POOR SPORTS: U.S. women's soccer team defends showboating in blowout win
Graeme GordonMore from Graeme Gordon
Updated: June 12, 2019 5:35 PM EDT
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Players on the U.S. women's soccer team defended their exuberant celebrations for all 13 goals scored in a blowout 13-0 win over Thailand at the Women's World Cup in Riems, France.
"We really just came into the game really wanting to showcase ourselves," U.S. striker Alex Morgan said, the Associated Press reports. "We knew that every goal could matter in this group stage game and when it comes to celebrations this was a really good team performance and I think it was important for us to celebrate together."
Thailand's players were left in tears from the clobbering but that didn't stop the U.S. players from celebrating the latter goals in the drubbing.
Alex Morgan of the U.S. celebrates scoring her team's 12th goal against Thailand along with Megan Rapinoe. CHRISTIAN HARTMANN / REUTERS
Commentators and fans on social media expressed their disapproval or disgust at what many saw as unsportsmanlike showboating.
"As a Canadian we would just never ever think of doing something like that … For me it's disrespectful," said former Canadian international soccer player and commentator Kaylyn Kyle said during a panel on TSN.
Kyle later received death threats for her criticism of the U.S. team showing off.
This is the last I will comment on this issue.
💕 Kay pic.twitter.com/EsrYxFmDkQ
— Kaylyn Kyle (@KaylynKyle) June 11, 2019
Another former Canadian player Clare Rustad took issue with the U.S. team's behaviour.
"I would have hoped they could have won with humility and grace but celebrating goals 8, 9, and 10 the way they were doing is really unnecessary," Rustad said during the panel.
Team USA coach Jill Ellis questioned whether the backlash to the relentless celebrations would've been the same if it were a game involving men, the Canadian Press reports.
"If this is 10-0 in a men's World Cup are we getting the same questions," she asked.
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Ellis also explained why she had her players rack up the score and continue to enthusiastically celebrate every goal despite the massive deficit between them and their opponent.
"This is a world championship, so every team here has been fantastic to get to this point. And I think that to be respectful to opponents is to play hard against opponents, and as Alex said, it's a tournament where goal differential is important.
"I don't find it my job to harness my players and rein them in because this is what they dreamt about. This is it for them. This is a world championship."