Firebrand Rapinoe can crown whirlwind year

Megan Rapinoe will complete an unprecedented clean sweep of honors on Monday night if the trailblazing World Cup star and feminist icon adds the Women's Ballon d'Or to her collection of accolades.

The 34-year-old striker was the star of this year's Women's World Cup, scoring six goals as the United States successfully defended the title won in 2015.

Rapinoe's tournament goals tally earned her the Golden Boot for top scorer while she was also awarded the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

Rapinoe picked up FIFA's Best Women's Player award in September, and is now the favorite for what is only the second edition of the Ballon d'Or Feminin, won by Norway's Ada Hegerberg in 2018.

Victory in Paris would crown a remarkable year for Rapinoe which has seen her enhance her reputation as a warrior both on and off the pitch.

Her performances at the World Cup were a critical part of the United States' title defense, most notably a two-goal display in a 2-1 victory over host France in the quarterfinals.

But Rapinoe has garnered almost as much attention in 2019 for her unflinching advocacy of social justice off the field.

That readiness to speak her mind famously brought her into conflict with US President Donald Trump during the World Cup in June.

Rapinoe had provoked Trump's ire in comments made several months before the tournament when she stated bluntly that she would not attend a White House reception for the US team if it brought home the World Cup.

"I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women's Soccer," Trump wrote on Twitter. "But Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!"

Rapinoe did indeed go on to finish the job several days later, scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 defeat of the Netherlands in the final in Lyon to seal back-to-back World Cup triumphs.

Calls for unity

Since then, Rapinoe has happily kept on talking.

At a victory parade in New York in July, Rapinoe, who is gay, saluted the diversity of the all-conquering US team while calling for unity.

"We have to be better," Rapinoe told a cheering crowd of thousands. "We have to love more, hate less. We got to listen more and talk less.

"We got to know that this is everybody's responsibility. Every single person here, every single person who's not here, every single person who doesn't want to be here. Every single person who agrees and doesn't agree. It's our responsibility to make this world a better place."

Rapinoe returned to that theme at an awards ceremony earlier this month, when she was honored as one of Glamour magazine's "Women of the Year".

Rapinoe used the event to draw attention to the plight of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick ignited controversy in 2016 after kneeling during the US national anthem in a protest against racial injustice.

Rapinoe was one of the first athletes to kneel in solidarity with Kaepernick, who has effectively been frozen out of the league since his season of protest.

Rapinoe said Kaepernick's plight made her determined to continue her fight for social justice and equality.

"It would be a slap in the face to Colin, and to so many other faces, not to acknowledge, and for me personally, to work relentlessly to dismantle that system that benefits some over the detriment of others, and frankly is quite literally tearing us apart in this country," she said.

Back in the sporting arena, Rapinoe has eased her way back into the fray.

Exhaustion and a sore Achilles left her sidelined until September, when she returned to play for Seattle's Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Rapinoe returned to the US team for two October friendlies against South Korea, and is expected to be a key member of the US squad for next year's Olympics, where she will be chasing a second gold medal.