After leading the USWNT to their fourth World Cup title, Rapinoe was named the Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year in 2019. Rapinoe used her acceptance speech to call for an end to racism in soccer, especially directed from fans to players, and to give support to other athletes who faced hatred or rejection because of their sexuality, race, or gender.
"I feel like if we really want to have meaningful change, what I think is most inspiring would be if everybody other than [Black players like] Raheem Sterling and [Kalidou] Koulibaly, if they were as outraged about racism as they were," Rapinoe said. " If everybody was as outraged about homophobia as the LGBTQ players . . . if everybody was as outraged about equal pay or the lack thereof of the lack of investment in the women's game other than just women. That would be the most inspiring thing to me."
