The stakes at this year's Women's World Cup are high. Higher than just a trophy. Even higher than national pride (although I love all the America vs. England 4th of July jokes and chantings of "USA" as much as the next person). No, the stakes are respect, pay equality, the right to be taken seriously. Female athletes have never been given the luxury of simply playing for the joy of victory.

Like any women daring to succeed in literally anything since the beginning of time, the women of the National Team have found themselves in the position of having to prove themselves to a group of men trying to sell them short. It's just that this time that group of men includes not only every guy on Twitter who played high school soccer and is now convinced they could beat the most successful female soccer team in the world and the overwhelmingly male United States Soccer Federation Board of Directors but also the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Yeah, winning the World Cup (again) doesn't mean that the USSF is finally going to open its eyes and realize the unbelievable value of the USWNT. But it's a point these women simply cannot afford not to make as they prepare to maybe enter mediation with US Soccer on equal pay after the World Cup's conclusion.

That's a crippling amount of pressure. At least it would be for me, but nothing seems to faze this team. They operate with a calm confidence - they're capable, not cocky. When Alyssa Naeher dove in front of England's penalty kick during the Semifinals (a move so iconic it had the phrase "WHAT A SAVE" trending worldwide) and quickly waved off her teammates' celebratory hugs, getting straight back into the game, this to me represented USWNT's mentality towards every great moment in this World Cup - a sense of "that was great, but we're not done yet."

Again and again, these women have decimated every doubt placed upon them. They don't deserve equal pay because they're team isn't as lucrative as the men's? Tell that to Nike, which just announced that the Women's Team's home jersey has become their most popular EVER. Megan Rapinoe, the honorary queen of America, should shut up and play before she talks about going (or more accurately, not going) to the White House? Evidently she can do both, since she scored both goals against France.

When the USWNT plays in the World Cup Final Sunday, the eyes of the world will be upon them. And when they bring home that trophy, they'll strike another damning blow against everyone who has ever doubted the talent and power of this team. They simply can't afford to lose.