I haven’t been watching the Women’s World Cup matches in New Zealand, but I’ve been keeping up with the scores and the sports gossip, especially since the Anti-Woke Brigade seemed to be deliriously rooting against Team USA. The hatred for Megan Rapinoe is especially soul-crushing, and the MAGA crowd and MAGA-adjacent crowd have been screaming at and about the USWNT for days/weeks. Well, on Sunday, that crowd got what they wanted: Sweden beat the US in penalties in the Round of 16. Apparently, the USWNT was the better team up until the penalty kicks, that’s when everything fell apart.
I follow a lot of sports journalists on social media, and the consensus seems to be that the USWNT came into the World Cup kind of undercooked, aimless and without strong coaching leadership. Their coach, Vlatko Andonovski, is getting a lot of blame, and he’s probably getting fired after this performance.
This was also Megan Rapinoe’s swan song, her final World Cup, her final run on the USWNT. After the loss to Sweden, Dr. Jill Biden and others paid tribute to Rapinoe’s incredible career, the Olympic medals, two World Cup titles and the Ballon d’Or Féminin. And she led the charge for equal pay on the American national teams and they f–king got that. It was lovely to see how many big-name people were praising Rapinoe, even as Trump chimed in and spoke for the Anti-Woke Brigade.
.@USWNT, you made this sport matter.
Today, you inspired us with your grit and determination. We are proud of you. Always remember that you encourage women and girls everywhere to show up and fight for their dreams. 💕 https://t.co/1vIkTaZ45n
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) August 6, 2023
.@mPinoe, I love watching you play. As an athlete and an advocate for equal pay and equal rights – you made us pay attention and change.
We can't wait to see what you do next, Megan. https://t.co/03aua1g1Fp
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) August 6, 2023
lmao this is so deranged pic.twitter.com/Sg5BO8YTrL
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 6, 2023
Megan Rapinoe takes Trump ON 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/GOauktrlHn
— PLZPLZ Follow – Faith Back Rub (@FaithRubPol) August 7, 2023
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
(190708) — LYON, July 8, 2019 () — Megan Rapinoe of the United States celebrates after the awarding ceremony of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup at Stade de Lyon in Lyon, France, July 7, 2019. (/Xu Zijian),Image: 536594032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS excluding China – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xu Zijian / Avalon 
Megan Rapinoe, of the U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team, delivers remarks during an event to mark Equal Pay Day in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 24 March 2021. Equal Pay Day marks the extra time it takes an average woman in the United States to earn the same pay that their male counterparts made the previous calendar year.,Image: 600879134, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no, Credit line: Shawn Thew – Pool via CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon 
ECHAUFFEMENT – 15 Megan Rapinoe (usa),Image: 605317301, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Philippe LECOEUR / Panoramic / Avalon
ECHAUFFEMENT – 15 Megan Rapinoe (usa),Image: 605317319, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Philippe LECOEUR / Panoramic / Avalon 
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JULY 20: American professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe arrives at the 2022 ESPY Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on July 20, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 708815782, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Megan Rapinoe, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon 
United States President Joe Biden awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Megan Rapinoe, an Olympic gold medalist, two-time Women’s World Cup champion and advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights, and sixteen other recipients in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC Featuring: President Joe Biden, Megan Rapinoe Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 07 Jul 2022 Credit: Ken Cedeno/Pool/CNP/startrakspho/Cover Images
Joie Megan Rapinoe (USA) victorieuse pose avec ses trophees SOCCER : USA vs Netherland – Final Women s world cup – 07/07/201 
(190629) — PARIS, June 29, 2019 () — Megan Rapinoe (R) of the United States celebrates scoring with teammates during the quarterfinal match between France and the United States at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, June 28, 2019. The United States won 2-1. (/Mao Siqian)ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcWppan1xe9OhnJito6y7tavCq5isoJWZrLDB05imn5eknbKgw86ro52Xk6q9oLnEoJinl6KWvaq6zp6Wq52knr%2BmsL6fqailj6m1pqvSqaarrF8%3D