Et it takes a little more than a few achievements to become an icon of American sport. But only a few experience the arduous journey as a constant adventure on the verge of failure. With frequent stops at the hospital and a new start on crutches. And with intensive self-surveys on social acceptance as a lesbian woman in an orthodox society.
For that reason alone, the exceptional soccer player Megan Rapinoe falls out of the ordinary. But as if three cruciate ligament ruptures and her coming out in 2012 hadn’t worn out enough energy, she took up another fight four years ago: Then she became the Joan of Arc of international football when she dropped her knee while playing the national anthem publicly demonstrated against racism and police brutality. Officials reacted nervously. But that didn’t intimidate Rapinoe.
As the captain of the national team, the thirty-four-year-old accepted the role of a mouthpiece for better pay with the tight cocking shot. And during the successful 2019 World Cup, she got involved in a long-distance duel on Twitter with President Donald Trump, whom she exposed as a rift in American society.
For the first time, anyone who wants to know the current status of their turmoil and tussle and their thoughts on the political challenges in the United States in late autumn 2020 has two options: They can rummage through the archives, in which there is plenty of material (including older videos, on which she plays guitar and sings self-composed songs, and the story of how she came back from the hairdresser with fuchsia-colored hair). Or he can get a book that will appear this Monday – in parallel in the United States and in German.
Her autobiography has the title “One Life” in both editions (Goldmann, 250 pages, 20 euros) and thus signals what this project was mainly about: to provide one plausible explanation for a rapid sequence of highs and lows, for the other would probably need two lives. The book does not contain any advice for young athletes who are thrusting into the limelight. Sport, she revealed in advance, is only a vehicle “to talk about what I consider the most important work in my life, all the things that we do off the field”.
Megan uses her fame offensively
It also gives a look back at his origins and career, which began in the small, conservative northern California town of Redding. Far from those political and demographic currents that are slowly but surely turning the country upside down. Her mother worked as a waitress, her father in construction. Her five siblings include a brother who ended up in prison because of drug problems, and the twin sister Rachael, who also did well as a footballer, albeit not as successfully. Megan is now using her fame offensively. For example with a clothing brand called “Re-Inc”, which she founded together with national players Tobin Heath, Christen Press and Meghan Klingenberg. Her fashion philosophy: a wardrobe that is gender-neutral.
The dispute with US Soccer has become much quieter since May. At the time, the court in California rejected the allegation that the women’s national team was being paid unfairly. “I was shocked,” said Rapinoe. Because the demands of the players are not only based on bare numbers that say they bring in large sums for the association. But also on their successes. The Americans have won four Olympic gold medals and as many world titles. The men have never made it past the quarter-finals at a World Cup.
Since the decision against which the players want to appeal, there has been a change at the top of the association. Cindy Parlow Cone, a former national team player, is now president. She immediately apologized to Megan Rapinoe for trying to punish her for the anthem protest. Even in the pending dispute over money, she sounded conciliatory: “I want to find a solution. As a partner, as a teammate. Together with our players. “
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