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Why Was Megan Rapinoe Laughing After Missing Her Penalty That Cost USWNT the World Cup? Revealed

Published 08/09/2023, 11:44 AM EDT

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The USWNT’s poor run in the ongoing World Cup came to an end at the hands of Sweden, who knocked the team out in the Round of 16. While Team USA was one of the biggest contenders to win the tournament, hoping for their third consecutive title, the defeat left the world stunned. Amid all the criticism for their lukewarm performances, one player has landed in the eye of the tornado – Megan Rapinoe.

Megan Rapnioe, alongside her teammates, looked out of touch in all three provinces and failed to score the much-needed penalty for the USA in the R16 against Sweden. While missing a penalty in itself brings chaos, the smile on Rapinoe’s face was the icing on the criticism cake.

Megan Rapinoe reveals the reason behind her smile

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The USWNT had a rough outing in the World Cup. There are, however, names in the team who have played a prominent role in the team’s success. Megan Rapinoe has been one of the cornerstones of the US women’s team and despite the miss in the World Cup will be remembered as a legend. When asked about her miss from the game against Sweden and the reason behind her smile, Rapinoe had quite a straightforward response.

via Imago

“I mean, this is like a sick joke. For me personally, this is a dark comedy, that I missed a penalty. That’s why I had that smile on my face. I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be f—— kidding me.’ I’m going to miss a penalty? I mean, honestly, I can’t remember the last time I missed it. It’s a tough one, missing a penalty in my last game ever. I feel like the game isn’t a great place for me to gracefully step away,” said Rapinoe.

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Also Read: “Supremely Arrogant, Annoyingly Self-Aggrandizing” – After Donald Trump’s Mocking of Megan Rapinoe, $20,000,000 Rich Journalist Tears Into USWNT After World Cup Exit

Rapinoe had already informed fans and the press of her decision to hang her boots following the end of the World Cup. With an unexpected knockout early in the tournament, it marks the end of the 2019 Ballon d’Or winner’s spell on the international pitch.

Megan Rapinoe under heavy criticism following World Cup exit

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Megan Rapinoe has been constantly slammed left and right by fans across social media with even some experts chipping in to take a dig at the players. Among many notable names, is President Donald Trump’s critical remarks on the Truth Social App. He stated, “Many of our players were openly hostile to America- No other country behaved in such a manner, or even close. WOKE EQUALS FAILURE”. He further took shots at the forward saying, “Nice shot Megan, the USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA”.

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Written by:

Saurabh Saket

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Saurabh Saket is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. While Saket has been a football fan for a while, his passion for the sport stems from FIFA 17 which featured Borussia Dortmund superstar Marco Reus on its cover. With dreams of standing as a part of the Yellow Wall at Signal Iduna Park, Saket loves to write about the game from a fan’s perspective giving his take on recent happenings.
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Edited by:

Jayant Chhabra