Carlos Cordeiro has resigned as US Soccer Federation president after the organization filed legal papers in a gender wage discrimination suit, claiming women players had less physical ability and responsibility than men, and therefore do not deserve to be paid equally.

The US women's soccer team filed a wage discrimination lawsuit against the USSF last year prior to winning the 2019 World Cup in Lyon, France. The players are seeking $66 million in back pay.

His decision elevated former American midfielder Cindy Parlow Cone to become the first woman president in the history of the federation.

Cordeiro announced his resignation on Twitter, writing that the wording of the legal filing was 'inexcusable.'

The United States Women's National Team poses for a team photo before a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer match against Japan on Wednesday

Carlos Cordeiro (left) resigned as president of the US Soccer Federation on Saturday

United States midfielder Samantha Mewis (3), goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, center, and forward Megan Rapinoe, right, stand with their jerseys turned inside out during the playing of the national anthem before a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer match

'My one and only mission has always been to do what is best for our Federation, and it has become clear to me that what is best right now is a new direction,' Cordeiro wrote in his statement. 'The arguments and language contained in this week's legal filing caused great offense and pain, especially to our extraordinary Women's National Team players who deserve better.

'It was unacceptable and inexcusable.'

Cordeiro stepped down on a day several USSF board members issued extraordinary rebukes that criticized the governing body's legal filings. Among them were Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and Cone, who was serving as the federation's vice president before her promotion.

A night earlier, the US women wore their warmup jerseys inside-out to hide the federation crest during the national anthem before a game against Brazil.

Several of the federation's sponsors issued this week backing the players and condemning the USSF.

'It has become clear to me that what is best right now is a new direction,' Cordeiro wrote.

'I did not have the opportunity to fully review the filing in its entirety before it was submitted, and I take responsibility for not doing so. Had I done so, I would have objected to the language,' he wrote.

Megan Rapinoe of the USA and Carlos Cordeiro, President of the USA Soccer Federation celebrate following their sides victory in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Final match between The United States of America and The Netherlands at Stade de Lyon on July 07, 2019 in Lyon, France. On Thursday, Cordeiro resigned as the USSF president

Thursday, Cordeiro quit as USSF president, writing that he hopes the 'remarkable women's players are always treated with the dignity, respect and admiration they truly deserve'

In response to a wage discrimination lawsuit from the American women's soccer team seeking $66 million in back pay, the USSF argued in Monday's legal filing that the Equal Pay Act is not applicable in this case because male and female athletes are built differently.

'The point is that the job of [men's national team player] requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength than does the job of [women's national team player],' read Monday's filing.

Citing an academic paper titled 'Sex in Sport' by Duke Law professor Doriane Lambelet Coleman, the USSF pointed to 'indisputable science' in its claim that the women's and men's teams do not perform equal work.

'The male body is different from the female body in many respects, but the differences that matter for sport go to power, speed, and endurance,' read the citation from Coleman. 'They include skeletal structure, muscle composition, heart and lung capacity including VO2 max, red blood cell count, body fat, and the absolute ability to process carbohydrates.'

Coleman has since told the Wall Street Journal that the USSF misrepresented her work, adding that a soccer team's job is to win - not necessarily run faster or get stronger.

'It's the same job the men are asked to do,' she said. 'When they do the same job, they deserve the same pay.'

The US men's national team (pictured) urged the US Soccer Federation to triple the pay of the American women and accused the governing body of creating a false narrative publicly in an effort to limit the wages of the reigning World Cup champions

According to BuzzFeed, the USSF lawyer questioned US women's national team stars Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan over the physical differences between men's and women's athletes.

'Do you think that the team could be competitive against the senior men's national team?' the attorney asked Lloyd, according to documents filed last month.

'I'm not sure,' Lloyd said. 'Shall we fight it out to see who wins and then we get paid more?'

Morgan was asked if it requires more skill to play men's soccer.

'No,' Morgan replied. 'It's a different skill.'

The USSF filing also argues that the plaintiffs (the women's team members) have not established an equal pay violation.

The Federation says it offered the women's national team equal pay to male counterparts for matches under USSF control but maintains the women want bonuses for tournaments such as the World Cup to match those of the men.

