The United States Women’s National Team started off the 2023 Women’s World Cup with a 3-0 win over Vietnam. But they also created controversy over their national anthem stance in the process. During the pre-match ceremony, the United States national anthem played over the stadium speakers in Auckland, New Zealand.
But as it played, the majority of the players on the team chose not to sing the national anthem or put their right hands over their hearts for the playing of the song. A Newsweek report found that most of the U.S. women’s soccer team remained silent during the national anthem, with their fists behind their backs. Only five players placed their hands over their hearts, and only three of the starting 11 sang along.
Because of this, the women’s team has been subject to criticism and has drawn the ire of many in the media, including Megyn Kelly, who ripped their actions as “disgusting.” Kelly addressed this on her SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Show on Monday and absolutely tore into the team.
“I really do believe their version of what a feminist is, what it means to be an empowered woman, at least as an American woman, means you need to hate your country,” she said via the New York Post.
“It means to go out on the national stage and embarrass yourself and your country by not singing the national anthem.”
During the 2019 Women’s World Cup, many USWNT players chose not to sing, so this isn’t exactly a new phenomenon for the national team. They will likely be watched very closely ahead of their matchup against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.