Former U.S. women’s national soccer team goalie Hope Solo said the team’s “planned” goal celebrations in their overwhelming win against Thailand was “unnecessary.”
The U.S. team beat Thailand 13-0 in their first game in the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Tuesday. It was the most goals ever scored by one team in a World Cup match — mens or womens — beating the previous record of 11.
“I am no stranger to controversy, but let me tell you: I am a proponent of respecting my opponents, and I always have been,” Solo told “CBS This Morning.”
“Obviously, I’ve made some comments in the past out of poor sportsmanship, but I truly believe that we have to show so much class, especially coming from the number one team in the world,” she said. “I think it was unnecessary to have planned-out goal celebrations.”
The former soccer star’s career ended in controversy when she was suspended by U.S. Soccer for six months in 2016 for calling the Swedish team “a bunch of cowards” after they beat the U.S. in the Rio Olympics.
She was also suspended in 2015 for her conduct and faced domestic violence charges a year earlier.
Solo commended forward Carli Lloyd for appearing to console Thailand’s goalkeeper after the match.
“What I thought was so classy was after the end of the game, Carli Lloyd went up to the Thailand goalkeeper, and she put her arm around her and walked her off the field. That’s the kind of class I want to see from the United States,” Solo said.
