistle
Last month, the body and the team agreed tentatively to begin mediation to resolve the dispute, which is expected to begin now that the World Cup has concluded.
But the federation is likely to come under more pressure to act following Team USA’s historic win, as an outcry on social media saw the hashtag ‘#EqualPay’ topping Twitter’s trending section, with a number of high-profile figures weighing in with their two cents on the matter.
‘At this point we shouldn’t even be asking for equal pay for the USWNT,’ Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. ‘We should demand they be paid at least twice as much,’ accompanied by a winking emoji at the end.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King also added her congratulations, declaring that Team USA have ‘brought more attention, support & pride to women’s sport than perhaps any other team in history. It is long past time to pay them what they rightly deserve.’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also contributed to the cause, saying, ‘the National Team showed us their greatness – now show them the money.’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also contributed to the cause, saying, ‘the National Team showed us their greatness – now show them the money’
Members of France’s winning 2018 men’s World Cup team received a staggering $400 million for topping the tournament, whereas Jill Ellis’ squad will take home just $30 million.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the organisation will be doubling the total for the woman’s next competition in 2023, but Rapinoe is demanding action now.
‘It certainly is not fair,’ she said. ‘We should double it now and use that number to double it or quadruple it for the next time.’
Rapinoe returned to the USWNT starting 11 on Saturday after shaking a hamstring injury she suffered in the quarter finals – but she made headlines before the first whistle even 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.
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!’
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.
Standing in solidarity with NFL star Colin Kaepernick, 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.
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
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!’
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!’
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
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
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.
Rapinoe was presented with the golden ball and the golden boot, for being the team’s best player and joint-top scorer of the tournament, respectively.
‘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.’