(CNN) -- Despite their second-place status in the 2011 FIFA World Cup Final, the women of the U.S. soccer team hope their success in the tournament -- especially their appearance in the final game before a global audience -- encourages more Americans to get excited about the women's sport. "I think we did something pretty special for women's soccer here in America," said Megan Rapinoe, a midfielder from California. "Hopefully this has kind of opened people's eyes a little bit to how beautiful the women's game can be." Playing in a sport that has long labored in the shadow of the men's game, and representing a country where soccer has long fought for attention against football, baseball, basketball and other major-league sports, made the thousands of roaring fans in the final game in Frankfurt, Germany, all the more stimulating for the team.
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Players hope their appearance in the final round brings more attention to soccer
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"We did something pretty special," says one team member
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Penalty kicks helped Japan win Sunday in the World Cup final 5-3
Japan
@placeholder was considered by many to be the sentimental favorite going into the game, in the aftermath of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.
Japan
Japan was considered by many to be the sentimental favorite going into the game, in the aftermath of @placeholder's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.