Hope Solo takes swipe at Megan Rapinoe with bullying allegations

Greensboro, North Carolina – Hope Solo, the outspoken former goalie for the US Women's National Team (USWNT), shared an unfavorable opinion of ex-teammate Megan Rapinoe, painting her as a social justice bully.

Hope Solo (l.) played with Megan Rapinoe (r.) from 2006 to 2016, when Solo retired.
Hope Solo (l.) played with Megan Rapinoe (r.) from 2006 to 2016, when Solo retired.  © Collage: IMAGO / Xinhua & ZUMA Wire

Leave it to Hope Solo to stir the pot while unprovoked and out of the blue.

In a recent interview with Goal.com, the former USWNT player opened up about her thoughts regarding the team's battle for equal pay, and the influence of Megan Rapinoe in the fight for social justice reform.

In the last few years since Solo's retirement, the USWNT has become well known for vocalizing their concerns regarding gender pay gaps, the LGBTQ+ community, and activism.

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But according to Solo, not everyone was in agreement on how to best vocalize support for the various groups and causes, or whether they even should.

"I think the rhetoric surrounding this team has been both divisive and inclusive", Hope said, before citing the players' decision to kneel during the national anthem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as one they may not have all been on the same page about.

However, Solo took things a step further when calling out the "woke" antics of the team, singling out Rapinoe as the force behind it all – but not in a good way.

"I've seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way," Solo said.

No reports of bullying have surfaced, despite Solo's claims

USWNT players stood together after a World Cup game in 2011.
USWNT players stood together after a World Cup game in 2011.  © IMAGO / Sven Simon

The 40-year-old soccer player's last appearance with the USWNT was at the 2016 Olympics, but it wasn't until two weeks after the close of the Rio Games that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality.

Given this timeline, the likelihood that Rapinoe was "bullying" her fellow teammates to kneel during the national anthem while Solo was a member of the team is questionable.

Despite Rapinoe's efforts to use her platform to shed light on a number of injustices that plague society and women in sports, Solo stood by her statements while defending her right to protest as she felt fit.

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"It’s our right as Americans to do it whatever way we’re comfortable with, and I think that’s really hard being on the main stage right now with so many political issues for athletes," Solo told Goal.

"Ultimately at the end of the day, our number one focus should and has always been to win first," she added.

Thus far, there haven't been any reports of backlash or negative feelings from any of Rapinoe's other USWNT or OL Reign teammates in regard to her personal decision to kneel during the national anthem.

Rapinoe herself has also not responded to Solo's new accusations.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / Xinhua & ZUMA Wire

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