On Friday, the United States Women’s National Team began their run through the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a match against Vietnam. And while they notched a pretty easy 3-0 victory in the match, it was what happened before kickoff that made headlines around the sports world.
During the pre-match ceremony before the team opened World Cup play, the United States national anthem The Star Spangled Banner played over the stadium speakers. 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.
According to a report from News Week, most of the players on the team stayed silent while the national anthem played, putting their fists behind their backs during the song. Only five of the players placed their hands over their hearts and only three players of the team’s starting 11 players sang along to the national anthem as it played.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS AT THE 2023 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME 🙌 pic.twitter.com/czqIXr5zBT
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 22, 2023
The players’ decision to remain silent during the national anthem certainly generated a few reactions on social media.
At least they managed to stand up this time. 5 of 11 had hands on hearts and a couple sang. Good for those 5 but the rest make it hard to root for them. 🙄 https://t.co/02n72ufDkS
— Laura 📚 (@LorieBama) July 22, 2023
Women’s World Cup National Anthem Stats:
USA vs. Vietnam
🇺🇸 5/11 players + coach had hand over heart
1/11 players sang anthem🇻🇳 11/11 players + coach sang anthem proudly w/hand over heart
Vietnam crushes USA on patriotism. https://t.co/8aKnorPizW
— Pragmatus (@GreatWallofText) July 22, 2023
Absolutely a disgrace that many on that team don’t have a hand over their hearts. This country has given them so much more opportunities than they would have anywhere else. https://t.co/8cbH99aSSd
— Nick Newman 🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦 (@nicknewman801) July 22, 2023
They are lucky to be born here, at least put your hand over your heart! https://t.co/zuO913CKPl
— Anthony Giles (@tonybtbone) July 22, 2023
Good luck to the 5 women who respect our country and anthem. https://t.co/BkrKuLLxFu
— Peyton Ellis (@P8N_LS) July 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/ClevelandJeff/status/1682805368139796480?s=20
This is not the first time that many players on the team have refused to sing or put their hands over their hearts during the playing of the national anthem.
During the 2019 World Cup, many USWNT players chose not to sing with superstar Megan Rapinoe going as far as to tell Yahoo! Sports that she was probably never going to sing the national anthem again as a result of racial injustice and systematic oppression in the United States.
