In an unexpected twist, soccer star Megan Rapinoe has been benched by the US national team for what officials call “unforgivable” behavior: not singing the national anthem. This act, though not scandalous like betting on games or fighting, has led to speculation about her early retirement.

Rapinoe, known for her political stances and social justice activism, has previously kneeled during the anthem. This time, her silence crossed a line for the US Soccer Federation, which swiftly benched her, citing principles of patriotism in a verbose statement.

Rapinoe’s response was an Instagram post from a beach, captioned: “Getting benched never looked so good. Maybe retirement isn’t so bad,” with a winking emoji and the hashtag #FreeSpeechIsntFree. Social media erupted with memes and jokes, mocking the Federation’s decision.

Even rival teams joined in the humor, with England’s coach offering to teach her “God Save the Queen” and the French team inviting her to join them, saying, “Silence is also golden.”

This incident highlights the Federation’s misplaced priorities, sparking discussions on freedom of speech and what it truly means to represent a country. As Rapinoe contemplates her next move, one thing is clear: her silence has made a louder statement than any song could.