Although most of the controversies around national anthem protests have centered on football and basketball, soccer has not been a stranger to the conversation.
Soccer is the world’s game, after all, and the diversity of players’ backgrounds in MLS brings proof to these shores. The sport as a whole was one of the first to see a prominent athlete back Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest, as U.S. women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe took a knee during games last autumn with her club, the National Women’s Soccer League’s Seattle Reign. She also kneeled during the anthem at two national team games during that time.