There are many reasons to criticize FIFA for the way they’ve handled the Men’s World Cup that is about to begin in Qatar, and at the top of that list is that they chose to have it in a nation with egregious human rights violations.

Nearly five years after the United States men’s national soccer team famously blew a spot in the 2018 World Cup by losing to a vastly inferior Trinidad and Tobago squad in October of 2017 in the final game of qualifying, the moment of redemption has finally arrived for the Americans.

Carli Lloyd of the USA lifts the FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy following victory over the Netherlands in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Final on July 7, 2019, in Lyon, France. (CNN) - Mediation talks between US Soccer and the United States women's soccer team over a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by the players earlier this year have broken down, according to a spokesperson for the players. Included in the federation's numbers is that US Soccer pays USWNT contracted players a salary to play in the National Women's Soccer League, while the men are paid by their individual teams. "The women's national team players deserve equal pay and are right to pursue a legal remedy from the courts or Congress," the men's team said. Sponsors have also been adding to the pressure to resolve the equal pay fight with deodorant brand Secret saying in July that it planned to contribute $529,000 to the USWNT players' association.

Competing in its first World Cup final, few gave the Dutch hope. Thailand, Chile, Sweden, Spain, France, England and now the Netherlands have been swept aside by a team unbeaten in 17 World Cup matches. "The level around the world is going exponentially every year," Jill Ellis, the first coach to win the Women's World Cup twice, told reporters after the match. Rapinoe, only the second player in history to start in three World Cup finals, was also awarded the Golden Ball, given to the tournament's best player. "We're second in the world and I'm very proud of that, I'm proud of the team and proud of the staff.