Critic calls US men's soccer team’s World Cup loss a setback
After a 4-1 quarter-final defeat to Belgium, commentator Dave Portnoy said the United States’ performance was disastrous and could set the sport back decades.
The United States men’s national soccer team was eliminated from the World Cup after a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the quarter-finals. The side, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, had previously defeated Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming the most successful U.S. team at a single tournament in terms of wins.
Media personality Dave Portnoy, who had publicly supported the team before the match, sharply criticized the performance. He said the players “embarrassed the country” and described the showing as “the most pathetic performance I’ve ever seen.” Portnoy added that the defeat “set soccer back close to 100 years.”
The reaction reflects the disappointment of many U.S. fans who had raised expectations after the earlier victories, but the team’s exit ends its World Cup run without advancing to the semifinals.