Carli Lloyd, the former captain of the USWNT, was critical of the team’s post-match celebrations and poor performance in their final group stage match of the Women’s World Cup. The Gals narrowly avoided elimination from the group stage and advanced to the knockout round. Meanwhile, Lloyd faced criticism from soccer enthusiasts about her comments after the game went viral.
The USWNT tied with Portugal 0-0 in their final group-stage match, making it difficult to qualify for the round of 16. They could finally finish second with 5 points in 3 games, edging past the group. Carli Lloyd’s comments about the team’s performance had met with disapproval from fans who believed it was too harsh from her side. The former captain took to social media to share the reason behind her thoughts on the team’s character when this emotional outburst was met with mixed reactions.
How did Carli Lloyd respond to the criticism?
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The former Olympian stood by her comments about the U.S. women’s team in the post-match conference even after facing backlash from the fans. The Fox Sports Analyst expressed her concern about the USWNT’s mentality after a difficult tournament run to date. Lloyd’s 17 years of hard work and dedication to the national team led to her critical assessment of the team’s performance.
Even though fans took to Twitter to bash her remarks, Lloyd remained unfazed. The former Gotham FC forward quoted, “I’ve never cared whether people like me or not. My journey was not to win a popularity contest or follow the crowd. Therefore, people generate what they think I’m about when they have no clue who I am as a person.”
Good take. I’ve never cared whether people like me or not. My journey was not to win a popularity contest or follow the crowd. Therefore people generate what they think I’m about when they have no clue who I am as a person. https://t.co/qxZRI22uEE
— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) August 4, 2023
Despite the various reactions to Carli Lloyd’s remarks, the USWNT’s performance needs to improve significantly if they want to make an impact in the later stages of the World Cup 2023.
The two-time World Champion also lambasted the post-match celebration of her former teammates, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, after the team drew against Portugal.
What did the former USWNT star say about Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan?
The U.S. qualified for the next round of the World Cup. Although their lackluster performance had raised concerns among American soccer pundits, USWNT came close to having their hopes for a three-peat dashed when Portugal hit the crossbar in stoppage time.
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The Gals needed to dominate the match since their 3-0 victory over Vietnam. Meanwhile, Carli Lloyd had criticized the team veterans for not stepping up their game in the Women’s World Cup.
Both Rapinoe and Morgan could not create any impact throughout the group stage, with missed chances and a lack of involvement in the attacking third. Lloyd was disgusted by the scenes where players with such a rich legacy danced, sang, and spent time with supporters despite their poor performance on the group stage.
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WNT better buckle up if they want to turn things around as the cup ties head into the knockout stage. How did you feel about Lloyd reacting to the criticism about her take on the U.S. national team? Comment below and let us know.
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