Now retired U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe suffered a wave of criticism after being seen smirking after missing what could have been a game-winning penalty shot at the 2023 Women’s World Cup Sunday, but now she is trying to clarify what that smirk was all about.
Rapinoe earned condemnation when she was seen laughing after she missed the important penalty kick on Sunday.
Rapinoe’s kick went high and over the top of the goalposts instead of into the net. Her miss helped the U.S. lose to Sweden, which sent the U.S. Women’s National Team home early from this year’s World Cup.
But now, Rapinoe is claiming that she was not laughing in joy at the missed kick, but rather it was a rueful chuckle, the New York Post reported.
“That’s like a sick, sick joke. I’ve never hit it over, when I miss they are saved. That’s why I had that smile on my face,” Rapinoe said. “I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be f–king kidding me.’ I’m going to miss a penalty?’ Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I missed.”
“For me, personally, I’m just like this is dark comedy. I missed a penalty,” Rapinoe added. “This is the balance to the beautiful side of the game. I think it can be cruel and just not our day.”
The video of her grinning after missing the all-important penalty kick was not the only controversy Rapinoe kicked up last weekend. She also suffered a backlash for saying that her dearest memory about her stint as one of the USWNT’s top players was her success at forcing U.S. Soccer to give the women’s team equal pay with the men’s team.
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