Mia Hamm is inspired by the USWNT’s fight for equal pay in soccer

Mia Hamm is inspired by the action current USWNT members are taking to call attention to the disparaging pay gap between men’s and women’s soccer players.

When the USWNT takes the pitch at the start of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France two topics will follow the United States team the entire tournament: defending their 2015 title, and the current gender-discrimination lawsuit they’ve filed against the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Some may see it as a distraction for the U.S. team, 2-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist Mia Hamm views it as an inspiration.

“Their approach to the equal pay issue and how they continue to inspire people with their play on the field is unbelievable,” Hamm told FanSided’s Mark Carman. “They have an understanding that this game will far outlive all of us, and that it’s our responsibility to make sure that the next group of players that wear the U.S. women’s national team jersey and are treated with respect and equality that we were striving for.”

Players like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd, who are included on the lawsuit, have used their ever-growing platforms to spark change and call out the inequality in the system. Consider the payout for the upcoming Women’s World Cup. When France hoisted the FIFA World Cup trophy a year ago the team received a payout of $400 million.

The winner of the Women’s World Cup this summer won’t even get a quarter of that, but instead $4 million in winnings.

So what needs to change? It’s really a simple solution that women have been fighting for not just in soccer or the sports world, but life in general. Give women more power.

“We need more women involved at higher levels in the decision making process that have either interacted or played at the highest level and understand what it means to all of us to play,” Hamm said. “Good enough can’t be good enough.”

Coincidentally, striving to be better than “good enough”  is also the topic of a new Women’s World Cup commercial Hamm is part of in sponsorship with Gatorade and their “Sisters in Sweat” campaign. The commercial pairs Hamm with current USWNT player Mallory Pugh as a symbolic passing of the torch to inspire the next generation just as Hamm did for the players today.

“It really demonstrates the powerful impact sports can have on young people’s,” Hamm said. “It’s really meant to show me inspiring one generation and Mallory and her teammates inspiring today’s young athletes.”