The team is being celebrated for their efforts to combat pay inequality and fight for social justice.
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is getting some much-deserved love at the 2023 ESPY Awards.
The celebrated and groundbreaking team was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage on Wednesday at the star-studded ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The USWNT was recognized for their successful campaign -- and years-long legal battle -- for wage equity between the men's team and women's team, setting a new standard for pay expectations for female athletes.
Briana Scurry, Christen Press and Stephanie McCaffrey accepted the award on behalf of women's professional soccer players in the United States throughout history. They discussed the strife female players have faced -- and the achievements they won amid inequality.
In the wake of their campaign, the celebrated players have worked diligently to raise awareness and combat pay inequality and social injustice across the country, in many different areas and fields, from sports to entertainment to the private sector.
During the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish presented the award and narrated a video that chronicled the USWNT's legal efforts toward equal pay. The players spoke about both the support and critiques they faced in their years-long battle.
The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage is awarded to an athlete or athletes whose contributions to society extend beyond the confines of sports and leave a progressive and positive impact.
The ESPY Awards come days before the Women's World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand. This will mark star Megan Rapinoe's fourth and final World Cup, and the last before she retires after the season.
The team previously took home an impressive honor at the 2019 ESPY Awards when they won Best Team following their history World Cup victory.
In the past, the prestigious Arthur Ashe Award has been given to Muhammad Ali (1997), Billie Jean King (1999), Nelson Mandela (2009), Caitlyn Jenner (2015), Bill Russell (2019), and Vitali Klitschko (2022).
Check out ET's coverage of this year's ESPY Awards here, including a full list of the night's big winners.
RELATED CONTENT:
