MEGAN RAPINOE

Megan Rapinoe got a triumphant send-off, and the United States beat South Africa 2-0.

Megan Rapinoe was always unabashedly authentic during her soccer career, whether she was advocating for equal pay and racial justice or scoring an elusive goal off a corner kick.

Two-time Women’s World Cup winner Julie Ertz played her final match for the United States, an emotional 3-0 victory over South Africa in an exhibition at Cincinnati.

Generational talents Marta, Christine Sinclair and Megan Rapinoe have all played in their final Women’s World Cup.

She came, she saw and she conquered. After over 200 appearances with the Women’s National Team, it’s time for Megan Rapinoe to hang up her boots.

The once-dominant Americans crashed out of the Women’s World Cup on penalties after a scoreless draw with Sweden in the Round of 16.

Megan Rapinoe wanted a different finish for her final Women’s World Cup.

The United States played its best game of this Women’s World Cup and it wasn’t good enough to stop the two-time reigning champions from being eliminated in the round of 16.

Three powerhouse teams play on the second day of the Women’s World Cup knockout stage and at least one of the best will be eliminated.

The United States is clearly not the dominant team that won the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

The Americans came into the Women’s World Cup as the two-time defending champions and tournament favorites.

The two-time reigning champion United States came within inches of Women’s World Cup elimination, but Portugal’s late near-miss helped the Americans avoid the biggest upset in tournament history.

A Colorado woman has become the 1 millionth ticketholder to attend a game at the Women’s World Cup being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

The United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorite to win an unprecedented third consecutive title.

Megan Rapinoe is adjusting to her new role at the Women’s World Cup, even if it means she’s not on the field as much as she’d like to be.

The website Outsports, which covers the gay sports community, says there's at least 95 out LGBTQ+ athletes competing in the Women's World Cup.

Christine Sinclair.

Rose Lavelle says she hopes she’s a smarter player in the years since she was a breakout star for the U.S. in the 2019 Women’s World Cup final against the Netherlands.

The United States meets the Netherlands on Thursday in Wellington at the Women's World Cup.

Megan Rapinoe’s final run on the global stage begins Saturday when the United States opens its quest to win an unprecedented third consecutive Women’s World Cup title.

The United States Women’s National Team is ready to bring home another World Cup trophy.

The World Cup always draws attention to the inequities between men’s and women’s soccer.

Rising star Trinity Rodman scored for U.S. in the 76th minute and again in the 88th, and the Americans finally capitalized on their many offensive chances to beat Wales 2-0 in a final tuneup for the Women's World Cup.

U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe is ready to retire after an illustrious career in which she won an Olympic gold medal, two World Cups and never shied away from using her platform to spotlight social issues.

Megan Rapinoe’s role is changing as the United States prepares for the Women’s World Cup.

We officially know the 23 players who will represent the United States in this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Eighteen-year-old Alyssa Thompson is among the 23 players selected for the United States team that will defend its title at the Women’s World Cup next month.

The United States is facing some uncertainty as it prepares for the approaching Women’s World Cup with forward Mallory Swanson sidelined by a serious knee injury for the foreseeable future.

The Portland Thorns' Christine Sinclair is one of just five players who helped launch the National Women's Soccer League in 2013 and are still with their same teams.

Finally, professional women’s soccer is back this weekend.

The House has passed a bill that ensures equal compensation for U.S. women competing in international events.

It seems that after every Women’s World Cup that the United States Women’s National Team wins (USWNT for short), there will be a boom in the sport.

Sue Bird just knows how to win.

Representatives for the men’s and women’s U.S. national teams signed their historic collective bargaining agreements with U.S. Soccer, formally closing a long and acrimonious fight over equal pay.

The proposed $24 million settlement between U.S. women soccer players and the sport’s American governing body was approved by a federal judge.

The drug trial of American basketball star Brittney Griner in a Russian court focused Tuesday on testimony that cannabis, while illegal in Russia, is regarded in other countries as having legitimate medicinal use.

