The English do love their tea, but when it’s sipped from an imaginary cup by an American who just beat them at one of their signature sports, it’s “distasteful.”
United States women’s national soccer team forward Alex Morgan just found that out after her jokey tea-sipping celebration of the goal that ultimately won her team a berth in the finals of the Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over England on Tuesday.
English soccer star Lianne Sanderson likely spoke for many of her aggrieved fellow Brits when she called Morgan out over the joke when speaking with beIN Sports after the match.
Sanderson acknowledged she could be misreading Morgan, but for her the gesture was “based upon playing against England.”
She admitted that the English do love tea, and while she’s not into it, “that’s what we’re connected with, so I think it’s a little bit distasteful.”
For her part, Morgan — one of the American team’s breakout stars alongside colorful, outspoken winger Megan Rapinoe, who didn’t play Tuesday — was anything but apologetic.
“This team is special,” tweeted Morgan, who also celebrated her 30th birthday Tuesday, “Thanks for the bday love. Thanks for the rocking stadium. Thanks for continuing to believe with us. And that’s the tea.”
The U.S. team has been accused of excessive celebration before, such as when they absolutely destroyed Thailand with a 13-0 shutout.
But the fact is, the American team is both dominant and charismatic, and it seems like much of the world simply doesn’t know how to deal with a badass American woman who openly celebrates winning because she’s very good at what she does.
That’s some bitter tea for an English athlete like Sanderson, but it’s pretty damn sweet for Alex Morgan and her teammates.
The US women play in the finals on Sunday, July 7.