US World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe and tennis legend Billie Jean King have called governing body US Soccer 'sexist' after they said they pay men more because they are 'more skilful'.

The US women's soccer players, including Rapinoe, are currently suing the governing body for equal pay and US Soccer have used the skilful argument as a means to not pay them the same as the men.

The news came out of a deposition where US Soccer also said that the men's side have 'more responsibility' than the women.

Rapinoe spoke in a post-match interview after the women, who won the SheBelieves Cup last night, turned their shirts inside-out in the warm-up and during the national anthem, to obscure the federation's badge.

She said: "The team was very upset, we have felt that those are some of the undercurrent feelings that they have had for a long time.

"But to see that as the argument, as blatant misogyny and sexism, as the argument against us is really disappointing.

"But I just want to say to every girl and boy out there who watches this team and wants to be on this team, you are not lesser because you are a girl. You are not better just because you're a boy.

"We are all created equal and should all have equal opportunity to go out and pursue our dreams and for us that means playing on the soccer field. So everything that was in that deposition is just not true, never believe that."

The team also covered the federation badge on their training tops at the match last night.

The players turned their shirts inside out for pre-match training and during the national anthem in protest over the governing body's comments.

Tennis and women's sport activist Billie Jean King also reacted to the news on Twitter.

She wrote: "#USWNT has earned the same investment, money & respect ⁦ @ussoccer ⁩ gives #USMNT.

"Arguing they are less skilled & work less demanding jobs than male athletes is condescending & sexist. 4x World Cup champions deserve better. Pay them."