LONDON — Megan Rapinoe was in a remarkably light mood for such a dark week in women’s soccer. Unfortunately, she said, the sport and its players are used to weeks like these.
The first week of October was supposed to be a pure celebration of women’s soccer: the U.S. vs. England, the reigning World Cup champion against the newly crowned European champion, in a packed Wembley Stadium that sold out in less than a day. But the shadow of former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates’s bombshell report, which Rapinoe called “devastating,” will be cast onto the field like the Wembley arch after more damning revelations of emotional abuse and sexual misconduct in the NWSL were released Monday.
“Just to have to deal with that on such an incredible occasion, to be here at Wembley and be able to participate in this game, which is so exciting—the juxtaposition is ridiculous,” Rapinoe said during Thursday’s pre-match press conference.
