Los Angeles (AFP)

Strong head and feet agile, American Megan Rapinoe, winner of the Women's Golden Ball, five months after being named best player and scorer of the World Cup-2019 won with the United States, is a champion activist, a commitment total on and off the field.

This summer, with her exploits on French lawns and her lavender haircut borrowed from the actress Tilda Swinton, whom she adores, Rapinoe turned 34 years the star of women's football, sparking an unprecedented media run for a player.

A notoriety increased tenfold, all the better assumed that this statute soon exceeded the footballing framework, with regard to this feminist figure, on the front line of the struggle for LGBT rights and gender equality, become at the same time an icon of the opposition to Donald Trump.

A personality to whom the DJ Martin Solveig would certainly not ask if she knows "twerker", as he did very awkwardly last year to the Norwegian Ada Hegerberg, recipient of the first female Golden Ball of history.

For Rapinoe, the Mondial was an ideal space for expression. "It would be irresponsible not to use this international platform to try to get things moving," she told the media, without missing an opportunity to sneak up on her country's president.

- Flying, talented, decisive -

Supported by her teammates, the co-captain of the selection had warned that in case of coronation, they would not go to "p ... White House". "No one in our team who has fought for equality and inclusion wants to be co-opted by a government that does not fight for the same things," she argued.

What Trump told him on Twitter: "Megan should never be disrespectful to our country, the White House or our flag, she should first win before speaking, finish the job!"

It was therefore necessary first to assume on the ground. What Rapinoe did brilliantly in being preponderant in the fourth title gleaned by the United States, its second after that of 2015.

Of his six goals, Golden Shoe at the end, five have been scored in knockout matches. A double in the 8th finals against Spain (2-1), another in the quarter against France (2-1) and the opener against the Netherlands (2-0) in the final. Difficult after that not to designate this fighter, talented and decisive, Golden Ball of the World.

And after that, she did not even have to keep her commitment, as Trump finally gave up inviting the world champions.

Rapinoe, who was one of the first known players to come out in 2012, just before winning Olympic gold in London, owes her calling to her older brother, Brian.

- In the name of the brother -

Born on July 5, 1985 in Redding, rural northern California, Megan and her sister Rachael are the youngest of six siblings. Facing the house, a church and a football field. It is on this meadow, at three years old, that Megan learns to play with this brother that she "idolâtrait", and which she will make the number 7 and the post of winger.

"I wanted to do everything like him," she says. Until Brian gets arrested at age 15 for drug sales in high school. Megan, "broken heart," feels anger and sorrow. Football becomes his escape.

The following years saw her brother, who became a drug addict, going back and forth incessantly in prison, while she was building a professional career, which led her to Lyon (2013-2014) and her current club Seattle Reign FC.

"Pinoe", 158 selections (50 goals), says it openly, the problems of Brian, which she remains very close despite sixteen years spent behind bars, awakened her conscience.

The fight against social exclusion, racism - she was the first sportswoman to join the boycott movement of the American anthem launched in 2016 by Colin Kaepernick, to protest against police violence against blacks -, discrimination related to gender , the wage inequality between players and players, are fights she delivers as intensely as her matches.

With the hope of turning them into other victories.

© 2019 AFP