In a world where sports often become a battleground, some athletes use it as a stage to deliver their message. Megan Rapinoe is the best example. Apart from her illustrious career, the USWNT icon fearlessly advocated LGBTQ+ rights, pay equity, and stood against discrimination.

As a proud American, she will represent the nation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. It will be her last outing with USWNT, as the superstar forward recently announced her retirement at the end of the season. 

Megan Rapinoe loves representing America

Rapinoe was on the 227th episode of the ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ podcast, hosted by Glennon Doyle. There has been uproar in the US against some of the Supreme Court’s decisions recently. Doyle pointed the finger at those decisions and the public regression over the rulings. Citing the situation, Doyle asked Rapinoe, who always took the side of equality and social change, about the feeling of representing USWNT at the international level.

“It means a lot to me to be able to do that, actually. I’ve always taken, albeit probably a very different type of pride than we’re used to in seeing supporting the red, white, and blue and all the flag code violations that happened two days ago,” Rapinoe stated. “But it means a lot to me because I also represent America, and I also represent our ideals and the things that we say that we want to be in, and frankly, the things that we arrogantly claim to be.” 

Rapinoe further added, “I represent gay America, and I represent women in America, and I represent allies of Black people in America, and immigrants in America, and that’s how I represent. That’s what I’m trying to represent when I pull on the shirt.” 

Will Rapinoe end her career on high?

Rapinoe claimed she takes the field for the USWNT in the context of the team. And why not. It’s been a long time since Rapinoe started wearing the USWNT jersey. Rapinoe debuted in 2006, and the Australia and New Zealand competition will be her fourth World Cup. 

READ MORE: “It Certainly Hits My Bank Account Every Month” – After Calling It Quits, Equal Pay Champion Megan Rapinoe Reflects Upon the Real Time ‘Change’ in Women’s Soccer

The Ballon d’Or winner will hope to end her career on the high. The last team she took the field in the World Cup in 2019, she won Golden Boot and Golden Ball, helping USWNT to win the World Cup. It will be an end of an era once Rapinoe hangs her boot. But her fight for social justice will continue.

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Let us know your thoughts on whether Rapinoe would end her career on high by winning World Cup with USWNT.