Conservatives celebrated Team USA’s exit from the Women’s World Cup with a slew of offside posts on Sunday.
Right-wingers rooting against the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team seemed smug after Megan Rapinoe missed a crucial penalty kick against Sweden, ending the team’s time in the tournament in a 5-4 shootout.
Critics tried to troll Rapinoe and her 22 teammates on X, formerly Twitter, calling the team “woke” and “un-American.”
Many on the right were simmering over players’ decision to stand in silence when “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played ahead of their World Cup games.
T.J. Moe, a contributor for The Blaze, told followers, “I’m glad they lost.”
“The attitude of the USWNT reflect such poor values it’s sickening. They need an overhaul,” he went on. “The America-hating, entitled, ungrateful group, led by Megan Rapinoe, needs to go. Quite fitting she’s the one who blew their best chance to win.”
Others aimed their anger specifically at the team’s star forward, Rapinoe, who is an outspoken LGBTQ activist and strong advocate for transgender athletes. She’s also a two-time World Cup champion and former winner of the Golden Ball trophy, awarded to the best player of the tournament.
“The anti-American USA woke women’s soccer team has been eliminated and Megan Rapinoe is the cause of it,” wrote Catturd, a prominent right-wing troll. “I can’t stop laughing.”
Despite the disappointment, and the bullying, Rapinoe told Fox Sports she was proud of what the team accomplished.
“I thought we played really well,” the Olympic gold medalist said, per The Athletic. “I’m so happy for us that we went out like that, playing the way we did.”
“I mean this is like a sick joke for me personally,” she conceded. “I’m just like this is dark comedy that I missed a penalty. I still just feel really grateful and joyful.”
See some of the meanest tweets right here:
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