Megan Rapinoe made 'scared to lose everything' claim about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on equality for women in football

US Women's National Team icon Megan Rapinoe has never been shy of speaking out for what she believes in, doing her talking both on and off the pitch.

The former US soccer star, who made over 200 caps for the USWNT and won two World Cups as well as an Olympic Gold medal, was a leading voice in the fight for equality, equal pay, and better standards for female athletes in football and other sports.

Rapinoe's public run-ins with Donald Trump towards the end of her career catapulted her status outside of America, before she continued fighting for her causes after retiring from the game, including the rise of racism in football. One such headline came after winning the 2019 female Ballon d'Or award to follow her World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball award in the same year.

Rapinoe was named the FIFA Best Player in 2019 alongside Lionel Messi. (Image: Getty)

Using her profile, she told Ballon d'Or organisers France Football that the biggest names in men's football - like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi - needed to be more vocal and more supportive of the issues in the women's game regarding equality and treatment of the athletes.

She said at the time: "I want to shout: 'Cristiano, Lionel, Zlatan, help me!'" she said. "These big stars do not engage in anything when there are so many problems in men's football.

"Do they fear losing everything? They believe that, but it is not true. Who will erase Messi or Ronaldo from world football history for a statement against racism or sexism?

Rapinoe was at the peak of her powers in 2019 and used that to speak out. (Image: Getty)

"They grew up in a bubble because of their exceptional talents. They were cut off from the real world and had everything at 20. I am both sad and angry. I would describe discrimination to them. I would also tell them we need support from men, even if they are not the first affected. They must be our allies.

"Imagine the impact if Cristiano Ronaldo said: 'we must invest in female football.' It would be enormous [if Messi left the pitch due to racist chanting]. The referee would not dare to send him off."