OutKick's Dan Dakich Bids Farewell To Megan Rapinoe After USWNT Loss

The United States Women's National Team was sent packing from the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and OutKick's Dan Dakich was sure to bid "Adieu!" to one of the team's more notable players, Megan Rapinoe.

Rapinoe, the notoriously outspoken/hypocritical forward called it a career after missing a penalty kick in the USWNT's loss to Sweden.

Dakich appeared on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle to chat with host Laura Ingraham about the team's underwhelming performance and early exit from the tournament.

"I thought maybe they needed a transgender male to kick it for her I mean, she's all for that kind of stuff," the host of Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich said.

Dakich pointed out that Rapinoe should not have been on the team based on her ability at this stage in her career. To that point, she probably shouldn't have been tasked with taking a pivotal penalty kick either.

"Megan Rapinoe should not have been on the pitch. She wasn't good enough," Dakich said. He then noted that the 38-year-old's PK attempt look like it had been taken by a fifth grader.

Which then begs the question: Why was she out there?

"I wonder was the coaching staff was US Soccer — were they all intimidated By Rapinoe's popularity? Did she bully her way (onto the roster)?" Dakich wondered. "Again, she should not have been out there. She was awful in the tournament, she looked like she didn't care, she looked like she wasn't good enough."

Dan Dakich talked about how Megan Rapinoe was just one piece of the USWNT's likeability problem at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Photo by Ding Xu/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Dakich Argued That Rapinoe Had No Place On 'Unlikeable' USWNT

Dakich dispelled the idea that Rapinoe was selected to be a veteran presence on the USWNT. He pointed out that her victim mentality makes her a less-than-ideal leader.

"You cannot be a victim and lead a team," he said. "You cannot act as a victim and be a leader in any walk of life. Whether it's your job, my job, sports, business; victims don't lead. And her being a victim and not being good enough on the pitch I've gotta believe was a real problem for the other ladies of that soccer team."

Dakich also addressed how the media seemed unhappy with the celebratory reaction when the team was eliminated. He said it was about more than just Rapinoe's immense unlikeability.

"I think this was an unlikable team, Alexi Lalas said it, and I don't think it was unlikable only because of politics. There wasn't anybody on that team that you can get behind."

He would know. Dakich noted that in his career, he's led teams that for whatever reason simply didn't resonate with fans.

That certainly seemed to be the case with this iteration of the USWNT

"There was nobody on that team where you said, 'Wow, I really want to get behind and watch this particular person,'" he said. "Alex Morgan used to be that; she wasn't. We used to have Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain — people that kind of brought a positivity to (the team)."

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