What’s the best way to top off a near-perfect day? With the perfect joke.
Alex Morgan did just that. She and her Team USA teammates had already enjoyed a dream come true Wednesday with a ticker-tape parade in New York celebrating the US Women’s National Team fourth World Cup title.
Then they all flew across country in time to make it to the ESPY Awards Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Morgan won the award for best female athlete.
She was only slightly impressed.
“Sorry, but this is probably the second-best trophy we won this week,” Morgan said as the crowd roared.
Then she got serious, saying it was an honor to be mentioned among the other nominees and winners in the category – who she called incredible women.
“I think about the greats who have won this award in the past and I’m just so honored to follow in their amazing footsteps,” the soccer star said. “They have not only won championships and countless records, but were an inspiration to so many, including me, as I dreamt of playing the sport that I loved.
Pay equity continued to be a theme
Morgan made waves on and off the pitch during the Women’s World Cup. She scored five goals in a match against Thailand. After scoring the winning goal against England, she sparked controversy with a “tea sipping” taunt. And Sunday, after the team won its second straight World Cup (and fourth overall) she twerked in the locker room.
The USWNT won the best team award, beating out other champs like the NFL’s New England Patriots and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. The award was presented to them by actress Sandra Bullock. She talked about pay equity in sports and said, “All those in favor of equal pay, say aye,” according to ESPN.
Then all 22 members of Team USA stood on stage to accept the award, including team captain Megan Rapinoe, who wore “formal shorts” instead of a formal dress to the event. She also said she chose not to drop an F-bomb on live TV during her acceptance speech (she’d already done so earlier in the day).
The ESPY Awards recognize excellence in sports and are put on by ESPN.