Megan Rapinoe on USWNT Critics: They've Been 'Waiting for This Team to Stumble'

Megan Rapinoe has responded to the criticism of the United States women's national team in the wake of its disappointing run in the 2023 FIFA World Cup.

In an interview with The Atlantic's Franklin Foer, Rapinoe called out certain groups who have been "waiting for this team to stumble" to give them an opportunity to attack them:

"Yeah, it was really disappointing—and the speed with which those comments got into the atmosphere. Everybody on the right—and everybody who was using hateful language and these tropes—it's like they have just been waiting since, I don't know, 2016? 2019? They've been waiting for this team to stumble. But when we are perfect, then we are accused of thinking that we're perfect."

Foer specifically noted negative comments from Donald Trump, Alexi Lalas and former teammate Carli Lloyd.

Criticism of the team really first started when Lloyd, who played with Rapinoe on the U.S. team from 2006 to '21, went after this group for dancing and being happy because they advanced to the knockout stage despite a 0-0 tie against Portugal in its final game of group play.

The critics came out of the woodwork following Team USA's penalty-kick loss to Sweden in the round of 16. Lalas called the players "polarizing" and "unlikeable to a portion of America" because they have taken up social and political causes outside of the sport they play.

Former United States President Donald Trump, who previously engaged in a war of words with Rapinoe during the 2019 World Cup, blamed the loss to Sweden on current President Joe Biden and the team being too woke.

"Nice shot Megan," he also wrote in reference to Rapinoe missing a penalty kick. "The USA is going to Hell!!!"

Among the social and political causes that Rapinoe and other members of the team have engaged in over the years that have upset people like Trump and Lalas include fighting for equal pay compared to the U.S. men's team and transgender inclusion in sports.

Rapinoe publicly supported former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 by taking a knee during the national anthem prior to an NWSL match between the OL Reign and Chicago Red Stars.

"Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it," Rapinoe said at the time about her decision to kneel. "It's important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don't need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that's really powerful."

The 2023 FIFA World Cup marks the last major event for Rapinoe as a member of Team USA. She announced prior to the start of the tournament she intends to retire after the NWSL season wraps up.

Rapinoe will go down as one of the best players in the history of United States soccer. She helped the women's team win back-to-back World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, as well as an Olympic gold medal in 2012 and bronze medal in 2020.

She won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot as the best player and top scorer during the 2019 World Cup.