Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan call for equal pay after winning Women’s World Cup

‘It’s time to sit down with everyone and really get to work’

World Cup winners Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan have appeared on the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, highlighting the importance of equal pay in football in the magazine.

The US women’s football team has been vocal in their fight for equal pay in football for several years, with 28 members of the squad filing a gender discrimination lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation in March.

Their plight for equal pay has received increased levels of attention as of late thanks to their victorious World Cup campaign, resulting in a resounding chorus of “equal pay” being chanted around the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium following Sunday evening’s final.

In the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, out on 15 July, Golden Boot winner Rapinoe explained that the next step in achieving equal pay in football is to back up words with actions.

“Everyone’s asking what’s next and what we want to come from all this,” the striker stated following the final, according to the publication. “And it’s to stop having the conversation about equal pay and ‘Are we worth it?’ and ‘Should we?’ and the investment piece. What are we going to do about it?”

Rapinoe continued, saying that it’s time for members of the industry to sit down together and “really get to work”.

“This game has done so much for all of us. We’ve put so much into it. It’s a testament to the quality on the field, and I don’t think everything else is matching that,” the footballer stated.

“So how do we get everything to match up and continue to push this forward? Because I think at this point the argument that we have been having is totally null and void.”

On Monday 8 July, Morgan spoke to New York sports television network SNY about achieving equal pay in football.

“I feel like we’re more than just a soccer team, we’re America’s team in a way, seeing everyone celebrate and support us through these successes,” the footballer stated.

“And knowing that so much rides on our success in terms of equal pay and being at the forefront of everything and speaking up for important issues that we feel so passionate about.”

The US women’s football team has won four out of eight Women’s World Cups since the first tournament was held in China in 1991.

The total prize money awarded to the teams competing in this year’s Women’s World Cup was approximately $30m (£24m).

Meanwhile, the total prize money awarded to the men’s teams who competed in last year’s Men’s World Cup was around $400m (£315m), more than 10 times the amount.

Prior to the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday, Snoop Dogg shared a video on Instagram expressing his support for equal pay in football.

“Shout out to the USA women’s soccer team for their fourth World Cup,” the rapper said in the video.

“They only get $90,000 [£72,000] per player, but the men, if they win it, they get $500,000 [£399,000] per player.”