Megan Rapinoe of the United States Women’s National Team believes that her omission from the starting lineup was one of the biggest reasons that Team USA failed to defeat the Netherlands. In a post-match interview, the soccer star turned social justice warrior called out the decision that left her on the bench for the entirety of the game.
The 1-1 draw with the Dutch team puts the USA in a precarious position in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. With one match to play against Portugal on August 1, the team must either win or draw to advance to the next stage of the tournament. A win against the Netherlands would have all but clinched a spot in the round of 16.
“I think I could’ve helped,” Rapinoe said to the press immediately following the game. Once a center point of Team USA, Rapinoe has seen her role diminish with age. Manager Vlatko Andonovski left Rapinoe out of the starting lineup and decided against inserting her into the game in the second half.
Rapinoe continued, talking about the helpless feeling that she endured while watching her teammates fail to convert a winning goal. “All of us on the bench, we think we should be on the field as much as players on the field think they should be on the field,” she said.