Even Fewer US Women's Team Players Sing Anthem Ahead of Second Straight World Cup Letdown
Before they played like stones, they stood like them.
The U.S. Women’s National Team limped into the next round of the World Cup playoff after a 0-0 draw with Portugal on Tuesday.
The U.S. won only one game in group play for the first time in tournament history — its opening game against Vietnam — and scored just four goals over three games, the last two of which were draws.
The U.S. almost lost after a Portuguese player nearly scored at the very end. Her shot hit the left goal post.
Not only has the team’s on-field performance sagged, they’ve never displayed less patriotism.
Prior to the team’s draw against the Netherlands, about five or six players of the 11 lined up on the field actually participated in singing the national anthem.
Prior to the match with Portugal on Tuesday, only Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, and Lindsey Horan sang.
The New York Post noted the contrast between the U.S. team and its opponent when it reported, “the Portuguese team gave a full-throated rendition of ‘A Portuguesa’ on Tuesday.”
The U.K. Daily Mail said those who sang, “appeared to mumble along to the anthem” while “many in the squad stood motionless and did not put hands on their heart as the anthem played out.” Morgan, Ertz, Horan and Alyssa Naeher were the only players who did so, the Mail reported.
“The lack of respect, by most of the squad, for our anthem is sad,” tweeted Marshall Billingslea, a former deputy undersecretary of the Navy.
USA USA USA 🇺🇸🎶
WAKE UP AMERICA, IT’S GAME TIME! pic.twitter.com/SqWd5TjvyB
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023
We effectively lost to Portugal tonight, by drawing 0-0. A terrible showing @USWNT.@USWNT, get your starting side to cheer for our country as well. The lack of respect, by most of the squad, for our anthem is sad…
It is simple. You cheer for us, we cheer for you.
— Marshall S. Billingslea (@M_S_Billingslea) August 1, 2023
They owe us more than that. They owe us a show of respect for our flag and anthem.
— TonyI (@TonyI_reserve) August 1, 2023
Megan Rapinoe said in 2019 that she would “never put my hand over my heart” and “never sing the national anthem again.”
The team’s conduct has led talk show host Megyn Kelly to remark, “I really do believe their version of what a feminist is, what it means to be an empowered woman, at least as an American woman, means you need to hate your country.”
Hey, US women’s soccer team – this is how much we in America value the sacrifices our men & women in uniform have made. And why we salute the flag & put our hands over our hearts during the Nat’l anthem & SING when it plays – esp when we are representing the USA. DO BETTER. https://t.co/NcFV9ZzzYz
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) July 31, 2023
“It means to go out on the national stage and embarrass yourself and your country by not singing the national anthem. For several of them, not even holding their hands over their hearts when the national anthem played, that was a bridge too far,” Kelly said.
‘They couldn’t be bothered to actually place their hand on their heart as the national anthem played, as they stood out there representing you and me and the country and our military and people who have given their lives for the country that they represent,” she said.
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