“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

Megan Rapinoe is the name synonymous with advocacy for social change. The outspoken USWNT superstar has been striving for it since day one of her career. Her fight for equal pay against US Soccer with her teammates is well known. Yes, they won the battle, but there’s a long way to go for women’s soccer.

Rapinoe will keep challenging, but she sees a change happening. The perception is changing. Rapinoe recently spoke on it before boarding a flight to Auckland for the Women’s World Cup.

Megan Rapinoe witnesses the change

The OL Reign forward will play her fourth World Cup. It will be her final one after announcing her retirement from soccer at the end of the season. Rapinoe has worked on various fronts apart from soccer. Be it a spokesperson, a businesswoman, or an advocate for social change, the USWNT superstar has relentlessly discharged all her duties. She admits that her fight against US Soccer, FIFA, and society has been exhaustive.

After all, change doesn’t come with ease. Women’s soccer was not the same as it’s currently. Players like Rapinoe stood up to bring the revolution, and now they can see it happening. Women’s soccer has made great strides since the 2011 tournament when only a few reporters and cameras were present at press conferences. Just forget the World Cup. Dozens of reporters and cameras attended the USWNT’s pre-World Cup media day.

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She still remembers playing in the 2011 World Cup in front of the majority of empty seats. But currently, we can see women’s games breaking some attendance records. While speaking of the change, “It certainly hits my bank account every month,” she said with a chuckle. “It’ll be in off-field sponsorships, it’ll be in Champions League final attendance, it’ll be in month, games at the Camp Nou, or games at the Emirates, or games in Mexico, whatever it is. We’re kind of seeing it happen in real time, and it’s hard not to be struck by it,” Rapinoe added.

However, there’s still a long way to go. But Rapinoe will keep striving for change despite announcing retirement. Meanwhile, all eyes will be upon Rapinoe after dropping the retirement bombshell. The US icon would hope to end her career on high by helping her team to glory in Australia and New Zealand. If they win the World Cup, USWNT will become the first-ever men’s or women’s team to achieve a threepeat in the World Cup. 

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Let us know your thoughts on the contributions of Megan Rapinoe on and off the field.