After scoring a goal on Monday, U.S. men’s soccer star Christian Pulisic joined the wave of athletes who are pulling out President-elect Trump’s “YMCA” dance as a celebration.
Pulisic told reporters afterward he “thought it was funny” and said the dance moves were not “political” in nature.
But that didn’t save him from scrutiny.
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Christian Pulisic and Megan Rapinoe. (Getty Images/IMAGN)
The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) did not address Pulisic’s dance, but cut that part of the clip out when reposting the score on its social media accounts. However, anonymous USSF officials expressed dismay to The Athletic on Tuesday.
“Literally nobody here is surprised,” a USSF employee told the outlet. “It doesn’t feel that way, at least. But it’s still really disappointing, to say the least.”
Another employee added that the organization has “more pressing things to worry about.”
Well, a former member of the United States men’s soccer youth program took a shot at the media for ripping Pulisic, posting a story by The Athletic that was headlined, “Christian Pulisic, the Donald Trump dance and why true leaders consider the impact of their actions.”
The United States’ Christian Pulisic brings the ball down the pitch as Jamaica’s Tayvon Gray gives chase during their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg soccer match at CityPark in St. Louis on Monday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
“Megan Rapinoe shouts and screams about every radical liberal idea and the soccer media claps like seals at her. Christian Pulisic does the trump dance and now the soccer media says he should worry about what ‘message’ it sends,” Andrew Carleton wrote on X on Wednesday.
In the story, The Athletic writer Jeff Reuter also warned the soccer star to “consider the impact” of the dance move and why he “may come to regret” it.
United States forward Christian Pulisic controls the ball as Jamaica midfielder Joel Latibeaudiere defends during their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg soccer match at CityPark in St. Louis on Monday. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
“Pulisic can dance if he wants to. Any fan of 1980s one-hit wonders knows that. But it’s one thing to say you’re a leader and another to do what leaders do: consider how their actions will be perceived by their teammates and others,” he wrote. “And yes, that extends to dances — especially when you’re literally mimicking the dance of an elected leader. Rather than any of the countless apolitical shimmies he could have chosen, this was a deliberate reference.”
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Carleton last played in the United Soccer League for the Las Vegas Lights last year. He was a member of the US U20 team in 2019.
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