The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) was knocked out of the World Cup during the round of 16. It is not only the worst showing for this team in its history but also a tragic commentary on where the team currently is. However, there are some nuggets of what seems like divine justice.

The USWNT started their World Cup with only four players putting their hands over their hearts and singing the national anthem. The disgusting lack of patriotism and utter complacency seemed to be a theme in their first two games. Apparently, the USWNT did finally show up for their third (and final) game against Sweden. An account from The Washington Post states: “As the half transpired, Sweden enjoyed less and less possession. Only the halftime whistle interrupted the U.S. progress.”

The U.S. team dominated possession throughout the majority of the first half and all of the second half. However, it was a 0-0 draw in regulation and ended in a penalty kick shootout. The U.S. missed three penalties (none of which were blocked by the Swedish keeper; they simply missed). Sadly, the winning goal for Sweden was one that American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher did block, but it rolled a pencil length over the goal line. Brutal.

After review, the penalty is good and Sweden wins 🇸🇪

🇺🇸:✅✅✅❌❌✅❌
🇸🇪:✅✅❌❌✅✅✅ pic.twitter.com/PbidlCoiWd

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023

Despite having at least one respectable game to USWNT’s credit, commentator and former men’s soccer player Alexi Lalas sums up the overall performance: “We keep talking about wonderful game, wonderful game, wonderful game and ultimately it’s: ‘Why did it take three games for this team to finally show up at this World Cup?’ Ultimately, when you look at this team and the past two World Cup-winning teams, this was the weakest U.S. team of the three. Is this a surprise they are going out? Not necessarily.”

Perhaps the biggest story of the match is Megan Rapinoe. She was subbed in at the 99th minute for Alex Morgan. Rapinoe, once the team star, had been a benchwarmer for almost the entire World Cup. Then, when she did get playing time, she failed to make any sort of impact on the game. Her role in this World Cup seems to have been mostly as an LGBTQ mascot and as a “team leader.” That leadership played out badly for her during penalty kicks, for it was also Rapinoe who started the series of missed penalties that lost team USA the shootout. Rapinoe’s penalty was comically bad. It was not even close to being on target.

Rapinoe misses the fourth!

🇺🇸:✅✅✅❌
🇸🇪:✅✅❌ pic.twitter.com/RVbhQoclla

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 6, 2023

She garnered immediate criticism not merely for the miss but for her reaction afterwards. Her disbelief in missing a penalty kick (her first miss in five years of elite play) caused her to laugh and shake her head. She called the miss “dark comedy” and “a sick, sick joke.” Many fans interpreted her reaction as a commentary on how the U.S. team in general has treated this World Cup: as one big joke.

Her leadership on the team has been toxic. As Hot Air’s Karen Townsend puts it, “The problem for the U.S. women’s team is that Rapinoe made everything all about herself and they allowed her to do it.” She has turned the USWNT into her own personal vehicle for her political views. It was she who kneeled in 2015, and it is she who supports men playing in women’s sports. Rapinoe also has major ties to this Biden White House. She was honored in 2022 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In other words, she’s all in with the radical leftist agenda.

Will Cain, one of the cohosts of “Fox and Friends,” had this very astute observation:

I always pull for Team USA. All sports. And I really don’t take joy in the earliest elimination ever for the USWNT. But this team came to be defined by arrogant celebrity activists who went out of their way to exhibit shame in the US, begin the process of destroying their own sport (advocating for men to play women’s sports) and curry victimization with false narratives about equal pay. Nobody made it harder to root for them than the USWNT. There are women on this team who have poured their heart and soul and sweat into this team for the US. Who are proud Americans focused on soccer. I hope those players define the future of the USWNT.

His sentiments echo this writer’s as well. The USWNT have made themselves pariahs that loyal fans are loath to watch, but that doesn’t mean they can’t turn it around. They have new players and new personalities, and as they continue to build this next generation, perhaps they will be guided back to their purpose as a team.