A stunned MSNBC host on Wednesday offered an apology after Women’s World Cup player Megan Rapinoe dropped the F-bomb during a championship parade in New York City. A few minutes later, host Andrea Mitchell praised the “eloquence” of the soccer star.

During the celebration, team captain Rapinoe cheered, “This group is incredible. We took so much on our shoulders to be here today, to celebrate with you today. And we did it with a smile. So, do the same for us. Please, I ask you. New York City, you're the motherfucking best!”

A stunned Craig Melvin sputtered, “Well, we certainly want to apologize for the language at the end there. But that is Megan Rapinoe speaking in New York City right now to the tens of thousands of fans who have assembled to celebrate that World Cup championship.”

A few minutes later, Mitchell praised the speech. Without irony, she noted that scores of young children attended the celebration (and presumably heard the profanity):

NBC’s Rehema Ellis is outside City Hall where the celebration just wrapped up. Rehema, it's extraordinary. Just the eloquence of Rapinoe, her colleagues, their achievements, and I would say most importantly the little girls you interviewed. We played some of that at the top of the show. You must be on cloud nine.

Transcripts are below: