Hope Solo is considered by some the greatest goalkeeper in US soccer history, male or female. On 60 Minutes, Solo tells Norah O’Donnell, “It’s a battle on the field,” when it comes to the fight for equal pay. “You don’t have time to ask nicely,” says Solo. Solo is not known for being polite. When the US women’s team lost to Sweden at the 2016 Olympics she called the Swedes “a bunch of cowards” for their playing style Solo was suspended from the team. “I think the federation thought if they remove me from the team then they can also remove me from this fight for equal pay,” says Solo. She says they have that wrong, that she’s just as impassioned about it as ever.
[In Solo: A Memoir of Hope, Solo writes about her personal life — from her father who was convicted of embezzlement to competing on Dancing with the Stars]
When O’Donnell points out the controversy in Solo’s life (she was charged with domestic violence by family members), Solo says she regrets not saying goodbye to the negative people in her life. “If you don’t have positive people in your life (even if they are family) it can be burdensome.” O’Donnell says of her time with Solo, “I see personally her trying to rewrite a little bit of her legacy.” Solo says, “I fought tooth and nail for women’s rights, for civil rights, for equal pay and they will know that I changed the way goalkeeping is played.” 60 Minutes airs Sundays at 7pm on CBS.
