After the United States Women’s National Team defeated Netherlands Sunday to claim back-to-back World Cup titles, fans at the stadium broke out into a chant of “Equal pay.”
It was a spontaneous and moving display that encapsulated the larger-scope issues this team represents.
On Monday, Golden Boot winner Megan Rapinoe, who starred in Sunday’s Women’s World Cup Final, opened up to Jake Seiner of the Associated Press about what that chant meant to her.
“I think the fans said it all,” Rapinoe continued. “They are with us wanting more. I think everybody’s ready for it, as I was alluding to before. It was pretty special to have that total transcendent moment — outside of sport, outside of soccer, outside of anything, it’s like, so much bigger than just what’s happening on the field, and the fans were right there lockstep with us.”
According to the New York Times, the United States Women’s National Team gets paid just 38 cents on the dollar compared to the men’s team. This, despite finding much more success on the world stage, which has led to the team suing the United States Soccer Federation.