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US wins fourth World Cup title, social media celebrates with memes

Megan Rapinoe is our president now, according to Twitter.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
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Gael Cooper
2 min read

"I believe that we will win," the chant ran, and so they did. On Sunday in France, the US women's national team won its fourth soccer World Cup, beating the Netherlands 2-0. That's the fourth World Cup for the US, with only one other country, Germany, having won more than once.

Co-captain Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle scored the US goals, and Rapinoe earned the Golden Boot award, given for scoring the most goals (she actually won in a tiebreaker, beating out teammate Alex Morgan and England's Ellen White). She also won also won the Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's best player.

To no one's surprise, Rapinoe earned plenty of special acclaim on social media.

"I'm glad the president of France is there so that our new president Megan Rapinoe can begin diplomatic relations immediately," Robyn Hammontree wrote on Twitter

Rapinoe's colorful hair also earned plenty of mentions. "Change the US colors to whatever colors Rapinoe's hair is," wrote one Twitter user.

Some couldn't resist referring back to Alex Morgan's tea-sipping goal celebration against England last week.

Shoemaker Nike immediately ran an inspiring one-minute ad congratulating the team and stating high hopes for what the victory will bring for women's soccer and sports.

Some social-media users pointed out that the women's team members will earn much less for the win than they would have if they were male.

Celebrities were among the many who congratulated the team online. "You're welcome on my show any time. My World Cup runneth over," wrote talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.

And some fans were already looking ahead to 2023.