An American soccer legend is taking Christian Pulisic to task for performing the Donald Trump dance after scoring a goal in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 4-2 win over Jamaica in a Nations League game.
In a column for The Daily Mail, former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard called out Pulisic for performing the “stupid” dance.
“Here’s my personal view: doing a dance that mimics Donald Trump is stupid. Why? Because, whether it’s the president of the United States or my neighbor down the street, I would never back someone who I believe is racist. I wouldn’t glorify that. I wouldn’t do it for anything,” Howard wrote.
“If someone feels strongly the other way, no problem. But if you’re going to make a political statement then be bold and brash enough to stand behind it. Don’t go quiet and don’t plead innocence like Christian Pulisic.”
Related: The ‘Trump Dance’ Is Taking Over Football, Both Home And Abroad
Howard also laid into U.S. Soccer, saying they need to educate players about the political and social landscapes happening in the world today.
“That’s why it’s difficult for me to see how this scenario has unfolded. A prominent player does a celebration that is deemed to be political by everyone – except them? U.S. Soccer has to stay ahead of the game: gather the players for a meeting, talk to them during training camp, send an email if you have to,” Howard noted.
Christian Pulisic wasn't the only USMNT player that hit the Trump dance after his goal against Jamaica.
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) November 19, 2024
(via @awnaveed11) pic.twitter.com/1SxBGVbNJq
For his part, Pulisic said his performance of the dance was not politically motivated.
“It was just a dance that everyone’s doing,” Pulisic said after the game, via The Athletic. “He’s the one who created it. I just thought it was funny … It’s not a political dance. It was just for fun. I saw a bunch of people do it and I thought it was funny, so I enjoyed it. I hope some people did, at least.”
Pulisic isn’t the first sports star to perform the Trump dance that has gone viral. NFL players Nick Bosa, Brock Bowers, and Calvin Ridley have also performed the dance, as well as MMA fighter Jon Jones with Trump in attendance.
The Athletic reports that U.S. Soccer declined to comment on Howard’s remarks.
Related: Former Masters Champ Dustin Johnson Tees It Up With President-Elect Trump
More about:Soccer Soccer News
Read This Next
