Ben Shelton was at Roland Garros to discuss tennis. But when a journalist took a jab at the United States soccer team, the American did not take it lightly.

During the 2026 French Open pre-tournament press conference, an Austrian journalist asked about the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States later this year. He said the US team looked bad and wondered how invested Shelton would be. However, the 23-year-old gave a sharp reply to shut him down.

“Where are you from?” asked Shelton. He then smiled and changed his tone as the journalist confessed he was Austrian.

“I don’t know anything about the Austrian football team. I haven’t heard any news,” replied Shelton. “But obviously I was going to back the USA on home soil.”

However, he soon diverted that comment into a lighthearted interaction.

“I was thinking that at first you were French, and I would have given you that because they’re very, very good,” Shelton added. “But I’ll probably be more invested in Wimbledon than the World Cup, but I’ll be watching for sure.”

The American did not get defensive about his national team and handled the dig with amazing wit and presence of mind. He just turned the question around confidently and made clear where his priorities are for the summer.

The exchange came as Ben Shelton prepares to head to Roland Garros, where he is one of the more exciting players in the draw. He is a dangerous opponent on any surface with his powerful serve and aggressive baseline game. He comes into the tournament in good form and with high expectations from US tennis fans.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the US national team will play at home in a World Cup for the first time since 1994. The team has been a source of divided opinion, with some pundits doubting their capability of going far in the tournament. But Shelton isn’t joining that chorus.

Ben Shelton’s Personal Connection to the U.S. Soccer Team

Shelton’s reply might have had extra weight because of his close ties to American soccer through his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman. The Washington Spirit forward is one of the faces of the U.S. Women’s National Team and has been one of the backbone of the team’s success.

The USWNT has won four FIFA Women’s World Cup titles as well as multiple Olympic gold medals and is currently ranked second in the world. Rodman has scored 13 goals and 11 assists across her 55 appearances for the team, making her one of the driving forces of the team.

Shelton didn’t mention Rodman by name in the exchange, but his relationship with one of the most recognizable soccer players in the country naturally gives him a closer connection to the sport than many other tennis players. That context goes a long way toward explaining why he was so quick to reply when the U.S. national team came under fire from the journalist.

Shelton and Rodman started dating last year in March and have since maintained a very public relationship. They both have appeared in each other’s games to show support, which all adds up to why Shelton reacted the way he did.