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Megan Rapinoe has launched a scathing attack on Fifa, accusing the game’s governing body of “disrespecting” the women’s game by scheduling the South and North American confederation men’s finals to take place on the same day as Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final between the USA and the Netherlands.

“It’s terrible scheduling, don’t you guys feel disrespected?” said the US co-captain. “It is a terrible idea to put all three on the same day in every way. There are two other finals going on but this is the World Cup final, ‘cancel everything day’. I don’t know how that happened and I heard somewhere they just didn’t think about it, which is the problem. When the World Cup is set so far in advance it’s unbelievable. We don’t feel the same level of respect that Fifa has for the men or just in general – but good to hear about investment, they should probably double it.”

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In a statement a Fifa spokesperson said: “The scheduling of the different events has gone through a comprehensive consultancy process that has involved all key stakeholders and taken into account different aspects of both the women’s and men’s international match calendars. Fifa and the confederations have discussed the respective match schedules in general to minimise any potential timing clashes.”

It is rare for current players to criticise football’s governing body, even more so on the eve of one of the biggest games of their careers. Yet Rapinoe is different. She has been a voice for equality and social justice for years, from taking a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick to supporting LGBT rights organisations and raising money for her Redding hometown when it was devastated by wildfires.

In this tournament her public spat with Donald Trump, after footage emerged of her saying “I’m not going to the fucking White House”, has made headlines across the world, but she has done her talking on the pitch too with four goals in two games. The decision to use her platform on the eve of the World Cup final is a bold one, challenging the powers that be like never before.

Brazil face Peru in the Copa América final and Mexico play USA in the Gold Cup final.

On Friday Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said the organisation was doubling World Cup prize money to $60m, having doubled it from $15m before this World Cup. For the men’s World Cup in 2018, the pot was $400m.

Rapinoe, though, who expects to be fit for the final having missed the USA’s 2-1 semi-final win over England, believes it does not go far enough. “It’s certainly not fair,” she said. “Double it now and use that number to double it or quadruple it for the next time.

“That is what I mean when we talk about whether we feel respected. Earlier in the year, I read Fifa doesn’t care about the women’s game. If you really care about the game in the same way, why are you letting the gap grow?

“We’re not asking for $450m for lots of different reasons. The men’s game is far more advanced financially than the women’s game but if you are letting the gap grow and scheduling three finals [on the same day] are you letting federations play two games in four years between tournaments?

“No. We need attention and detail and the best minds in the women’s game helping it grow. It is a very complex problem and thing to be a part of. Resources are there and brainpower is there – it’s all there. It’s just wanting to do it and caring enough about it to make it happen.

“We are making a World Cup in Qatar happen, that’s how much they care about the men’s World Cup after everything that is happening there.”

Rapinoe said she feels “like a kid in a candy store” before the reigning world champions take on the European champions the Netherlands in Sunday’s final.

“This is the absolute best stage,” said the American forward, who has lit up proceedings on and off the pitch in some style. “We have done a good job as the veteran group with young players to allow everyone to experience this whole tournament to the fullest ups and downs.

“You can’t be a blank wall all the time that doesn’t exist as a human. We have dug in, looked each other in the eye in hard moments to get to this final and it’s one more game.”

There has been a lot of debate over the swagger of the USA players around this World Cup; the term “arrogant” has been used. But it is more well-placed confidence, tinged with a note of playfulness. There was some criticism of Alex Morgan’s teacup celebration against England. Rapinoe rather describes it as a “lightness about us that people take as aloof or thinking we are too good or whatever”.

“But so much of that is because what we have to shoulder all of the time is heavy,” she said in reference to the pay dispute with US Soccer, and the social responsibilities the team feel. “There’s no secret we are leaders in lots of different issues: equality, pay. We are open and willing to get in any equality fight so when we get the chance to play and showcase our skill set and be free on the field, we work hard and play hard.

“We think the game should be played with exuberance. The point is to score a goal. I get on to my teammates and say you have got to pick your game up [celebrating goals] as that is the whole point.

“That dynamic is playing a lot. We have to take on a lot off the field, so when a World Cup comes every four years – some players might only play in one, you are lucky if you are in multiple – this is the most incredible stage you could ever be on as a football player. We are going to enjoy it whatever happens.”

Watching her young teammates has also got the 34-year-old veteran emotional. “They brought me to tears,” she said. “The highlight for me being old as a captain is seeing younger players rise. [Rose] Lavelle absolutely balling out, Sam [Mewis], Lindsey [Horan], [Christen] Press scoring a goal and having a celebration after all she has gone through this year is just absolutely incredible. Every game there is another special moment.

“I always feel like we can win. We have that blind confidence in ourselves always, whether it is in a four v four game or a sprint test or a World Cup final, we always have that mindset. We are here to win the game in front of us.”