As the FIFA Women’s World Cup enters the crucial Round of 16, the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) finds itself surrounded by controversy. While anticipation mounts for the qualified teams, the USWNT has come under fire for their refusal to sing the national anthem during their matches. In particular, American journalist Megyn Kelly has singled out veteran player Megan Rapinoe for her alleged role in provoking this act.

The USWNT’s journey through the group stage has been less than stellar. They managed to finish in second place with two draws against the Netherlands and Portugal, and their only win came against Vietnam. However, the focus shifted from their gameplay to their controversial refusal to participate in the singing of the national anthem.

Popular journalist slams ‘moron’ Megan Rapinoe

In their 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the USWNT players did not sing the national anthem. The same behavior was repeated in their final group-stage match against Portugal, in which they played out a goalless draw. Other than a few faces like Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, and Lindsey Horan, the rest of the team refused to keep their hands on their hearts and didn’t sing the Star-Spangled Banner.

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The team’s reluctance to partake in this national tradition has sparked a heated debate, with Kelly taking a firm stance against the players involved. In her podcast, Kelly criticized Rapinoe, whom she feels is responsible for leading this act of protest. “Megan Rapinoe, she’s the leader of all this,” the journalist said. “She’s not a starter. So that’s why she’s not on camera when they’re doing the national anthem, but she’s behind a lot of this”.

Kelly went as far as calling the players “morons” and claimed, “She’s (Megan Rapinoe) poisoned the entire team against the country for which they play”. The controversy surrounding the national anthem has ignited a heated debate. Some argue that athletes should use their platform to raise awareness and promote change.

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Others also believe that such protests disrespect the nation they represent and the fans who support them. In the midst of this controversy, Megan Rapinoe has become a lightning rod for criticism. However, this is not the only criticism the team has had to face.

USWNT legend Carli Lloyd bashes the current Women’s team

The USWNT, renowned for its dominance in the world of women’s soccer, had a rather lackluster performance during the group stage. Following their goalless draw against Portugal, which resulted in a second-place finish in their group, USWNT icon Carli Lloyd expressed her disapproval of the team’s celebrations after the match.

She commented, “I have never witnessed something like that. There’s a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family”. The criticism didn’t end there as she added, “You are lucky not to be going home right now!” These incidents, along with the national anthem controversy, have undoubtedly cast a negative shadow on the USWNT’s historic quest for a three-peat.

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