The U.S. women's national soccer team has a new look with young talent, and coach Vlatko Andonovski has tweaked its traditional straightforward and speedy attack to take a more nuanced approach.

Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner was front and center at The ESPYS.

The U.S. women’s national team qualified for the 2023 World Cup on Thursday night at the CONCACAF W Championship.

President Joe Biden has presented the nation's highest civilian honor to 17 people, including gymnast Simone Biles and the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain.

Alex Morgan scored a pair of first-half goals and the U.S. women’s national team defeated Haiti 3-0 on Monday in the opening match of the CONCACAF W Championship.

Megan Rapinoe’s on-field role on the U.S. national team is changing as the team looks to qualify for the 2023 event.

The White House says President Joe Biden will present the nation's highest civilian honor to 17 people, including gymnast Simone Biles, actor Denzel Washington and the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, with whom Biden served in the Senate.

Sophia Smith scored twice in the second half and the U.S. women’s national team beat Colombia 3-0 on Saturday night to extend its home unbeaten streak to 68 games.

U.S. national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe is among a group of leading sports figures who have expressed anger over the Supreme Court’s decision to strip the nation’s constitutional protections for abortion, decrying an erosion of rights that women have had for a generation.

Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan have been included on the U.S. national soccer team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF W Championship, which will determine four of the region’s teams in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The U.S. women's national team's efforts to secure equitable pay finally came to fruition this week when the players reached a collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer that gives them the same pay as their male counterparts.

U.S. Soccer's agreement with its men's and women's national teams for equal pay has its roots in the past while it looks toward the future.

The U.S. Soccer Federation has reached milestone agreements to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally.

Tuesday, March 15, is Equal Pay Day and according to the National Committee on Pay Equity, the date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.

President Joe Biden marked Equal Pay Day by spotlighting new steps aimed at closing the gender pay gap for federal workers and contractors.

Catarina Macario and Mallory Pugh each scored two goals and the U.S. women’s national team beat Iceland 5-0 on Wednesday night to win the SheBelieves Cup.

U.S. women soccer players have reached a landmark agreement with the sport’s American governing body to end a six-year legal battle over equal pay.

Ashley Hatch and Mallory Pugh scored second-half goals for the U.S. women’s national team and three own goals in the first half by New Zealand’s Meikayla Moore propelled the Americans to a 5-0 victory on Sunday in the SheBelieves Cup.

Carlos Cordeiro is running to regain his job as U.S. Soccer Federation president, two years after he quit amid a backlash to the group’s lawyers filing legal papers claiming the women’s national team players had less physical ability and responsibility than their male counterparts.

The U.S. women sent Carli Lloyd into retirement with a 6-0 rout of South Korea.

Carli Lloyd scored a career-high five goals and the United States routed Paraguay 9-0 on Thursday in the national team’s first game since the Olympics.

The U.S. Soccer Federation says it has offered identical contract proposals to the players’ associations for the men’s and women’s national teams, and the governing body said it would refuse to agree to a deal in which World Cup prize money is not equalized.

There were enough tennis stars inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Monday's Met Gala, it seemed, to play a tournament.

President Joe Biden has honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm at the White House.

Megan Rapinoe is such a fan of #MeToo pioneer Tarana Burke that the soccer star chose Burke's upcoming memoir, “Unbound,” for her new online book club before she had even read it.

Sue Bird capped off her unblemished 17-year Olympics run with a record fifth gold medal.

Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd each scored a pair of goals and the United States won the bronze medal in women’s soccer at the Tokyo Olympics with a 4-3 victory over Australia.

The Olympics may be the last major soccer tournament for a few of the biggest stars on the U.S. women’s national team like forward Carli Lloyd.

Laurel Hubbard never wanted the attention that fell upon her.

The quest for gold medals is on track for the U.S. women’s basketball and volleyball teams after finishing at the top of their groups in pool play.

