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Hope Solo Calls Swedish Soccer Team ‘Cowards’ Following USA Olympic Loss — Will Hope Ever Get A Grip On Reality?

By Shayla D
Published on: 11:25 PST, Aug 12, 2016

Hope Solo called the Swedish team “cowards” following the USA’s elimination loss in PKs during the women’s soccer quarterfinals of the Olympics, according to Fox Sports reporter Grant Wahl. Solo, who has had a rough couple of games at the Rio Olympics, is well known for her mouth getting her into trouble, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Hope would resort to name calling after the stunning loss.

As previously reported by Inquisitr, the USWNT was heavily-favored over Sweden going into today’s quarterfinals Olympic soccer match, but after a back and forth battle, Solo and the USWNT forwards came up short in PKs. According to a post to Grant Wahl’s Twitter of the full interview, Hope Solo took no issue with her USA teammates, who botched two penalty shots or any responsibility for Solo’s own shortfalls in play.

Hope Solo fails to stop a penalty shot by the Swedish tam during the Olympic Women’s Soccer Quarterfinals. Image by Eraldo Peres/AP.

“I thought we played a courageous game. I thought we had many opportunities on goal. I think we showed a lot of heart. We came back from a goal down. I’m very proud of this team. But we also played a bunch of cowards,” Solo said.

Hope went on to complain that the Swedish team played tentatively rather than as physically imposing as the USWNT had attempted to play. Solo stated it was Swedish coach Pia Sudhage’s style to have her team play like “cowards” in this manner.

As a fan of the USWNT and a soccer mom, I have to wonder if Hope Solo will ever get a grip on reality.

Here’s the truth, Hope. We’ve been listening to you run your mouth for years. And USWNT have been very lenient about it. We all remember the rhetoric of Hope Solo past, who pouted about being benched in favor of Brianna Scurry. And sure, we may have even agreed with you that the outcome of that game long ago would’ve been different.

And we certainly can recall how your obnoxious behavior while drunk has gotten the great Hope Solo both arrested and suspended from the USA team in the past. And let’s not forget the “boos” heard around the world throughout the Olympics because of Hope Solo’s Zika virus Twitter rants, according to the Washington Post.

We’ve cheered with you, Hope, as you’ve broken records, received awards, and made some incredible saves. We’ve forgiven you for that goose egg goal by Colombia earlier this week. But there is more to being a champion than winning games, and at this moment, Hope Solo, there is a reason you’re not continuing your quest for that Olympic gold medal.

Hope Solo crumples to the ground after missing an easy shot by Colombia in the Rio Olympics. Image by Bruno Zanardo/Getty Images.

Here’s the deal, Hope. Come close and listen. You win some. You lose some. Today you lost. It was not a solo effort. It was a team effort. The Swedish team played to win. That means adjusting to the game, however necessary.

No one will deny that Hope Solo is possibly the best women’s goalkeeper to have ever played to date. Today, however, Lindvig Lindahl was the better goalkeeper. Lindahl stopped a PK by Alex Morgan. In fact, Lindahl was tested quite a bit and she held strong. She didn’t come out and blame the USA team for scoring on her. I’m guessing she understands that is part of the game. While you may claim that the USWNT lost today because of Sweden’s cowardice, the truth is, Hope Solo, that the Swedish team won because they scored more goals. How you responded to the loss is the very attitude that has led to you being heckled for the entire Olympics.

With your athleticism, you may very well be the most talented person on the field, Hope. But the measure of a true champion isn’t simply based on athletic skill. It’s based on how they carry themselves in both success and failure. You are inspiring thousands of young women on the field of soccer, Hope Solo. It’s okay to want the win. Winning is what brings home championships, glory, fame. How you accept a loss, however, is a definition of your character, not necessarily how you played the game.

Here is Grant Wahl’s complete conversation with Hope Solo as posted to his Twitter:

Unsurprisingly, Hope wasn’t remorseful and thanked Wahl for sharing the entire context of their conversation.

[Photo by Bruno Zanardo/Getty Images]

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