Megan Rapinoe: U.S Women's Soccer Has 'Managed To Make People Proud Again'

Megan Rapinoe , co-captain of the U.S. womens national soccer team, said her squads dramatic and widely watched World Cup victory last week managed to make people proud again.

The 34-year-old forward, who skyrocketed to national fame in recent weeks for her incredible performance in the world soccer championship as well as her outspoken opposition to President Donald Trump , said Americans are tired of all the negativity.

I think the opportunity is in everyones exhaustion of the fighting and the negative, Rapinoe said during an appearance Sunday on NBCs Meet The Press when asked about all the hype surrounding her teams big win.

Our team has managed to make people proud again, to capture peoples interest, to make them want to do something, she added. I think weve just managed to give people hope.

EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says the team has managed to make people proud again #MTP #IfItsSunday@mPinoe: \"I think people are asking the question how can we rally around this team ... whether it is equal pay, or racial equality or LGBTQ rights.\" pic.twitter.com/BsAnwj8ikA

Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Meet the Press","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MeetThePress","cache_age":86400,"description":"EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says the team has managed to make people proud again #MTP #IfItsSunday@mPinoe: \"I think people are asking the question how can we rally around this team ... whether it is equal pay, or racial equality or LGBTQ rights.\" pic.twitter.com/BsAnwj8ikA Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_cK2XHWwAAFa9V.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Meet the Press on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1150400164022108160","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/megan-rapinoe-meet-the-press_n_5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,soccer,equal-pay,fifa-world-cup,megan-rapinoe","sectionSlug":"sports","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women,politics,us-news,queer-voices","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.sports","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/40bda6d9-373c-415b-9c2e-b9eb7c6f9081/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"soccer","slug":"soccer","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/soccer","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/soccer","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/soccer"},"relegenceSubjectId":983013,"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Soccer ","slug":"soccer","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/soccer"},{"name":"equal pay","slug":"equal-pay","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/equal-pay","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay"},{"name":"FIFA World Cup","slug":"fifa-world-cup","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fifa-world-cup","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup"},"relegenceId":3683087,"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"FIFA World Cup","slug":"fifa-world-cup","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup"},{"name":"Megan Rapinoe","slug":"megan-rapinoe","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/megan-rapinoe","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe"},"relegenceId":4186888,"url":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says the team has managed to make people proud again #MTP #IfItsSunday @mPinoe : "I think people are asking the question how can we rally around this team ... whether it is equal pay, or racial equality or LGBTQ rights." pic.twitter.com/BsAnwj8ikA
Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019

Rapinoe, who is openly gay, has repeatedly accused the Trump administration of pushing policies that further threaten the rights of marginalized communities, such as LGBTQ people and immigrants. She made headlines last month when she told a reporter that shes not going to the fucking White House if her team wins the World Cup.

Were not gonna be invited, she added. I doubt it.

Trump quickly fired back at Rapinoe on Twitter, claiming she should first WIN the World Cup before talking about a White House invitation. Her team subsequently beat the Netherlands 2-0 last Sunday to win the championship.

Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team, the president said.

Rapinoe on Sunday called on her teams fans to continue to take action on issues theyve supported, including racial equality, LGBTQ rights and equal pay.

EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says she will continue her fight for equal pay #MTP #IfItsSunday @mPinoe: \"I am going to fight for equal pay, every day. For myself, for my team and for every single person ... man, woman, immigrant, U.S. citizen, person of color\" pic.twitter.com/YSTvYEMdrB

Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Meet the Press","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MeetThePress","cache_age":86400,"description":"EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says she will continue her fight for equal pay #MTP #IfItsSunday @mPinoe: \"I am going to fight for equal pay, every day. For myself, for my team and for every single person ... man, woman, immigrant, U.S. citizen, person of color\" pic.twitter.com/YSTvYEMdrB Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_cRIolX4AEeoUg.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"Meet the Press on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1150407074960105472","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/megan-rapinoe-meet-the-press_n_5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,soccer,equal-pay,fifa-world-cup,megan-rapinoe","sectionSlug":"sports","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women,politics,us-news,queer-voices","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.sports","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/40bda6d9-373c-415b-9c2e-b9eb7c6f9081/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5d2b39f5e4b0bd7d1e1e0962","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"soccer","slug":"soccer","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/soccer","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/soccer","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/soccer"},"relegenceSubjectId":983013,"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Soccer ","slug":"soccer","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/soccer"},{"name":"equal pay","slug":"equal-pay","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/equal-pay","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/equal-pay"},{"name":"FIFA World Cup","slug":"fifa-world-cup","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/fifa-world-cup","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup"},"relegenceId":3683087,"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"FIFA World Cup","slug":"fifa-world-cup","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/fifa-world-cup"},{"name":"Megan Rapinoe","slug":"megan-rapinoe","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/megan-rapinoe","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe"},"relegenceId":4186888,"url":"https://action.news/topic/megan-rapinoe"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

EXCLUSIVE: World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe says she will continue her fight for equal pay #MTP #IfItsSunday @mPinoe : "I am going to fight for equal pay, every day. For myself, for my team and for every single person ... man, woman, immigrant, U.S. citizen, person of color" pic.twitter.com/YSTvYEMdrB
Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 14, 2019

Asked if shes considering a future run for political office, Rapinoe said shes not sure shes qualified to do so.

Theres no qualifications for office these days, host Chuck Todd told her.

Thats true. Up to 44, I guess there was, Rapinoe responded, an apparent jab at Trumps total lack of political experience prior to becoming the 45th president of the United States.

She continued: You know what? Im going to fight for equal pay every day, for myself, for my team and for every single person out there man, woman, immigrant, U.S. citizen, person of color, whatever it may be equal pay, as the great Serena Williams said , until Im in my grave.