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At Women’s World Cup, Seeing Signs of Lionel Messi, Not Mia Hamm.

Megan Rapinoe picked up the ball at the halfway line at the Women’s World Cup and sped forward. When she finally encountered a defender, she effortlessly jinked by her and shot the ball into the net to seal a victory for the United States over Australia.

What’s the right way to describe such a feat?

“I was doing my best Messi impression,” Rapinoe said after the game on Monday.

As the World Cup in Canada gives women’s soccer its time in the spotlight, fans, coaches, the news media and the players themselves are closely watching the stars of the women’s game.