The United States National Women’s Soccer Team — the defending Women’s World Cup winners who are heavily favored to repeat their championship at the 2019 Cup in France — set a World Cup scoring record on Tuesday when they blew away a determined but badly overmatched Thailand team by a 13-0 score, according to a Guardian report. But the American women continued to engage in wildly enthusiastic celebrations after each goal, drawing condemnation from fans on Twitter, as well as from some fellow players commenting on the match.
“I just think they could have won with some humility and grace, and they just couldn’t manage to do that,” former Team Canada star Clare Rustad said on a Canadian television broadcast, as quoted by The Daily Mail .
“Celebrating goals later in the game like this is just completely unnecessary. What is this?”
Kaylyn Kyle, another former Canadian player also serving as a commentator on Canada’s sports network TSN, said that she was “disgusted, honestly” by the Team USA celebrations as the score became simply humiliating for Thailand.
The Thailand team is playing in just its second World Cup and qualified for the 2015 Cup in Canada only when the North Korea team was banned over a doping scandal, according to The New York Times . In fact, the team would likely not exist if not for the financial backing of Thai banking heiress Nualphan Lamsam — known more popularly as “Madam Pang” — who is also CEO of one of the country’s largest insurance companies.
General Manager, Nualphan Lamsam: “It’s not an easy task for a small team like us to play #USA , the world’s no.1 [ranked] team. We know it’s tough but the opportunity is here and we got to take it” #USATHA #FIFAWWC2019 pic.twitter.com/QvPMIsHPpR
— Tactictimes (@tactictimes) June 11, 2019
“I’m half watching USA vs Thailand soccer game and I don’t even have fun watching it anymore,” said one Twitter user.
“How can you celebrate the 10th goal like it was the first? Why?”
I’m all for USA USA but what’s going down in the Women’s World Cup is embarrassing. It isn’t like Thailand is some archnemesis. And to celebrate after each inconsequential goal like you just hit a walk off HR is stupid. Have some class. As Jen Bielema knows #karma
— Fake Wally Hall (@FakeWallyHall) June 11, 2019
Another fan on Twitter lamented that “feminism died” due to the Team USA celebrations during the one-sided match, adding, “I thought y’all supposed to support each other.”
Ok… settle down USA … you’re up 11-0 against Thailand in the Women’s World Cup… you don’t need to celebrate the goals anymore… be better. #FIFAWWC
— Kevin Jesus???? (@GlobalJesus) June 11, 2019
Taylor Twellman, a former pro player who earned 30 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team and who is now an ESPN commentator, took to his own Twitter account to say that while he had no issues with Team USA scoring as many goals as possible, “celebrating goals (like #9) leaves a sour taste in my mouth like many of you. Curious to see if anyone apologizes for this postgame.”
But USA striker Alex Morgan — who scored five goals in the game — said that the celebrations were justified, according to a CNN report.
“When it comes to celebrations this was a really good team performance and I think it was important for us to celebrate together,” Morgan told CNN .
