Megan Rapinoe has delivered a powerful speech highlighting the racism, homophobia and inequalities that she said still exist in football after being crowned the FIFA women's player of the year.
The 34-year-old stole the show in Milan on a night in which Lionel Messi was named men's player of the year for a record sixth time and Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp took the men's coach award.
Rapinoe was honoured after her key role in the United States winning the Women's World Cup, from which she emerged with the Golden Boot and Golden Ball for best player.
After being announced as best women's player at Teatro alla Scala, the openly gay Rapinoe mentioned various issues that continue to stain football and said she had been inspired by England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling and Napoli's Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
"I was going to say some of the stories that have inspired me most this year; Raheem Sterling and Koulibaly, their incredible performances on the field, but the way that they have taken on the disgusting racism that they have to face, this year but probably for their whole lives," Rapinoe said.
"I feel like if we really want to have meaningful change, what I think is most inspiring would be if everybody other than Raheem Sterling and Koulibaly, if they were as outraged about racism as they were.
"If everybody was as outraged about homophobia as the LGBTQ players, if everybody was as outraged about equal pay or the lack thereof, or the lack of investment in the women's game, other than just women, that would be the most inspiring thing to me."
"That's my ask of everybody. As professional footballers ... we have so much success, we have incredible platforms, I ask everybody here to lend your platform, to lift people up, to use this beautiful game to change the world for better."
Rapinoe received her award from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who claimed this summer would mark a "turning point in women's football".
Infantino also said FIFA had received assurances from the authorities in Iran that women in the country would be allowed to attend men's football matches, starting with "the next international qualifying match of the Iran national team, on October 10".
Australian Associated Press
