Lyon (AFP) – USA star Megan Rapinoe said it was “time to sit down and get to work” after hearing American fans greet the team’s victory over the Netherlands in the women’s World Cup final on Sunday with chants calling for equal pay.
Rapinoe has been a key player in the squad’s battle for pay equality which led them to file a lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation earlier this year accusing the organisation of gender discrimination.
She also made headlines for stating she would boycott any team visit to Donald Trump if the USA won the tournament
Trump put that spat behind him to tweet congratulations to the team on Sunday, while Rapinoe avoided getting drawn into another discussion about whether she would go to the White House.
“We have such a strong and proud and defiant group of women, I don’t think we really have anything to say,” said Rapinoe.
Her coach Jill Ellis simply said: “I haven’t been invited so I can’t say”. When it was put to her that an invitation would surely be forthcoming, she replied: “I wouldn’t bet on that!”
Rapinoe has been the biggest star on the field over the last month in France, and she scored the opener from the penalty spot as the holders beat the Dutch 2-0 in Lyon to retain their title.
It was the 34-year-old’s sixth goal of the competition, allowing her to walk away with the Golden Boot for the top scorer as well as the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament.
Rapinoe said she had exchanged “pleasantries” with FIFA president Gianni Infantino as she collected her medal.
“Everyone is kind of asking what’s next and what we want to come of all of this, and it’s to stop having the conversation about equal pay and are we worth it,” Rapinoe said.
“What are we going to do about it? It’s time to sit down with everyone and get to work,” she said, mentioning Infantino as well as US Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro.
“This game has done so much for all of us, we’ve put so much into it. I think it’s a testament to the quality on the field, I don’t think everything else is matching that.”
– ‘Built for this’ –
Ellis herself offered glowing praise for Rapinoe, who missed the semi-final win over England due to injury but returned in style here, having earlier scored two goals in both the wins over Spain in the last 16 and France in the quarter-finals.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2JuAm3i
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