Megan Rapinoe hopeful Korbin Albert is 'doing the work' after calling out USWNT star for anti-LGBTQIA+ posts

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Albert courted controversy in March 2024 when sharing and reposting a video on her TikTok account that suggested feeling transgender could go away if a person embraced religion. It was also discovered that the 20-year-old had liked a post poking fun at Rapinoe on the back of the Achilles injury that she suffered in her final professional game.

USWNT legend Rapinoe was among the first to call Albert out, leading to an apology eventually being offered. The Illinois native, who left her homeland and headed to France in 2023, has played every match for her country since sparking an unfortunate saga off the field.

Albert is in Emma Hayes’ squad for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with Rapinoe telling Advocate in the build-up to that competition: “I know that there’s been a player, Korbin, who has expressed some anti-gay views. But I think what is hopefully evergreen about this team, is that we’re always fighting for not just for gay rights, but for all of our right to be who we are and to be our full selves.

“For Korbin, I hope that she’s doing the work. It’s the sort of process that isn’t public and transparent in a way that allows anyone outside of the environment to really see it. But I hope that it is happening and that she understands that until we are all free, none of us are free, her included.”

Hayes has confirmed that work is being done with Albert behind the scenes, saying: “There’s been a lot of work that’s been going on in the background. Korbin has had to learn. She’s a young person who’s understood fully the implications of her social media activity.”

The USWNT are due to get their quest for Olympic gold medal glory up and running on Thursday when facing Zambia. Hayes’ side will go on to lock horns with Germany and Australia in a bid to make it out of Group B.