Megan Rapinoe says the fight to secure equal pay for women representing the United States national team is the most cherished memory of her international career.
The USA crashed out of the Women’s World Cup on Sunday after they were beaten by Sweden on penalties in their last-16 tie.
Rapinoe, who was in tears at the final whistle having missed her penalty during the shootout, has now made her final World Cup appearance as she plans to retire when the National Women’s Soccer League season ends in October.
The 38-year-old has won two World Cup trophies with the United States and played an instrumental role in campaigning for female players to receive the same pay as male players who represent the national side.
During United States’ 2-0 victory over Netherlands in the Women’s World Cup final in 2019, fans could be heard chanting ‘equal pay, equal pay’ from the stands.
And Rapinoe, who scored the United States’ opening goal in that win, believes their campaign for equal pay has ‘changed the world forever’.
When asked if there was a memory from her time with the United States national team that stood out after their World Cup exit, Rapinoe told Fox Sports: ‘I mean… probably equal pay chants after the final [in 2019].
‘And I think they were saying equal pay but they could have been saying a lot of things. I think this team has always fought for so much more and that’s been the most rewarding part for me.
‘Of course, playing in World Cups and winning championships and doing all that but to know that we’ve used our really special talent to do something that’s really changed the world forever, I think that means the most to me.
‘The player in this locker room here are just getting started, all the players I’ve played with, obviously, who know what it’s like to be in the grind. That’s the best part.’
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