Megan Rapinoe Reiterates That the World Cup Can't Be Won Without 'Gays'

Following a triumphant World Cup win against the Netherlands even amid a verbal scuffle with Donald Trump, Megan Rapinoe playfully doubled down on her assertion that it's impossible to win the World Cup without lesbians.

"We already discussed this. Science is science. Gays rule," the champion who scored six goals in the this year's World Cup and earned the Golden Boot reiterated in response to the USWNT's official account.

The USWNT tweeted a picture of out player Rapinoe with Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger (who are engaged to each other) kissing their World Cup awards along with the caption "Told ya."

"You can't win a championship without gays on your team -- it's never been done before, ever. That's science, right there," Rapinoe said last week when asked about playing in the World Cup during Pride Month.

Indeed, at the time Rapinoe made the assertion, the four remaining teams in the tournament -- the United States, England, Sweden, and the Netherlands -- all had out lesbian or bisexual players.

The USWNT's Tierna Davidson and Adrianna Franch are also out, as is coach Jillian Ellis.

At Sunday's championship match against the Netherlands, Rapinoe scored the first goal on a penalty kick. Minutes later, team USA.'s Rose Lavelle scored the final goal of the 2019 World Cup.

The USWNT became the first team to win back-to-back World Cup championships even as Trump went on a Twitter rant aimed at Rapinoe that put the team on blast online with Trump supporters who bought the rhetoric questioning her patriotism.

The war of words with Trump began earlier in the tournament when a reporter asked an off-the-cuff Rapinoe if she was excited about the possibility of going to the White House.

"I'm not going to the fucking White House," she said.

She later said she regretted using an expletive but confirmed that she was not about to support a president who does not share the same values as many on the team.

"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 really upset about that," Rapinoe said in a press conference.

Trump responded by claiming that he brought "black unemployment" to its lowest level in history, which appeared to be his rejoinder to Rapinoe's refusal to sing the National Anthem as a protest against police brutality. He then attacked Rapinoe's patriotism, although she's proudly represented the United States in two Olympic Games and three World Cup tournaments.

"We haven't yet invited Megan or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose," Trump tweeted. "Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team. Be proud of the Flag that you wear. The USA is doing GREAT!"

At a press conference, Rapinoe said that she began her previous remarks with a lot of passion "considering how much time and effort and pride we take in the platform that we have and 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 I would want to go [to the White House] and I would encourage my teammates to think hard about lending that platform or having that co-opted by an administration that doesn't feel the same way, that doesn't fight for the same things that we fight for," Rapinoe said.

Last week, Krieger, who said she would not visit Trump's White House, tweeted at Trump in response to his beef with Rapinoe saying asserting that he's angered by women he can't "control or grope."

The USWNT, including Rapinoe, visited the White House when President Barack Obama was in office.