The picture — like the player — has become iconic. It’s Megan Rapinoe, standing with her arms outstretched after scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 win for the U.S. women’s national team over France at the 2019 World Cup.
There is an almost serene look on her face, as if she’d known she would deliver in that moment. Seconds later, she was mobbed by her teammates on the way to a critical quarterfinal win as the USWNT marched toward the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
In that instant, the celebration seemed simple. There was little you’d consider flamboyant or over-the-top about it — rather, there were many emotions wrapped up in that one pose.
There was confidence: This was a team that was on an unrelenting march to a world title and Rapinoe was the maestro, eventually scoring six goals that summer. But there was also a welcoming spirit, inviting the U.S. fans to celebrate right along with her. She seemed prepared to embrace every single one of them.
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