Carli Lloyd Doubles Down on Criticism of USWNT's World Cup Behavior
Retired soccer star Carli Lloyd, who was a key part of the U.S. women's national soccer team's last two World Cup wins in 2015 and 2019, is standing behind her previous statements about the current team's performance and behavior during the 2023 tournament.
At the beginning of the month, Lloyd called out the team's performance in their tied game with Portugal as "uninspiring" and "disappointing."
She also disagreed with their celebratory behavior after the match, saying, "I’m all for positivity, but at the same time, the cheering, the dancing, I’ve got a problem with that. Because, I wouldn’t be happy. I know several other [former USWNT] players wouldn’t be happy with that tie."
Soon after, the USWNT was knocked out of the tournament in their next game against Sweden. Now, Lloyd is doubling down on what she said in a conversation with The Athletic, suggesting that she was possibly "the only one brave enough to say it how it is."
She noted that, when she retired in 2021, "The team was disjointed, was not a unit, and the coaching was not what this team needed. So I saw this, I felt this, I experienced this."
Because of that, Lloyd wasn't certain the USWNT would do well in the 2023 World Cup. She said that it's "not because of the lack of talent or the lack of players wanting to win. Every player wants to win. But there are certain steps and processes that you have to go through in order to win."
Lloyd knows that she's "somebody that is blunt, that’s honest," but many called her "selfish, arrogant" and more after her criticism of the USWNT this month.
"That’s been pretty wild to hear because it’s really not true," the 41-year-old said. "I think there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and I just saw this team go in a direction where the values that were built and instilled in this team is not what was displayed out at this World Cup.”
After Lloyd's initial criticism, both team captain Lindsey Horan and head coach Vlatko Andonovski responded, disagreeing with her statements. The U.S. team was kicked from the World Cup this year in the Round of 16, which was the earliest the team has ever been eliminated.
Next: Get to Know Sophia Smith, the Breakout Women's World Cup Star of Team USA
