USWNT: Scoring the Greatest Goal

Many watched spellbound this summer as 24 national soccer teams contended against each other in the riveting 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Amongst the 24 teams, the USWNT (United States Women's National Team)’s players were the favorites going into the tournament as they were the reigning champions from the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Notable players from the USWNT included team captains forward Alex Morgan, forward Megan Rapinoe, and forward Carli Lloyd. All of these players were expected to be key for the United States in the tournament.

Throughout the entirety of the tournament, the USWNT remained strong and confident. Its players were brilliant in the group stage, claiming victories against Thailand (13-0) in a spectacular match, Chile (3-0), and Sweden (2-0), with pivotal goals scored by Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Rapinoe, Lloyd, and Julie Ertz. They ultimately concluded the group stage with a commanding lead of nine points, making them the front runner in Group E. The USWNT would continue to display strokes of excellence in the next stage, the knockout stage. In the round of 16, Megan Rapinoe scored two penalty goals, just enough to make irrelevant Spain's single goal. Rapinoe brought her momentum into the quarterfinals, where her two goals once again won the match, this time against France. In the semifinals, Morgan and Christen Press scored one goal apiece against England to advance to the finals, which was especially impressive since Rapinoe, who had been playing brilliantly in the tournament so far, did not play in the match due to injury. In a heated final, the Netherlands national team and the USWNT fought tooth and nail in the blazing heat. Though both teams had spectacular moments and missed opportunities, in the end, it was the USWNT that reigned supreme. The USWNT won 2-0 against the Netherlands, with goals from the experienced Rapinoe and the young Lavelle.

Though the USWNT's final victory against the Netherlands resulted in immense celebration, the team still isn't completely satisfied. USWNT players have been fighting for equal pay with their male counterparts long before the World Cup even started, highlighting the apparent flaws within the United States Soccer Federation. It has been statistically proven that the USWNT garners almost $1.9 million more in revenue than the USMNT (United States Men's National Team) does and places significantly better in competitions and matches. However, reports state that the yearly salary of any member of the USWNT ranges from $16,538 to $46,200 without bonus prize money, while the yearly salary any member of the USMNT earns ranges from $25,000 to $300,000 without bonus prize money. This juxtaposition of salary ranges highlights a huge disparity between female and male soccer players, an issue that must urgently be rectified.

The USWNT has not kept quiet about the issue and is using its World Cup glory as a platform to raise awareness about unequal pay between females and males. Team captains Morgan, Rapinoe, and Lloyd sued the United States Soccer Federation with EPA (Equal Opportunity Employment) complaints in March 2019 concerning inequitable pay and funding not just on the international scene, but on soccer community holistically, from female youth soccer players all the way up to the USWNT. The lawsuit has since been the subject of much controversy from those who protest it and those who support it, and it is still under mediation. Furthermore, Rapinoe, known for being unapologetically outspoken, has stated that she nor any of the other members of the USWNT will be attending the White House following its World Cup victory in an attempt to make a stand against what Rapinoe described as “an administration that doesn’t feel the same way and fights for the same things that [the team] fights for.”

Ultimately, the USWNT is a prime example of the many struggles female athletes face in a society where women all across the globe from a multitude of occupations suffer from salary injustice. Though it may take some time to remediate gender pay inequalities, the USWNT gives a voice to those who do not have one. The team was victorious in the World Cup, but it has yet to be victorious in what may be its toughest fight yet. All in all, the USWNT is headed in the right direction, and it remains fearless, confident, and resilient in its attempt to score its greatest goal yet, one that will transform society and inspire people across the world.