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United States Ladies’s Group They continued their “silent” protest to the national anthem earlier than Women’s World Cup match against Portugal The place at the least seven gamers refused to sing.
This was the third match in a row the place some gamers voted towards singing the Star-Spangled Banner, although it was nonetheless unclear why a big proportion of them selected to stay silent.
Many gamers didn’t sing earlier than the matches towards Vietnam and the Netherlands, which turned one of many largest speaking factors of this yr’s World Cup, drawing harsh criticism from the USA and accusations of “embarrassment” and “disrespect”.
However regardless of being focused to not sing, eight of the beginning line-up remained silent on Tuesday morning, with solely three gamers selecting to sing the nationwide anthem.
Captain Lindsey Horan and ahead Alex Morgan had been seen singing the nationwide anthem, whereas goalkeeper Alyssa Naher and midfielder Julie Ertz put their palms on their chests, as is customary through the US nationwide anthem.
However the majority of the beginning lineup selected to stay silent as soon as once more, and that is it Likely to draw more criticism of their actions in New Zealand.
The gamers selected to not clarify why they determined to not sing the nationwide anthem earlier than the sport. Defender Naomi Girma shrugged off the criticism within the build-up to the Group B match however declined to say what the gamers had been protesting. “I feel after we’re there getting ready for the sport, that is not the main focus,” Girma mentioned final week. So ultimately, each participant has a selection.
The USA workforce emerged in stark distinction to their Portuguese opponents, who sang their nationwide anthems in unison earlier than kick-off.
Many American followers deplored the refusal to sing the anthem instantly after it was broadcast around the globe. “So unhappy that so few gamers present respect through the nationwide anthem,” one fan mentioned on Twitter. Many surprise why Individuals are so rooting for the US to lose.
“The world stage isn’t the place to attempt to push your agenda, it’s the place to take pride and teamwork. Go to the USA!”
One other added: “What this workforce simply did after they performed the nationwide anthem was irritating and disgraceful, particularly in distinction to the Portugal workforce.”
A 3rd mentioned: “It is so embarrassing watching the USWNT through the nationwide anthem. Thanks @LindseyHoranjulieertz for displaying your patriotism.”
Participant protests over the nationwide anthem date again to 2016, when daredevil Megan Rapinoe was impressed to take a knee after NFL participant Colin Kaepernick did the identical to spotlight racial inequality and police brutality in the USA.
The next yr, US Soccer launched a coverage that gamers couldn’t kneel through the nationwide anthem, however this was rescinded in February 2021 previous to the sport later that yr towards Australia on the Olympics wherein all however one participant rode.
“I’ll in all probability by no means put my hand over my coronary heart,” Rapinoe mentioned earlier than the final World Cup in France in 2019. “I’ll in all probability by no means sing the nationwide anthem once more. I really feel prefer it’s type of a problem in itself to simply be who I’m and put on the jersey and symbolize it.”
The ladies’s workforce was in a long-running dispute with US Soccer till February final yr, when an equal pay declare towards the union was settled for $24m (£19m).
The US entered a shock elimination, with the scoreless draw sufficient to keep away from a group-stage exit for the primary time in a World Cup after Portugal’s Ana Capita noticed her stoppage-time effort that will have knocked the Individuals off the put up. earlier than it’s cleared.
