Women’s US National Soccer Takes the Stage

MADRID — The US Men’s National Team and the Major League Soccer receive greater television coverage, advertising, sponsorship and publicity than both the National Women’s Soccer League and the US Women’s Team. It goes without saying that the male players also receive far larger salaries. There’s a simple question that seriously needs answering, why?

Last year saw the Women’s National Team boost their popularity among Americans by winning the 2019 World Cup. They’ve now won the global tournament four times along with four Olympic Gold medals. The Men’s National Team have yet to win the World Cup. It’s true they placed third, but that was back in 1930. At the last World Cup held in Russia, how did they do? Not well, as the team failed to qualify.

There have been many complaints raised to the United States Soccer Federation as well as FIFA. Three months before the USA were to head to France for the World Cup, a lawsuit was filed on International Women’s Day against the US Soccer Federation for gender discrimination. If a male and female player each compete in 20 exhibition matches, why is it that the male player receives $164,320 more?

Nutrition company Luna Bars ended up sponsoring the female players by paying them each

$31,250 to match the money paid to members of the Men’s National Team. That solved that particular issue but not the existing problem.

Despite the lack of recognition for female football players, 2019 marked the second year the prestigious Ballon d’Or was awarded to a woman. Megan Rapinoe, who was the underdog in the category, beat out top contenders Lucy Bronze, Ellen White, Vivianne Miedema and previous winner Ada Hegerberg to the award. Rapinoe was not the only American in the running, she competed for the accolade alongside fellow US teammates; Tobin Heath, Alex Morgan and Rose Lavelle.

So, you might be wondering has a male athlete from the USA ever won the Ballon d’Or? The answer is no. Never. Rapinoe became the first American to claim the title. Shouldn’t that call for some recognition from her home country, the US Soccer Federation? One would think so.

The sport continues to generate popularity in the US and amongst female athletes but a lot has to change. Many questions need to be answered still and actions need to be taken. Only time will tell if the ‘beautiful game’ played by young girls and women across the US will have the bright future it truly deserves.