Jessie Fleming scored on a penalty kick in the 74th minute and Canada earned a 1-0 semifinal victory over the United States in the Olympic women’s soccer competition.

Megan Rapinoe converted the deciding penalty in a shootout and the United States advanced to the semifinals of the women’s Olympic soccer tournament 4-2 following a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands.

The United States made it through to the quarterfinals of the women’s Olympic soccer competition after a 0-0 draw with Australia.

The Americans rebounded from their opening loss to Sweden with a 6-1 rout of New Zealand in front of the First Lady in the women’s soccer tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.

Players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team urged a federal appeals court to reinstate their equal pay lawsuit, saying their greater success than the American men was not taken into account by a trial court judge who dismissed their case.

While it certainly wasn’t the Olympic start the U.S. women’s soccer team had anticipated, a rare loss didn’t skewer the squad’s hopes for gold.

Stina Blackstenius scored a pair of goals and Sweden once again stunned the United States at the Olympics with a 3-0 victory in the women’s soccer tournament.

The U.S. women's national team has become adept at shutting out all the outside distractions at big tournaments and the Tokyo Olympics are no different.

Older Olympians will be proving that age is just a number in Tokyo.

With the Olympics right around the corner, the final rosters and teams are shaping up, and that includes the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.

Carli Lloyd is headed to her fourth Olympics.

This week’s new entertainment releases includes Conan O’Brien closing out his TBS late-night show and the new soccer documentary “LFG,” a revealing look at the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s battle for equal pay.

The lingerie and comfort wear company has said goodbye to the models.

Sam Mewis scored in the 76th minute and the U.S. national team beat Portugal 1-0 in the Summer Series on Thursday night.

Biden and his wife, Jill, hosted a roundtable with Margaret Purce and Megan Rapinoe of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, and other members of the squad who attended virtually. “Doesn’t matter if you’re an electrician, an accountant or part of the best damn soccer team in the world,” Biden said. The suit was dismissed in May because the women had accepted a different base pay structure than the men's soccer team. The women's team plans to appeal the dismissal. The National Women's Law Center found that Black women earn just 63 cents for a dollar paid to a non-Hispanic white man, while Hispanic women make only 55 cents.

The USSF board of directors voted to repeal the policy last June, a decision the online annual meeting affirmed Saturday by 71.34% voting in favor of repeal. “Every race in the history of mankind has been enslaved by another demographic at some point time." He suggested athletes who wish to take a knee do so on their own individual platforms but not while representing the U.S. on a soccer field. AdMembers of the women's team who had kneeled for the anthem announced last week that they would no longer do so, preferring instead to focus on projects within the team and their communities to fight systemic racism. ___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The United States shut out Canada in the round-robin tournament opener and then downed Brazil 2-0 on Sunday. Rapinoe scored in the 16th minute with a well-timed strike on a through ball from Rose Lavelle for the early lead. It was Lloyd's 124th international goal and it came in her 299th appearance with the national team. It was her 108th international goal, moving her into sole possession of fifth place on the team's career list. The United States improved to 4-0 against Argentina.

The United States sits atop the SheBelieves Cup standings with two wins. But not only a goal, the way we played our attack in the first 20 minutes," Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said. It was Press' 10th goal in her last 13 national team games and 59th international goal. Alex Morgan made her first start for the national team since giving birth to daughter Charlie last year. The U.S. beat Canada 1-0 in its SheBelieves Cup opener on Thursday, while Brazil beat rival Argentina 4-1.

That's changing now that Rapinoe has returned to the U.S. national team for its January training camp in Florida after sitting out most of last year. The last time Rapinoe played for the national team was on March 11, when she scored in a 3-1 SheBelieves Cup victory over Japan. The national team settled its dispute with the federation over unequal working conditions in December, leaving the pay dispute still unresolved. Rapinoe, 35, has scored 52 goals with 68 assists in 168 appearances with the national team since her first call-up in 2006. She scored on a penalty kick in the United States' victory over the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup final.

