Hope Solo Says Megan Rapinoe Would 'Almost Bully' Team to Kneel During Anthem

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Former U.S. Women's National Soccer Team player Hope Solo said her teammate Megan Rapinoe would "almost bully" other team members into kneeling during the national anthem while appearing on a podcast last week

"I've seen Megan Rapinoe almost bully players into kneeling because she really wants to stand up for something in her particular way, but it's our right as Americans to do it in whatever way we're comfortable with," she said while on All of Us: The U.S. Women's Soccer Show last Tuesday.

She described kneeling during the anthem as "divisive."

"I do appreciate the fact that there's no national anthem right before the game to really remove that decision from athletes," she said.

She said being an athlete is difficult right now due to pressure to speak up on political issues and that many athletes feel they are "carrying the world on their back."

"I think that's really hard being on the main stage right now with so many political issues for athletes," she said. "There's a lot of pressure, and ultimately at the end of the day, our number one focus should be and always has been to win first."

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