The United States women’s national soccer team earned a scoreless draw against Portugal in the teams’ last group stage encounter on Aug. 1 in Auckland, New Zealand, to advance to the knockout stage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Carli Lloyd, one of the most iconic players in US soccer history, is not happy.
Lloyd, who is now a Fox Sports analyst, slammed the squad, which is now ranked first in the world, stating they are far from getting close to being the best.
“I wouldn’t put them in the top 10,” Lloyd remarked after the game, which nearly ended in a major shock when Portugal’s Ana Capeta hit the post with a shot in stoppage time to put her team up 1-0. It would have been the first time Portugal had ever defeated the American team.
Lloyd, a two-time FIFA Player of the Year who has won two World Cups and two Olympic gold medals, also took issue with the players who were dancing and taking photographs with supporters after the game.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” she said. “There’s a difference between showing respectful of the fans and greeting your family, but to be dancing and smiling — I mean, that was the player of the match.” You’re fortunate not to be going home right now.”
Lloyd, who famously scored a hat trick in 16 minutes against Japan in the 2015 World Cup final, knows a thing or two about perseverance after a poor performance. In 2021, she did wind sprints on a bare field after the United States lost 1-0 to Canada in the Summer Olympics semifinals in Tokyo.
Lloyd is not alone in his criticism of the present team. Several people on Twitter expressed dissatisfaction with the squad’s performance against Portugal, while agreeing with Lloyd’s assessment that the post was the hero.
Some on the internet have placed the blame completely on the shoulder of head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
While the USWNT did not play its best game and finished second in its group behind the Netherlands, the squad is still alive and is set to compete in the round of 16, where they’ll most likely face Sweden, which is expected to win Group G.
“The players are aware of the standard. “It’s just not good enough right now,” former USWNT goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris remarked on TODAY on August 1. “But the thing is, we’re making progress.” We cannot activate the panic button. A World Cup does not follow a script. We are still constructing. We find our footing. We discover our delight and passion. That is why we are playing this game.”
The USWNT will resume its pursuit for a third consecutive World Cup title on August 6 at 5 a.m. ET in Melbourne, Australia.