This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

Two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe has announced her support for the Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.

“I truly believe the best things in life are a result of being bold and being real,” wrote the soccer star, whom Sports Illustrated this week named Sportsperson of the Year.

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“I’m proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren today, for being bold, for being real, for listening to ALL of us, and for being prepared to navigate the unique challenges we face today as a country.”

A video accompanying Rapinoe’s tweet showed Warren calling the soccer star.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t even call you by your first name,” said Rapinoe, with a broad smile. “That’s so inappropriate.”

“No it’s not inappropriate!” Warren laughed. “It’s exactly right! And I just wanted to call to say thank you. We need you in this battle.”

Rapinoe was a key player as the USA won the Women’s World Cup in France this summer, making headlines on the pitch and off it, as she clashed publicly with Donald Trump.

Warren said Rapinoe had shown “great leadership” and congratulated her on the recent award.

“It’s fabulous and well deserved,” she said, “and well deserved because you get out there and you both lead your team on the field, but you also help lead America off the field and that’s really important.”

Rapinoe said she would “love to endorse you and be on your team and help in any way that I can so, consider me Team Warren”.

“I think we got this, Megan,” Warren said.

“Well, we have a little saying on the national team that we like to say,” Rapinoe said. “I don’t know if you can cuss on here, but it’s ‘LFG’, so let’s do this.”

“Let’s do this,” Warren laughed. “All right Megan, you and me, LFG.”

Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) I truly believe the best things in life are a result of being bold and being real. I’m proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren today, for being bold, for being real, for listening to ALL of us, and for being prepared to navigate the unique challenges we face today as a country @ewarren pic.twitter.com/9hX3gQYjvo

The call to Rapinoe was in keeping with Warren’s practice of placing personal calls to supporters, which has turned “Elizabeth Warren Called Me” into a meme.

Rapinoe tweeted: “So thrilled to be even a small part of this campaign! You and me and all of us! LFG.”

A Warren campaign tweet advertised “union-made” shirts that read “YOU AND ME LFG” on the front, and “WARREN 46” on the back, a reference to her attempt to become the 46th president.

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In an interview on CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, Rapinoe said Warren’s platform brings “a different vision of America than what we have right now”.

“I feel like I trust her,” said Rapinoe.

Rapinoe also said she backs the impeachment of Trump, telling Lemon: “It’s very clear – he uses the office of the presidency to personally enrich himself, his family and the people around him … He abuses power, he cuts people out of the communication, he doesn’t give all the information – so for me it’s impeachment for sure.”

Rapinoe explained that it was more important, however, “to show people that there’s a better way forward”, addressing problems with healthcare, for instance.

Rapinoe is among players who filed suit against the United States Soccer Federation, claiming gender discrimination. The lawsuit says the men’s national team earn more than the women’s team despite the fact that the women play – and win – more games.