US SOCCER'S WAGE DEBATE COMPLICATED BY PAY STRUCTURES, THE WOMEN'S SUCCESS, AND THE MEN'S STRUGGLES By Alex Raskin, Sports News Editor for MailOnline.com The competing arguments in the US Soccer Federation's wage discrimination debate are clouded by a number of factors, including the differing pay structures between the men's and women's teams, as well as the fact that the men missed the last World Cup while the American women were, again, victorious in 2019. For instance, a US men's player in 2018 would be paid only slightly less than a women's player in 2019, despite the fact that the US men failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, while the US women breezed to victory in France last year. Here are a few things to consider: The US women generated slightly more money ($50.8million) between 2016 and 2018 than the US men ($49.9million), according to a 2019 Wall Street Journal report

A player on the US men's team that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would still earn $179,375 for playing in all 16 qualifiers

Meanwhile, an American woman received $52,500 for being on the roster for the five World Cup qualifiers last year plus $147,500 for her time at the World Cup, including a $37,500 roster bonus and $110,000 for actually winning the title in France

When the men last qualified for the World Cup in 2014, their player pool got a $2 million payment, and each player earned $55,000 for making the roster and $5,500 per match. The player pool earned $175,000 per point for the group phase, a total of $700,000, plus $3.6 million for reaching the round of 16

Women receive 75 percent of salary on maternity leave for up to one year, and a player has the longer of three months or two training camps to return to full fitness. A player can receive 75 percent of salary for up to three months when adopting a child and a $50 daily stipend for child care during training and play. The USSF also pays for health, dental and vision insurance for the women

There is parity in per diems: the women get $62.50 daily while in the US and $75 internationally, the same as the men received under terms of their expired deal that covered 2015-18

The US men's national team urged the USSF to triple the pay of their female counterparts and accused the governing body of creating a false narrative publicly in an effort to limit the wages of the reigning World Cup champions (Source: Associated Press) Advertisement

The women disputed the USSF account, saying the federation proposed to match rates the men had under their labor deal that expired in December 2018 and the USSF offer was for only for a portion of the women under contract.

'Since extending this offer, we have made multiple attempts to meet with the WNT to discuss these new options,' USSF President Carlos Cordeiro wrote Saturday night in a letter to federation friends and supporters. 'So far, they have repeatedly declined our invitation to meet on the premise that our proposal does not include U.S. Soccer agreeing to make up the difference in future prize money awarded by FIFA for the Men's and Women's World Cups.'

Players on the U.S. women's national team are seeking more than $66 million in damages as part of their gender discrimination lawsuit against the USSF, which is scheduled for a trial starting May 5 at U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Cordeiro's letter was released a day before the American women play Spain in a pre-Olympic prep event called the SheBelieves Cup.

'The USSF letter is riddled with falsehoods and issued on the eve of the SheBelieves game, which demonstrates that it is more important to USSF to diminish the women´s team than it is to support them on the field,' players spokeswoman Molly Levinson said in a statement. 'USSF did not and has never offered equal pay to the women players.'

FIFA awarded $400 million in prize money for the 2018 men's World Cup, including $38 million to champion France, and $30 million for last year's Women's World Cup, including $4 million to the U.S. after the Americans won their second straight title. FIFA has increased the total to $440 million for the 2022 men's World Cup and FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed FIFA double the women's prize money to $60 million for 2023.

FIFA pays bonuses to national federations, which each makes its own deal with its players.

Cordeiro said the USSF also had responsibility to invest in youth national teams and other programs, such as player, coach and referee development.

'There is indeed a significant difference in World Cup prize money awarded by FIFA to the men's and women's championship teams,' Cordeiro wrote. 'However, it is not reasonable or fiscally sound for U.S. Soccer to make up the gap. It would seriously impair our ability to support our mission and invest in these other critical developmental areas.'

The women have a labor contract covering 2017-21. The deal for the men expired at the end of 2018.

Levison criticized the USSF for asking that talks be confidential, then issuing a statement with its view of talks.

'There is no compromising on equal pay,' she said. 'Equal is equal.'

The USSF repeatedly has pointed out women's national team players have benefits the men do not, including guaranteed annual salaries, medical and dental insurance, child-care assistance, and pregnancy and parental leave.

In February, the US men's national team urged the USSF to triple the pay of the American women and accused the governing body of creating a false narrative publicly in an effort to limit the wages of the reigning World Cup champions.

'The women's 2017-2021 deal is worse than the men's 2011-2018 deal,' the men's union said in a statement. 'The federation continues to discriminate against the women in their wages and working conditions.

'What we believe should happen is simple. Pay the women significantly more than our recently expired men's deal. In our estimation, the women were due at least triple what our expired deal was worth in player compensation.'

The men claimed the federation wants their pay to stay at the same level as in their expired contract.

'It's a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that what they did to the women in 2017 is indefensible,' the statement said.