Megan Rapinoe Unleashes Fierce Criticism at USMNT's Controversial 2026 World Cup Slogan
The United States men's national soccer team's newly unveiled 2026 World Cup marketing campaign featuring the motto "Never Chase Reality" has drawn sharp criticism and ridicule from one of America's most influential soccer personalities: Megan Rapinoe.
The retired star helped lead the U.S. women's national team to back-to-back World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019. She also contributed to the USWNT's Olympic gold medal triumph in 2012 and bronze medal achievement in 2021.
Regarded as one of the all-time great female soccer players, Rapinoe expressed her disapproval of the new motto during the most recent installment of her A Touch More Podcast, joined by former WNBA legend Sue Bird and sports media host Katie Nolan.
"The men's team slogan going into the World Cup, this was their major reveal," Rapinoe remarked with a grin. "Their motto is 'Never chase reality.' I thought 'folks, I don't believe it's conveying what you intend it to convey.
"I'm thinking, why didn't we simply go with 'Dream Big?' I don't know, to me it suggested like you already believe you're inadequate. So I wasn't fond of that."
The Intent Behind the USMNT's 2026 World Cup Marketing
"Reality suggests the chances are against us. To believe our men can never lift the world's greatest prize." These are the compelling words that open the USMNT's 2026 World Cup advertising campaign.
The USMNT unveiled its 2026 World Cup motto and marketing initiative on the same day the group stage was determined during the 2026 World Cup draw on December 5th.
According to U.S. Soccer, the campaign "celebrates the history, defies expectations and encourages supporters to have faith in what's achievable. Drawing from fan studies and emotional analysis while capturing the optimism and determination of the athletes."
Saturday Night Live performer Marcello Hernández provides the voice-over for the 90-second promotional video and offers his own interpretation of what the campaign slogan represents.
"This marketing effort isn't solely about soccer; it's about the American aspiration," Hernández explained. "Never chasing reality means disregarding the statistics and having the courage to envision success."
The campaign aims to showcase the determination of the USMNT and encourages supporters to rally behind Mauricio Pochettino's squad in their pursuit of a groundbreaking achievement in the 2026 World Cup. Or as the campaign declares, "Be the first soccer team to defeat them [the rest of the world] at football."