She said: “Go gays! You can’t win a championship without gays on your team – it’s never been done before, ever. That’s science, right there!

““I’m motivated by people who like me, who are fighting for the same things. I take more energy from that than from

trying to prove anyone wrong. That’s draining on yourself. But for me, to be gay and fabulous, during Pride month at the World Cup, is nice.”

Rapinoe has been in the news recently, not only for her sporting achievements but also for the animosity between her and Donald Trump.

She said in a video that surfaced last week that she was “not going to the f****** White House” if the US team were to win the World Cup.

Rapinoe said that while she regrets the language she used, she meant what she said about refusing to visit the White House.

She said at a press conference on Saturday (June 29): “I stand by the comments that I made about not wanting to go to the White House, with the exception of the expletive, my mom will be very upset about that.

“Considering how much time and effort and pride we take in the platform that we have, using it for good and for leaving the game in a better place and hopefully the world in a better place, I don’t think that I would want to go.

“I would encourage my teammates to think hard about lending that platform to administration that doesn’t feel the same way and doesn’t fight for the same things that we fight for. I’ll just leave it at that.”