Dave Portnoy expressed his frustration with the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) on social media, calling their performance during a recent loss to Belgium “pathetic.” He aired his grievances about what he saw as an “embarrassing effort” after the team lost 4-1 in Seattle.
“It was just a joke. The stage was too big for them,” he vented on X, while he recorded his reaction and dramatically removed his USA Soccer cap and jersey.
Portnoy particularly criticized goaltender Matt Freese, suggesting he might as well have just given away goals. He recalled a moment in the game when the US defense failed to clear the ball effectively, leading to Belgium extending their lead early in the second half.
He further lamented, “If we’re going to have international incidents, we need to ditch goalkeepers who don’t know what they’re doing and defenders who get tossed around easily.”
Add to that, Portnoy was angered by US authorities’ role in interfering with Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension, proposing a draft to improve the team’s talent pool. “If we’re going to keep stirring up trouble with FIFA, maybe we should bring in top-notch athletes from other sports,” he remarked, suggesting that even prominent figures like LeBron James should consider switching to soccer.
Reflecting on the state of the USMNT, he mentioned that the current roster consists of “D-tier players” and criticized the lack of seriousness towards improving the team.
He did, however, show some sportsmanship after the game, congratulating Belgium for their victory and acknowledging them as the better team. “As an American, I admit it. You beat us fair and square,” he stated.
Amidst his pointed critique, many American fans rallied against the team, suggesting that this loss detrimentally affected soccer in the US. One fan expressed disappointment, saying this World Cup was meant to spark interest in American soccer, but the performance left a sour taste. Another echoed similar sentiments, calling out specific players for their shortcomings during the match.
