WORLD DOMINATION
Rapinoe leads as Americans finish impressive run to repeat as champs
LYON, France — U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe stood on the field at Stade de Lyon, arms outstretched as she struck the victory pose that has become her signature, symbolizing the confidence of a team that celebrated and savored each triumph at the Women’s World Cup.
Rapinoe won the Golden Ball as the monthlong tournament’s top player and the Golden Boot as its top scorer, and the United States backed up its brashness by winning while simultaneously making a strong statement for gender equity.
“We’ve done exactly what we set out to do, done exactly what we wanted to do, said what we feel,” Rapinoe said. “All of us, really. I know sometimes my voice is louder, but everybody is in this together. We’re such a proud and strong and defiant group of women.”
The Americans won their record-extending fourth Women’s World Cup title and second in a row, beating the Netherlands 2-0 Sunday night as Rapinoe converted a penalty kick in the second half and Rose Lavelle added a goal.
Rapinoe scored in the 61st minute after a video review determined Stefanie van der Gragt had fouled Alex Morgan with a kick to the shoulder while competing for a deflected pass in the penalty area. Two days past her 34th birthday, Rapinoe slotted the ball past Sari van Veenendaal for her sixth goal of the tournament, becoming the oldest player to score in a Women’s World Cup final.
“Getting to play at the highest level of the World Cup with the team we have is just ridiculous. But to be able to couple that with everything on the field and to back up all of those words with performances and to back up all of those performances with words, it’s just incredible,” said Rapinoe, who received a standing ovation when she was substituted for in the 79th minute.
“I feel like this team is in the midst of changing the world around us as we live, and it’s just an incredible feeling.”
Lavelle, at 24 the team’s rising star, added her third goal of the tournament on an 18-yard left-footed shot in the 69th minute after a solo run from the center circle.
“It’s been a long journey,” Lavelle said. “It doesn’t seem real yet. It hasn’t hit me, it’s so surreal to be part of this group and to play with these players.”
The journey isn’t over quite yet for the players who captured the hearts of a nation. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio needed just a few seconds after the match to invite the team to a ticker-tape parade up the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Fans in the crowd of 57,900, many dressed in red, white and blue, chanted “Equal pay!” at the final whistle, a reminder players sued the United States Soccer Federation in March, claiming gender discrimination. The sides have agreed to mediate the lawsuit.
Rapinoe drew the ire of President Donald Trump by saying she would refuse to visit the White House in a video of an interview from January that didn’t surface until recently. He called out Rapinoe on Twitter, saying she should never “disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team.” He also said he would invite the team, win or lose.
Shortly after the title game, Trump tweeted: “Congratulations to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team on winning the World Cup! Great and exciting play. America is proud of you all!”
Rapinoe also called out FIFA on the eve of the championship, suggesting soccer’s governing body was not doing enough to grow the women’s game, pointing to unequal prize money and the scheduling of their World Cup final on the same day as the championships of two major men’s tournaments — the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Chicago and the Copa America in Brazil.
Whether unequal treatment from soccer officials will change is uncertain.
The Americans’ dominance in France is unquestioned.
They never trailed at the tournament and set records with 26 goals and a 12-game World Cup winning streak dating to 2015. Jill Ellis became the first coach to lead a team to two Women’s World Cup titles, and the United States joined Germany in 2003 and 2007 as the quadrennial tournament’s only repeat champions. While the United States has four titles, Germany is the only other nation with even two.
“It’s just chemistry. They put their hearts and soul into this journey,” Ellis said. “They made history.”
With confidence some called arrogance — triggering a backlash that the angry response was sexist — this American team established a standard that exceeded the U.S. champions of 1991, 1999 and 2015, becoming a goal for all others to match.
The Americans had scored within the first 12 minutes of their previous six matches, but the European champions sat back to keep their defensive shape and kept the final scoreless through the first half. Alyssa Naeher, the 31-year-old who succeeded Hope Solo as the team’s goalkeeper, faced repeated questions about her ability entering the tournament but allowed just three goals and finished with her fourth shutout in France.
Rapinoe, who missed Tuesday’s semifinal win over England with a hamstring injury, became the first woman to score on a penalty kick during a Women’s World Cup final, her 50th goal in 158 international appearances. She ended the Netherlands’ 317-minute scoreless streak and matched Morgan and England’s Ellen White for most goals in the tournament, winning the Golden Ball based on her scores coming in fewer minutes.