“Turning Off Many Americans Who Do Watch Soccer” – Alexi Lalas Calls Out USWNT Captain Lindsey Horan’s ‘Bold’ Take

United States Women’s National Team captain Lindsey Horan has been called out by one of the country’s most-known retired players for her comments toward U.S. fans of the sport. “I’m gonna p**s off some people“, remarked Lindsey Horan in her recent interview. And, it seems the USWNT captain knew quite well that her comments would cause a stir. She described soccer fans in the US as ‘not smart‘.

Soccer analyst and ex-USMNT defender, Alexi Lalas, however, found her take uncalled for considering the current state of the USWNT. Alexi Lalas tweeted on X that he likes Lindsey Horan both as a person and as a soccer player. But, he doesn’t find her opinion of US soccer fans amusing. He said, “So, not satisfied with already turning off many Americans who don’t watch soccer, evidently the USWNT has now set their sights on turning off many Americans who do watch soccer. Bold strategy.”

Interestingly, he didn’t clarify whether Horan was right or wrong. As per Lalas, her take was just ‘strange‘ and ‘needless‘ at this point in time. In an interview with The Athletic, the Lyon star had said, “American soccer fans, most of them aren’t smart. They don’t know the game. They don’t understand. (But) it’s getting better and better” while describing the US soccer audience.

As per her, the people in France understand her contributions more. For all we know, it might be a valid point, but perhaps not the most appropriate at this time considering the USWNT’s stocks following the World Cup.

The defending champions were the major contenders in the tournament held in Australia & New Zealand but were eliminated in the RO16 by Sweden. This was not a one-off result, as the USWNT were even outperformed in their group by the Netherlands.

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Hence, it seems Lalas wants Lindsey Horan to avoid further controversy as the USWNT is working its way back up. However, he had a different stance regarding the core subject, which was soccer fans in America.

Unlike Lindsey Horan, Lalas has a different view of the ‘interesting’ American fans

The analyst considers the soccer audience in the US to be interesting, well-rounded, and educated. When Lalas caught wind of Horan’s comments, he pointed out how they would damage an already frail relationship the team has with the Americans.

He explained, “In a country where soccer isn’t king, American soccer fans have often had to seek and discover the game, domestically and internationally.” As per him, this gave the fans a unique & global appreciation of ‘the beautiful game’.

Moreover, he also pointed to the US culture, where fans are exposed to different soccer styles, players, and ideas as a reason for their diverse soccer palette. The arrival of 8x Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer has also changed the age-old perception of soccer significantly in the country.

While that may be true of how Americans view the sport, it could be quite a long time before they have any sort of appreciation for the USWNT.

What do you think of Lindsey Horan’s verdict regarding fans from the USA? Tell us in the comments below.

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