Athletes across the country were out in full force Saturday after the Associated Press declared that Joe Biden won the presidential election. Lakers star LeBron James had been particularly outspoken on Twitter in the lead up to the election, but went with humor on Saturday. Yoooo @KingJames y’all can go to the White House and celebrate y’all title G! FOE and more THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! 🇺🇸 ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼 — Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) November 7, 2020Alex Morgan, another part of the U.S. women’s soccer national team, had this photo to share.

ATSUGI Womens World Cup winner Yuki Nagasato is joining Japanese mens club Hayabusa Eleven on loan from the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. The mens team plays in an amateur regional league that is several levels below the countrys top pro soccer league, the J-League. Nagasato, who won the Womens World Cup with Japan in 2011, joined Chicago in 2017 after playing in several other leagues. It was very inspiring to hear the social message about gender inequality and other messages that Rapinoe was trying to deliver during the (2019) World Cup, Nagasato said. For over a decade shes been telling me that her ultimate dream is to play in a mens team, Genki Nagasato said.

Biles is the 2019 AP Female Athlete of the Year. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)They’re called “Simone Things,” a catchall phrase for the casual ease with which Simone Biles seems to soar through her sport and her life. The greatest gymnast of all time and 2019 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year only makes it seem that way. She is the first gymnast to be named AP Female Athlete of the Year twice and the first to do it in a non-Olympic year. Biles edged U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe in a vote by AP member sports editors and AP beat writers.

The US Women's National Team's lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation was filed in March in US District Court in California, with 28 members of the team listed as plaintiffs. Friday's class certification decision allows for members of the USWNT to sue the federation collectively -- including any player who reported for national team duty over a specific period of time cited in the lawsuit. When contacted for reaction, a federation spokesperson said, "U.S. Soccer does not have any specific comment." The federation said US Soccer pays USWNT contracted players a salary to play in the National Women's Soccer League, while the men are paid by their individual teams. "The women's national team players deserve equal pay and are right to pursue a legal remedy from the courts or Congress," the men's team said.

NEW YORK, NY – Election Day is over, but Michelle Obama is still trying to get out the vote. Obama is already a co-chair, along with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Faith Hill, Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, and basketball star Chris Paul. When We Vote, a nonprofit, describes itself as a nonpartisan group dedicated to increasing voter participation. The announcement Thursday marks a year until the 2020 elections, which includes the presidential race. ___This story has been corrected to delete incorrect reference that the 2020 general elections are happening a year to the date of Thursday.

That is the daunting challenge facing Vlatko Andonovski after the 43-year-old was appointed as the new head coach of the United States Women's National soccer team. "It is important for this team to win every game and not just every game but to win big tournaments as well. The standard of the women's game has improved significantly, with more competitive and professional leagues in Europe bolstering the number of star players across the globe. More than just a gameThrough their success on the field, a number of USWNT players have chosen to voice their political and social ideals. "I respect their position," Andonovski said of the USWNT players' fight for social justice.

Megan Rapinoe accepts the Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year award during The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019 at the Teatro alla Scala on Sept. 23, 2019, in Milan, Italy. USWNT star Megan Rapinoe praised Raheem Sterling for his continuing fight against racism and urged a host of leading footballers and coaches to use their platform as worldwide stars to "change the world for better" after being named The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year on Monday. However, Rapinoe said that it shouldn't be just down to those individuals to fight alone. I feel like that's my ask of everybody, we have such an incredible opportunity being professional football players. Award winnersElsewhere, Lionel Messi edged out Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk to be crowned The Best FIFA Men's Player, while Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and USWNT boss Jill Ellis were crowned The Best FIFA Coaches.

Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe celebrate during a victory ticker-tape parade for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team on July 10, 2019, in the Manhattan borough of New York City. (CNN) - The US women's soccer team, still World Champions and emerging advocates for women's rights, returned to center stage with flair Saturday night. On the field, the Americans dispatched Ireland 3-0 in a friendly at the Rose Bowl, their first match since winning the World Cup last month in France. Off the pitch this weekend, the US Women's National Team Players Association announced a partnership with Time's Up activists to raise funds to help fight for pay equity in various industries. "I think it's part of what this team is about, what these players are about," coach Jill Ellis said after the game.

(CNN) - Soccer goddess Megan Rapinoe led the US women's team to victory in this year's World Cup. Penguin Press announced Thursday that it will publish a book by the co-captain of the US Women's National Team in fall 2020. "I hope this book will inspire people to find what they can do, and in turn inspire other people around them to do the same," Rapinoe told The New York Times. Off the field, Rapinoe has become an advocate for gender equality and equal pay. In a speech at the team's victory parade in New York this month, she urged people to do better.

Carli Lloyd of the USA lifts the FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy following victory over the Netherlands in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Final on July 7, 2019, in Lyon, France. (CNN) - The success of Team USA at the Women's World Cup in France is translating to more fans at soccer fields across America. It remains to be seen if these high attendance numbers will last as the season goes on. If you're feeling withdrawal from not seeing your favorite Team USA players crush it on the world's stage, look no further than the NWSL. Stop by Orlando to see Team USA co-captain Alex Morgan in action.

Haven't had enough of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team? Related Headlines:US wins Women's World Cup thanks to Rapinoe, Lavelle goalsWhy is U.S. so good in women's soccer, but not in men's? If you've caught the women's soccer buzz, you'll be happy to hear the national team is playing at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena against Ireland in early August. This entire week will be full of celebrating the World Cup, but rest assured, this team will be training again for this match and the upcoming 2020 Olympics. It won't be long until Rapinoe, Morgan and the rest of the best soccer team around the world are dazzling us again.

Melania TrumpCongratulations to 2019 Women's World Cup Champions @TeamUSABarack ObamaYes! Congratulations to the @USWNT on their World Cup win. #OneNationOneTeamEric SwalwellCongrats to the @USWNT on another incredible World Cup Win! Susan CollinsCongratulations to the world champion @USWNT on another World Cup victory!! Beto O'RourkeBig congratulations to the @USWNT on winning their fourth World Cup!!

Competing in its first World Cup final, few gave the Dutch hope. Thailand, Chile, Sweden, Spain, France, England and now the Netherlands have been swept aside by a team unbeaten in 17 World Cup matches. "The level around the world is going exponentially every year," Jill Ellis, the first coach to win the Women's World Cup twice, told reporters after the match. Rapinoe, only the second player in history to start in three World Cup finals, was also awarded the Golden Ball, given to the tournament's best player. "We're second in the world and I'm very proud of that, I'm proud of the team and proud of the staff.

iStock/liveslowHANGZHOU, China - China's national women's soccer team just got a big boost from online payments app Alipay. It is the biggest investment in women's soccer in China ever, according to Alipay. Alipay wants to bring "technology, funds and resources to better support the development of women's soccer in China," a spokesman for the company said on Monday. Gianni Infantino, president of global soccer's governing body FIFA, said the organization will double it for the next women's World Cup in 2023. The company wants to be the "strongest advocate" for China women's soccer, CEO Eric Jing said in a statement Friday.

PARIS - The US Women's National Team sealed the deal with its fourth stunning victory Sunday at the World Cup, but the players are still fighting another battle back home. The soccer federation and the plaintiffs last month tentatively agreed to mediation, which is expected to begin now that the World Cup is over. During the celebrations Sunday, the crowd at the soccer stadium in Lyon chanted, "Equal pay" in support of the women's efforts. The prize for the 2018 men's World Cup stood at $400 million, while female players will receive $30 million this year. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the organization will double it for the next women's World Cup in 2023, but Rapinoe said there still would be a long way to go.