United States star Megan Rapinoe refused to be drawn on her worldwide future after the world champions suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Canada within the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. Rapinoe, a 2012 Olympic champion and two-time World Cup winner, got here on as a second-half substitute in Kashima — a job she has grown accustomed to in Japan. Asked whether or not Thursday’s bronze medal match can be the final for her nation, she replied: “I haven’t actually put an excessive amount of thought into it, I’ll give it some thought after the match.”
“I used to be questioning how fast that query would come up,” she mentioned with a wry smile. “You guys (the media) try to place me out to pasture already.
“We don’t actually get the luxurious of going type of one 12 months at a time. We should suppose in these four-year blocks, and so I haven’t even considered that.”
The US arrived in Japan fuelled by the bitter recollections of a 2016 quarter-final defeat by Sweden on penalties, however as a substitute once more got here up quick after a primary loss to Canada in twenty years.
Rapinoe, now 36, was a part of the US workforce that gained gold at London 2012, the place the Americans beat Canada 4-3 after additional time within the semi-finals en path to a fourth Olympic title.
The US had misplaced simply as soon as over 90 minutes throughout six earlier appearances on the Olympics, however an ageing aspect was thumped 3-0 by Sweden of their opening sport in Tokyo earlier than being bundled out by Canada.
Rapinoe and a number of other of her team-mates are within the twilight of their careers.
Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath are showing at their fourth Olympics in Tokyo, with 2019 World Cup winners Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Alyssa Naeher, Becky Sauerbrunn and Kelley O’Hara additionally of their thirties.
“It’s unhappy as a result of these (Olympics) solely come round from time to time, clearly this one with the lengthy build-up, so it’s a tricky one. I believe this was a little bit little bit of a tricky one to swallow,” mentioned Rapinoe.
The 2019 Ballon d’Or winner spoke out in defence of coach Vlatko Andonovski, taking cost of the US at a serious match for the primary time.
“I simply suppose the gamers have quite a bit to take a look at ourselves about. This just isn’t getting on one another, however we have to take a look at ourselves and we have to carry out higher, interval,” mentioned Rapinoe.
“We’ll bounce again from this, and this can make everybody of these gamers within the locker room higher.”
The US discover themselves within the unfamiliar place of combating for bronze towards Australia, however Rapinoe insisted motivation wouldn’t be a difficulty.
“We don’t lose fairly often and so we usually bounce again fairly effectively,” she mentioned. “We have a medal to compete for. We had objectives of profitable a gold medal however any medal is basically particular.
“We can’t lose sight of that, particularly given the 12 months everybody’s gone by and what it’s taken simply to be right here.
“I believe we now have a ton nonetheless to play for. I believe taking residence a bronze medal can be an ideal accomplishment for this workforce and I don’t suppose we must always simply pooh-pooh that away.”
