Women's World Cup winners paint Donald Trump in a corner

The triumph of the team also comes when other female athletes, such as 15-year-old Coco Gauff, at Wimbledon and the five-time US women's world hockey champion, cross their own sporting barriers and confirm the promise of Title IX not to discriminate against female athletes.

Its outspoken members also speak of the age of changing social attitudes that led to the #MeToo movement that exposed generations of sexual harassment in business, media, arts and Hollywood – as Democratic candidates prepare for have the chance to assume Trump in 2020.

At first glance, the winners of the United States Football World Cup should be the kind of cause that the president can embrace quickly, since they embody an interpretation of his motto, "America First".

But while other political figures on all sides of the ideological spectrum quickly tweeted praise, it took Trump several hours to congratulate him.

"Congratulations to the United States football team for its victory in the World Cup! A fantastic and exciting game. America is proud of you all!" Trump tweeted from his golf club in New Jersey.

Trump told reporters Sunday that he would consider a visit to the team but had not really thought about it, but he again congratulated the US players.

Trump in a corner

The winners of the World Cup have long refused to let their results speak of anything.

This led to the extraordinary spectacle of a president in place who publicly protested with the captain of the American-style team at a tournament abroad – an episode that helps to summarize the political nerves exposed from the time of Trump and which has turned into a line of demarcation between conservatives and opponents on cable television.

On June 26, Trump responded to Rapinoe in the traditional way that he reserved for his critics.

"Megan should never disrespect our country, the White House or our flag, especially since much has been done for her and her team," said Trump.

The quarrel may seem like a personal affair, but the winners of the World Cup have captured the heart of America in a way that suggests that its political antennae might have failed.

"It's basically painted against Megan Rapinoe," said Christine Brennan, columnist for USA TODAY, in CNN's "The State of the Union."

"I think we will see more of this because these women have more power than ever and that they denounce a president whom they do not respect."

Rapinoe did not excuse his team's willingness to engage in issues beyond victories and defeats at a press conference after the World Cup final.

"We say what we feel, all of us, really, I know my voice is sometimes stronger, but in the dining rooms, in conversations, everyone is in the same boat," said Rapinoe, his medal around by the neck. "We are a group of women so proud, strong and provocative."

Melania Trump and Barack Obama enforce

Political figures such as First Lady Melania Trump, State Secretary Mike Pompeo, Democrat Senator Elizabeth 2020 and former President Barack Obama all beat Trump on Twitter to congratulate the team.

Trump's tweeted lecture on the nature of patriotism was similar to his comments on NFL players who had had a knee injury at the national anthem protesting the killing of black men by the police , a social problem that the president has turned into a low game and turned into a huge political controversy.

"You just can not shake that girl, she's going to do her thing, at her own speed, at her own pace, and she's going to apologize to PERSON for that," Bird wrote.

The welcome to the White House for the winning teams of the championship has generally been one of the least controversial and unifying moments of a presidential term. However, in previous administrations, some athletes had refused invitations for political reasons.

But this has become a growing problem since Trump became president, while a growing number of guests, particularly minorities, refuse to show up because they disagree with Trump politically.

Win strengthens the fight for pay equity

The behavior of the US team in France has not been to the taste of all fans. Their aggressive approach and marked goal celebrations seemed disrespectful to some opponents.

But the political legacy of the winners of the United States Football World Cup might well go beyond the mere credibility of their sport and the fight with the president that will eventually be forgotten.

They could not have pleaded their arguments any more and have done more to sell international football in the United States than the men's national team that has never won the World Cup.

Cries of "Equal Pay, Equal Pay" sounded around the stadium of Lyon, at the address of FIFA officials, before the US team won the trophy emblematic of the Cup of the World in gold.

"I mean we put all the players (…) at the World Cup … the most incredible show you can ever ask," said Rapinoe. "We can not do anything more."

Some women politicians defended the cause of the players, including the Democratic representative of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted Sunday: "At this point, we should not even ask #EqualPay for the #USWMNT – we should demand that They paid at least twice as much. "

Defenders of the status quo say that men's football is much more popular and pays more, suggesting that higher wages for male stars are warranted. Trump raised such arguments Sunday.

"I would like to see that, but you also have to look at the numbers," he said. "You have to see throughout the year what is the participation in women's soccer outside the Women's World Cup, but I would like to see it."