LAGOS, Nigeroia (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Megan Rapinoe, the prominent figure on the United States women’s national team (USWNT), has emphasized that she and her teammates hold affection for their country amidst the backdrop of the national anthem controversy.
The USWNT’s journey in the 2023 World Cup stirred up a firestorm of debate when six players chose not to sing the national anthem before their match against Sweden, which ultimately concluded with a loss on penalties.
TV personality Megyn Kelly attributed the snub to Rapinoe, suggesting she had influenced her teammates against their own country. However, Rapinoe refutes this assertion.
READ ALSO: World Cup: Megan Rapinoe Accused Of “Shameful” Disrespect For Anthem
In a conversation with The Atlantic, now retired from international football, Rapinoe shared, “I’ll miss the opportunity to represent our country.
Often, that gets overshadowed when people discuss me specifically: ‘You don’t sing the anthem, and so on.’ They say, ‘You don’t love America.'”
“But we do love America. It’s more in the spirit of James Baldwin, not with an emblematic bald eagle on our shoulder.”
The reference to James Baldwin, a prominent writer and speaker during the civil rights movement, aligns with Rapinoe’s stance on various issues.
She is recognized for taking a knee and engaging in an ongoing public social media dispute with former President Donald Trump, who singled her out for criticism following the loss to Sweden.
The USWNT is set to resume action in September with a friendly match against South Africa