US legend Alexi Lalas says women’s team turned ‘unfriendly’ after players failed to sing the Stars and Stripes at World Cup
- The USWNT has come under fire after some refused to sing the national anthem
- American icon Alexi Lalas says the team has become ‘inimitable’ because of this position
American football legend Alexi Lalas thinks the women’s team has become “inimitable” after a section of players failed to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the World Cup, saying “politics and positions” damage their image.
The United States were knocked out of the World Cup on Sunday after a dramatic penalty shoot-out loss to Sweden, but before the game began six players opted out of singing the national anthem.
In previous Women’s World Cup group matches against Vietnam, the Netherlands and Portugal, the majority of Vlatko Andonovski’s squad did not sing the national anthem.
The controversy saw a number of voices speak out against the team – with US media personality Megyn Kelly saying she hoped the players would lose to Sweden and calling them “shameful”.
Now Lalas – who played 96 times for the United States national team between 1991 and 1998 – has joined the debate, saying the United States women’s team is now seen as “unsympathetic” and risks becoming ” irrelevant” if she continued to do “polarizing” politics. positions in the future.
US legend Alexi Lalas thinks the women’s team has become unbearable after some refused to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the World Cup
Six players remained silent as the anthem played ahead of USA’s loss to Sweden on Sunday
‘Don’t kill the messenger,’ he wrote on Twitter – in response to a fan saying Americans had ‘celebrated a loss’.
“This #USWNT is polarizing. Politics, causes, positions and behavior have made this team unsympathetic to part of America. This team built their brand and drew their power from being the best/winning. If this disappears, they risk becoming useless.
Megan Rapinoe – who was seen laughing after missing a penalty against Sweden – has been a major target of criticism at this World Cup, with Kelly calling her the ‘leader’ inspiring players not to not sing the anthem.
‘Megan Rapinoe, she’s the one running this… She’s not a go. That’s why she’s not on camera when they’re doing the national anthem, but she’s behind a lot of it,’ Kelly said while hosting The Megyn Kelly Show.
“She poisoned the whole team against the country they play for. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand them. I am not with them. I hope they lose… It’s shameful. These girls are shameful. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Lalas thinks the team risks becoming ‘irrelevant’ if they persist in their political positions
Megan Rapinoe, who laughed after missing her penalty, is well known for her outspoken political views and activism and was mocked by Donald Trump on Sunday
Trump claimed some of the players were ‘openly hostile to America’ as he waded down the row
“They will not sing the national anthem. Half of them won’t lay their hands on their hearts. Even those who sing do it halfway. They clearly don’t want to. I mean, they look like they don’t even want to be there. It’s kind of an inconvenience to represent the United States.
Even former US President Donald Trump waded into the row, taking aim at Rapinoe for her missed penalty and claiming some of the players were “openly hostile to America”.
“The ‘shocking and totally unexpected’ loss of the United States women’s soccer team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to our once great nation under Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump wrote on social media.
“Many of our players were openly hostile to America – no other country behaved in this way, or even close to it.
‘WOKE EQUALS FAILURE.
‘Beautiful photo Megan, the USA is going to hell!!! MAGA.’
