Fresh from winning France Football's Ballon d'Or, Megan Rapinoe spoke to the organization in an interview and asked male star players such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to join her in standing up against racism and sexism in the game, as reported and translated by ESPN's Jonathan Johnson.
In a familiar open tone, the 34-year-old American challenged male players to be more active, take advantage of their platforms and advocate for equality.
"I want to shout: 'Cristiano, Lionel, Zlatan, help me!'" she said. "These big stars do not engage in anything when there are so many problems in men's football.