Obama sends delegation to World Cup final

By David Jackson, USA TODAY

Updated 18m ago

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By Scott Heavey, Getty Images

The U.S. women's soccer team won't be playing before President Obama on Sunday as they go for the World Cup in a match with Japan.

But Obama is sending presidential delegation to the World Cup final in Frankfurt, Germany.

Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will lead the delegation that includes Philip D. Murphy, the ambassador to Germany, and Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill Clinton and current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Members of the USA team -- whose come-from-behind win over Brazil this week is one of the great sports stories of the 21st Century -- had explicitly invited the Big Guy himself to the big game.

"I just talked to (President Obama) and he is getting ready to jump on Air Force One and come to see us," joked midfielder Megan Rapinoe. "I'm just kidding, but I really hope he comes here."

Rapinoe added: "Obviously men's soccer is bigger than women's, but this is a team from USA trying to win the World Cup and we have got the nation behind us. It would be pretty cool if he was a part of that. If I got to meet him after we had won the World Cup I would just say 'Thanks for coming' -- and tell him to save some room on Air Force One for us."

The high stakes negotiations over the debt ceiling ruled out a quick presidential trip to Germany.

And while we're not sure about Air Force One, we do see a White House visit in the soccer team's future.

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