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Megan Rapinoe: Five things you need to know about the Ballon D'Or winner

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Megan Rapinoe with trophyImage source, Getty Images

Megan Rapinoe has been announced as the female winner of this year's Ballon D'Or for the first time.

But how much do you know about the totally amazing US footie captain?

1. She's amazing at football

Well, of course she is! Stating the obvious, but Megan Rapinoe is a REALLY amazing footballer.

As well as winning this year's Ballon D'Or, she's also been named Fifa's best women's player of 2019.

This summer she led the US women's football team to victory at the World Cup in France.

Image source, Getty Images

It's the FOURTH time the American team have won the tournament - that's more than any other team.

They played the Netherlands in the final and won by 2 goals to 0.

Megan also won the Golden Boot - the award for scoring the most goals in a World Cup - after hitting the back of the net six times.

Image source, Getty Images

2. She stands up for herself

Megan isn't only great on the pitch, she's also great at standing up for herself.

After this year's World Cup, she complained that the American female footballers got paid less than the male ones.

Megan and the squad are suing their federation - that's the organisation which runs the national football teams in America.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Megan Rapinoe scored twice as her side knocked out Spain in the last 16 at the Women's World Cup

According to the lawsuit, as well as differences in basic pay, the US men's team received over 拢3.9m in bonuses after they LOST the 2014 World Cup.

When the women WON the 2015 World Cup, they were paid around 拢1.5m in bonuses - less than half the men's bonus - according to the US media.

There's loads of support from the fans too. With crowds at the World Cup in France heard chanting "Equal pay! Equal pay!"

3. She's got really cool hair

Image source, Fifa

Seriously, have you seen her hair? So cool! One day it was blonde, the next she decided pink was the way forward. And that quiff is amazing!

She's spoken about her hair in the past and says "It sort of takes on its own personality. When I first get it done it's darker and then it fades out and it seems to be something different everyday.

"It's just a kinda fun way to express myself."

Total. Style. Icon!

4. She's got a twin

Megan is the youngest of six siblings. And Megan has a twin sister!

Rachel Rapinoe is 11 minutes older. They're both now 34.

Image source, rrapinoe on Instagram

Rachel is also a soccer player.

She played for Stjarnan Women in Iceland and the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.

5. Megan refused to meet President Trump

When the US Women's football team won the 2019 World Cup in France, they were invited to meet President Trump at the White House.

Megan turned down the invitation. She also encouraged her team mates to do the same.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Rapinoe gave a powerful speech at a victory parade in the US after her team's World Cup win

Donald Trump criticised her for being disrespectful. But the openly gay captain disagrees with some of Donald Trump's policies about equality.

She has been to the White House before though.

Rapinoe was part of the US team that visited the White House in 2015 to meet the then president Barack Obama after winning the World Cup that year.