Why is Carli Lloyd not playing for USA at the World Cup?

It was something out of a fairy tale.

Carli Lloyd had the greatest ever performance in a World Cup final back in 2015, scoring a hat trick in 16 minutes to defeat Japan. Things like that just don’t happen in the finals of the World Cup.

That was how she left the World Cup.

But now, four years later, Lloyd won’t be starting for the USWNT. 

If the last thing you remember about Carli Lloyd was her insane performance in 2015, it might seem a bit shocking that she isn’t starting. The reality is, though, that there are several reasons why Lloyd is on the bench.

For starters: Lloyd is 36 years old, and the kids have come up from behind. The front three of Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Tobin Heath are pretty set in stone, with Mal Pugh fighting for a spot. Julie Ertz, Lindsay Horan, and Rose Lavelle have taken over the midfield (with Sam Mewis waiting in the wings). There’s just a lot of talent ahead of Lloyd on this roster.

UPDATE: Lloyd subbed in during the second half of USA’s drubbing of Thailand. See all the highlights of the match.

Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Lloyd is not coming off a great club season either. She played in 18 games for Sky Blue FC, starting 17 of those, but only scored four goals.

But then again, Lloyd is all about scoring in clutch moments. She did score five goals in the last four games for the USWNT, and as we wrote yesterday, she could break out at any time.

This is her fourth, and most likely final, World Cup. She is an American soccer icon and fans will be eagerly awaiting to see the 2015 hero step onto the field, but no one knows when that moment will be. She does bring experience to the team, but the question is will that be enough to put Lloyd on the starting line up?

The only way we’ll learn the answer is by waiting to see how Lloyd plays throughout the group stages. That is, if she plays at all.

More Stories

Leo Messi says Barcelona players will take 70-percent pay cut to help club employees during COVID-19

Lionel Messi put out a post on Instagram on Monday announcing that he and fellow FC Barcelona players would take a 70-percent pay cut while La Liga was suspended, and would make additional contributions to ensure that club employees retained 100% of their salaries during the crisis.

Messi also seemed to speak out against criticism that players have faced for not making the decision sooner, saying that there was pressure from within the club for the players to sacrifice their own salary, when it was always something they had planned on doing.

(It should be noted: FC Barcelona doesn't have one...

Read the full article

From The Web Ads by Zergnet

Lionel Messi and other soccer stars are doing the 'Toilet Paper Challenge' while stuck at home

I honestly don't understand why people are using toilet paper as soccer "balls" to juggle -- yes, yes, I know that people are buying rolls by the dozens during social distancing, but I can't figure out how this connection was made! -- but here we are. Maybe it's because it's harder to juggle toilet paper than a soccer ball??

Among the many challenges we've seen while people stay at home during the Coronavirus pandemic -- soap treadmills, shooting socks into cans, and whatever you call keeping an 18-pound medicine ball in the air using just your fists...

Read the full article

Serbian president threatens to arrest Real Madrid player if he breaks quarantine again

The president of Serbia has gone to the extraordinary length of threatening to arrest Luka Jovic, a forward for Real Madrid, if he breaks coronavirus quarantine again.

Jovic flew home to Belgrade, Serbia this past week, despite all Real Madrid players being put under isolation after a member of the Real Madrid basketball team tested positive for COVID-19, a strain of the coronavirus.

The player did so with the blessing of the club, and he maintains he tested negative for coronavirus.

Despite that, Jovic was meant to self-quarantine while in Serbia. He ... did not do that. Jovic got a ton of...

Read the full article