Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III believes the true culprit for the United States’ humiliating World Cup exit was not on the field or on the sidelines, but in the stands.
On Monday night, the USMNT was embarrassed and outclassed by a Belgium side that dominated the contest from the opening kick.
A comedy of errors saw the USA give up two easy goals to the Belgians to go into the half down 2-1 before Matt Freese and Tim Ream teamed up to concede one of the worst goals in American history. Substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed the embarrassment with a fourth goal in stoppage time to send the United States out of the tournament.
The match was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s inclusion following FIFA’s decision to put his red card suspension in a ‘probationary period.’ These efforts may have been aided by a call from President Trump, which drew international scrutiny – as well as criticism from some American soccer fans.
Regardless of the outside noise, it was a shameful performance from the United States against a much better side. While Griffin acknowledges this, he also believes that the fan pressure going into the night was a cause for failure.
‘We lost because (Belgium is a better team) we weren’t a united front as fans,’ Griffin posted to his X account.
Ex-NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III blamed the fans for the USMNT’s World Cup exit
Griffin: ‘We are supposed to be the United States of America not the divided states of America’
The Americans were thoroughly thrashed by Belgium in a 4-1 demolition in Seattle
‘We are supposed to be the United States of America not the divided states of America.’
Griffin didn’t expand any further on this point and failed to point out how the home support of 66,925 at Seattle Stadium – or the millions watching on television across the nation – were the cause for the defeat.
His comments drew plenty of criticism from sports fans on social media.
‘Your generic US sport platitudes have no power here,’ wrote one user on X.
Another said, ‘Oh god come on.’
‘This is easily one of the worst tweets of all time,’ read another comment.
One user posted, ‘Robert Griffin III blaming the fans, who had nothing to do with the loss, explains a lot about why he absolutely sucked at quarterback in the NFL after 2012.’
‘The fans had nothing to do with the US getting humbled. Knock it off, lol,’ posted NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Bonta Hill.
Social media was critical of Griffin’s stance, considering the fans did not play the game
An injured Christian Pulisic lies on the ground in pain during the defeat to Belgium
The exit for the United States marks a low point for American soccer
Griffin was left despondent by the loss on vacation in Hawai’i where he admitted that he was off to drink away the pain.
‘I’m not gonna lie guys. I’m DEVASTATED,’ Griffin posted. ‘I’m in Hawaii right now drinking my sorrows away with a group of Australians because Belgium made us look like an AAU TEAM.’
‘We had such a massive build up to this game. WE HAD PRESIDENT TRUMP CALL FIFA. WE HAD A DANG RED CARD SUSPENDED.
‘Then Belgium, the dang waffle makers, literally bent us over and made us like it. I know American Soccer is still pretty far behind Europe, but Belgium made it VERY OBVIOUS.’
He concluded, ‘Again Congrats to Belgium but WTF?’
