- Rapinoe hits back at critics
- USWNT eliminated in last-16 of World Cup
- Criticised for not singing anthem
WHAT HAPPENED? A firestorm of controversy surrounded the USWNT's campaign at the 2023 World Cup, with six players refusing to sing the national anthem before their encounter with Sweden, which they ultimately lost on penalties. TV personality Megyn Kelly blamed Rapinoe for the snub, insisting she had "poisoned" her team-mates against her country, but she insists that is not the case.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to The Atlantic, having now retired from international football, she said: "I’ll miss being able to represent our country. I think, a lot of times, that gets lost, when people talk about me in particular: 'Oh, you guys don’t sing the anthem, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.You don’t love America.'
"But we do love America. It’s just more in a James Baldwin kind of way, not in a bald-eagle-on-your-shoulder kind of way."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The reference to Baldwin, who was a writer and orator during the civil rights movement, lines up with Rapinoe's own stance on many issues. She has notably taken the knee before, and has had a long-running public social media feud with former president Donald Trump, who singled her out for criticism after the defeat to Sweden.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT? The USWNT return to action in September, with a friendly against South Africa.