What makes a hero in America, or does the idea even have a distinct definition? Is it your father who made a name for himself with nothing but sweat and hard work, is it a man who publicly undergoes a sex change, or is it all of the men who the public eye has probably not seen enough, but sacrifice so much for their nation’s safety?

A quick Google search finds that Oxford Dictionary defines a hero as “A person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities."

My past weekend was as American as any. I kicked it off with a visit to the ballpark to support Washington’s Nationals, complete with hot dogs, home runs, and a fireworks finale. After a Fourth of July celebration spent on the Capitol Steps and an early morning bike ride around the monuments, we finished off the three-day weekend by flooding into our neighborhood pub with a bunch of boisterous fans to cheer on America’s women as they lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1999.

To so many, these athletes are heroes. If we are going strictly off of the definition quoted above, they are not men, but I doubt that Superman could ever compete with Carli Lloyd’s hat trick goal from midfield (in the first sixteen minutes of the match, nonetheless). No doubt, these athletes are admired. I am certain that it takes courage to face the most talented soccer players of your age, even if existing among them. And by competing in the World Cup Final, they have no doubt achieved something outstanding.

We do the most peculiar things for our heroes. For some, we simply tell them we love them. For others, we may send them care packages, give them a vote, plaster them on a graphic tee, or in Nik Dahl’s case, make a cardboard cutout to stand out in a crowd.

This past game, cutouts of the beautiful, fierce athletes were seen in the red, white, and blue mass of 1.3 million fans. But special to this tournament, another cutout caught the eyes of viewers as well. Fan Nik Dahl brought Attorney General Loretta Lynch with him via cardboard cutout.

For those of you who have not kept up to date with the corruption of the FIFA monopoly that is causing all sorts of chaos around the globe, Loretta Lynch courageously called out FIFA and raised awareness to an issue that so desperately needs it. Currently, the organization’s top executives are allegedly taking millions of dollars through under-the-table bribes, while thousands of workers are dying at construction sites in Qatar.

Too often we fail to acknowledge names worthy of praise, and credit is not given where it is due. Loretta Lynch saw injustice, and she spoke. She is a hero. Having a passive attitude when witnessing extreme acts of injustice may be more comfortable for most, but it certainly does not pave the way for improvement. It only takes one act of courage to spark a flame that will potentially change the world.

Despite the views of Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA who deemed himself ‘the Godfather to women’s football’ and believes giving the athletes ‘hotter shorts’ will increase women’s football popularity, soccer is universal. The same rules apply to the sport no matter your gender, nationality, or age. Loretta spoke up against the organization in order to move soccer in a more virtuous direction.

So all in all, thank you for your courage, Loretta. Thank you for fighting to make soccer what it ought to be, for calling out injustice, and for being a hero in a time when the soccer industry so desperately needs one. And a big thanks and pure American pride to the USA women's team for bringing home the monumental win.