During the opening match of the 2023 World Cup, the US Women’s National Team was victorious, but infuriated many fans with how it acted during the playing of the national anthem at the beginning of the match.
What angered the fans was that the US team stayed silent when the American National Anthem was played, which stood in stark contrast to how the Vietnamese team against which they played acted: the Vietnamese players expressed patriotic fervor and the American players appeared uninterested.
According to Fox News Digital, the eleven on-field members of the Vietnamese team passionately sang Vietnam’s national anthem, “Tiến Quân Ca,” or “Song of a Marching Army,” in unison, holding their right hands over their hearts as they did so.
The American team, meanwhile, stood silently for the anthem. In fact, the majority, 6 players, didn’t even put their hands over their hearts, instead letting their hands droop by their sides as it played. The five remaining players did put their hands over their hearts, but did not sing along like the Vietnamese team. Only three players, Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, and Lindsey Horan, mouthed the words to the Anthem.
Watch the embarrassing incident here:
Predictably, many conservative patriots on Twitter were furious about the incident. One commenter, for example, quipped, “Can someone teach @USWNT the words to the “Star Spangled Banner”? Their silence was deafening. Watch the video”
Replying to the above comment, another person said, “What a disgrace! Conceited Ingrates! Go! Go! Other Teams. What a bunch of nonsense. The Nation that gave these women such an outstanding opportunity can’t put a hand over their hearts. The Left Hates America.”
Another commenter noted that they’re ungrateful despite getting an amazing opportunity that few others ever will, writing, “Privileged little children, too many of them at least. They have an opportunity 99.99999% (give or take a few points) of girls/women will never get. And they disrespect the country that gives them that opportunity. Like almost EVERYONE else, don’t watch em.”
Joining those furious commenters was former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik. He said, “No one should be allowed to wear the American flag, and represent the U.S. if they don’t believe in it. Most of them don’t even know the words. An international embarrassment. @FIFAWWC @WomensWorldCup @USSoccer @USSoccer_coach @VW @USMNT @USWNT @USYNT @ussoccer_ref @ussoccer_ent”
Replying to Kerik, one commenter said, “My adult daughter (diagnosed with autism at an early age), sings the National Anthem – with her whole heart- and it’s beautiful. Sang it at our State Spec Olympics Opening Ceremony, a minor league baseball game, at graduations, etc. These athletes could take lessons from her.”
Another commenter on Kerik’s post said, “100% the only thing they are disrespecting is the fallen men and women that fought and died for our country. They can’t show respect then they don’t need to be representing the USA 🇺🇸”
This latest embarrassing incident follows Megan Rapinoe, in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, saying that she would “never put my hand over my heart” during the national anthem, adding, “I’ll probably never sing the national anthem again.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
