The United States Women’s National Soccer team (USWNT) made some noise this summer when they brought home the World Cup Championship. Not only did they accomplish the main goal, but the women did it fearlessly and in style.
After filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay before the World Cup, many believed it would be a distraction to the team or add additional pressure. However, these women thrived under the circumstances. In their first match against Thailand, the U.S. put on a dominant 13-0 performance. 13-0. That is more goals than what the U.S. Men’s National Soccer team scored in all of the World Cup games combined.
These women have earned and deserve equal compensation. They continue to prove their dominance at the national stage and inspire many along the way. It is more than just soccer; these women use their platform to speak up against the gender pay gap, to voice political displeasures and, most importantly, to unite a nation.
These women represent our America and are not afraid to challenge everyone to be better. They are on a relentless pursuit to be the best team they can be, while ensuring we reach a place where eventually the next generation of women will be paid what they deserve and not a penny less than the men’s team. That being said, with all the critics constantly trying to belittle their success, the women’s national team continue to shine. In the semifinal, it was a nail biter against England; a save by goalie Alyssa Naeher preserved the team’s 2-1 lead. That would turn out to be the USWNT’s biggest challenge as they dominated the Netherlands in the final. They outshot the Dutch 17 to five with 10 shots on target to one.
Megan Rapinoe broke through for the team’s first goal off a penalty kick, and Rose Lavelle sealed it with another goal eight minutes later. Rapinoe won the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the best player of the tournament. She finished with six goals and three assists in the tournament, giving her the edge over fellow teammate Alex Morgan. However, Alex Morgan still brought home some hardware with the Silver Boot, alongside Rose Lavelle, who was awarded the breakout star of the tournament.
The team’s success in the tournament brought out all sorts of chants at the post game ceremony. But the one that was most profound was those chanting and demanding “equal pay.”
It has been a long road for the USWNT. In their pursuit of a championship, they overcame many challenges. While many athletes and teams typically shy away from politics and advocacy, the U.S. Women’s team has fully embraced their role as advocates for both women’s soccer and women being paid unfairly around the world.
