Rapinoe Joins Messi – Wins FIFA Player of the Year Awards
Officially now the best female player in the world.
While it may have only been her first Best FIFA Women’s Player of Year award, Megan Rapinoe, the co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team has now claimed more diverse accolades and awards than any other player. Now named The Best FIFA Women’s Player of 2019, Rapinoe joined Lionel Messi in the limelight.
While Messi has earned this title for the 6th time, it is safe to say that Rapinoe has earned equally as much media attention, or even more so in the last year. Rapinoe beat forward Alex Morgan who was also one of the three finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Player. Morgan finished second with 42 pts in the voting, only four points behind Rapinoe’s 46 pts, with England’s Lucy Bronze trailing behind both with 29 pts. The voting is by coaches and captains of women’s national teams from around the world.
34-year-old Rapinoe debut on the Women’s National team in 2006 but really broke out in the 2010-2011 season and just scored her 50th career international goal in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final.
Rapinoe scored six goals and tallied three assists in the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and the Golden Boot as the top scorer.
Besides the triumphant performances in the Women’s World Cup, Rapinoe has become a spokesperson for shattering the glass ceiling and a symbol of fighting for equal rights.
Known for being forthright and outspoken, Rapinoe added a message to her acceptance speech on racism, expressing her outrage about homophobia and discrimination of the LGBTQ players, as well as the lack of equal pay in the women’s game.
Rapinoe asked if everyone could become as outraged at inequalities and lift others up.
Saying she was at a loss of words, Rapinoe thanked everyone for all the support and stated that it has been an incredible year for women’s football. Rapinoe also complimented the French Football Federation and the 2019 FIFA World Cup.
“To be a part of it is just indescribable.”
Megan Rapinoe
Appreciating the platform she has been give to bring light to these issues, Rapinoe believes her reach is growing day by day.
