The triumphant U.S. women's national soccer team, home after winning their fourth World Cup championship in France, was honored Wednesday by the city of New York with a parade through the streets of lower Manhattan.
Construction workers, motorcyclists and little girls waving flags greeted the team members, who were joined on floats by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as they made their way through the city streets.
The squad's 2-0 win over Netherlands in the final match on Sunday in Lyon capped a World Cup campaign that attracted huge television audiences and bestowed celebrity status on Megan Rapinoe, the tournament's top scorer and an outspoken team leader.
The event culminates with a ceremony on the steps of the New York City Hall.
The team's victory also called attention to the it's fight for equal pay with their counterparts on the U.S. men's national team, and by extension, the issue of equal pay for equal work for women in general.
While U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated the team from his Twitter account, they have yet to be invited to the White House, as is the tradition for the nation's championship sports teams. And if invited, Rapinoe has said she and team members she has spoken with would not attend.
The victory was the U.S. womens' fourth World Cup Championship since 1991.
