Carli Lloyd on why she criticized USWNT so harshly: 'I poured my heart and soul into this team’

Carli Lloyd created quite the firestorm earlier this week.

After the USWNT disappointingly drew against Portugal to end the group stage, the former star ripped the current players for dancing and celebrating as if they had won. Part of Lloyd’s criticism was also rooted in her believing recent fame had gotten to the players’ heads — a point our Mike Sykes disagreed with.

In light of some of the backlash Lloyd has gotten, she took time to clarify her critique during the FOX World Cup broadcast on Wednesday. The two-time World Cup champion kept it simple:

She cares about the team greatly, and she wants them to carry on a rich tradition.

"I want people to understand that I care deeply about this team."@CarliLloyd shares how her previous comments on the USWNT come from a place of admiration and how they were reflected in a legacy of success and generational greatness pic.twitter.com/2TIv8YQOVr

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 2, 2023

I might still disagree with segments of Lloyd’s comments, like the idea that fame hurts the players’ on-field mentality. If that were the case, none of the big superpowers would ever fare well in the tournament, let alone the USWNT.

But in terms of general substance — a team legend wants to see better play from the new generation — I can’t fault Lloyd for speaking her mind. She’s an ambassador of the USWNT at heart, and if she sees something she doesn’t appreciate, she’ll highlight it. Even with a berth in the knockout stages, the USWNT has been playing poorly during this World Cup. Anyone in her position would find it hard not to say anything.

Lloyd is closer to the team than most people. She’s at least earned that right.