Imagine if that last shot of Ana Capeta of Portugal went in. The USWNT would be on their 20-hour flight from Down Under to North America. With the Netherlands topping the table, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe luckily escaped the jaws of defeat and qualified for the round of 16. After dominating the match from start to finish, they couldn’t score a goal, to the dismay of legends like Carli Lloyd. She criticized the team for celebrating the qualification and was concerned with the mentality. However, with fans questioning why she did it, Lloyd took her time to reflect on the comments. 

In a recent take, Lloyd detailed the reasons for her emotional outburst about the team. After making 316 appearances with the national soccer team, the two-time World Cup winner explained the mentality changes. Hence, USWNT must improve to qualify for the next round. 

Carli Lloyd reveals why she criticized the USWNT

After her recent comments, Lloyd came out on Fox Sports to discuss her remarks. She stated, “Well, I’d like to state that I was obviously very critical about the team last night. I have had some time to reflect. To sleep on it. And I would want people to understand that I care deeply about this team. I poured my heart and soul into this team for 17 years. And it was based on a legacy that was just passed down from generation to generation.”

With her help, the USWNT won two Olympic gold medals, two World Cups and finished second place in the 2011 Women’s World Cup. Likewise, she took home the bronze medal in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Notably, Morgan and Rapinoe played with her during those glory years. Therefore, her legacy with the team is intact, and that determination provided the thrust for the team to win more trophies. She led the team from the front, creating a solid mentality for her teammates to shine. Therefore, she explained what her national team stood for. 

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Lloyd continued, “The mentality. The DNA of what makes that team so great. And so my comments were reflective on me, wanting to see that legacy continued to be passed down from generation to generation. And with that, it comes with hard work. It comes with focus. And so my hope is that it continues. That is what makes the US so special. So deadly. And that is what ultimately has won us championships.”

The team must improve to progress!

The team scrapped through the group and celebrated by dancing on the pitch. Seeing that, Lloyd fumed and couldn’t believe what she just witnessed. With Megan Rapinoe and Morgan’s careers probably coming to an end, it’s time for the young guns to step up. If they are to progress and fulfill the dream of winning a third consecutive World Cup, the USWNT will have to raise their performance levels.

Otherwise, teams like England, Australia, or Sweden would triumph over them without breaking a sweat. After failing to score from 17 shots, improvement in the finishing department looks critical.

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Hopefully, they can rally back together and win the rest of the matches. Do you think they will win?