The decision to hold her out had drifted out just over an hour before the game, first in whispers and then in incredulous questions — “Wait, Rapinoe’s not playing?”

It has been quite a week for Rapinoe. It began with the emergence of a video clip in which she used an obscenity to say she and her team would not visit the White House if they won the World Cup. That caught the attention of President Trump, who criticized Rapinoe on Twitter, writing on Twitter that “Megan should WIN first before she TALKS!”

Rapinoe stood by her remarks a day later, and then posed in triumph after scoring once, then twice in a victory against host France. But what only the team knew was that she had sustained an injury late in that match, putting her availability for the semifinal in doubt.

Her place against England was taken by Christen Press, a wispy wing who promptly scored the game's opening goal in the 10th minute. The change, and Press’s goal, seemed to validate the decision, and affirm what the Americans have been saying for months: they have so many great players available that it hardly matters which 11 Coach Jill Ellis runs out for a given game.