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The US women's football team has reacted angrily against claims by US football authorities that they should be paid less than the men's team because a male footballer needs a "higher level of skill".

The team are taking legal action against the US Soccer Federation - the body that looks after football in the US, like The FA in England - over how much money they are paid.

In official documents filed by US Soccer as part of their defence, it said that the job of a male footballer on the national team "requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength" than their female counterparts.

Current Ballon d'Or winner, and general US football superstar, Megan Rapinoe said US Soccer had done "irreparable damage" with the comments.

"It's unbelievable, blatant sexism... absolutely unacceptable," she said.

The team turned their training tops inside out ahead of their 3-1 victory over Japan in the SheBelieves Cup to hide the US badge in protest against the US Soccer Federation.

In the US, the women's team play in front of bigger crowds and enjoy bigger TV audiences than the men's side.

The women's side have also won four World Cups, while the men's best performance is a third place finish in 1930.

But male players for the US team are paid a lot more.

"Literally everyone in the world understands that an argument male players 'have more responsibility' is just plain simple sexism," Molly Levinson, a spokesperson for the women's team, said in a statement.

"It also illustrates the very gender discrimination that caused us to file this lawsuit to begin with."

US Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro has apologised for "the offence and pain caused by language in this week's court filing, which did not reflect the values of our Federation or our tremendous admiration of our Women's National Team".