US Olympic Soccer Team Faces Backlash After 4-0 Loss to Morocco

Morocco qualified for the semi-finals of the Olympic football tournament, for the first time in its history, by defeating the United States (4-0) in the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic football tournament, thus ending the American dream. A heavy defeat that provokes the anger of American supporters. On the web, they have criticized the American Olympic team for its multiple defeats - against Morocco, Panama and Uruguay. They only won the match against Bolivia. "Pathetic performance of the USMNT," reacted a Star and Stripes fan on X. Another American supporter is acerbic: "American men’s football at all levels has coddled rich kids, in a pay-to-play system, who have never had to fight or struggle for anything and it shows. No heart." "The Copa America and the Olympics have shown that American football still has a long way to go," summarizes another American supporter. The latter is referring to the premature elimination of the United States during the Copa America in June.

It was not just criticism on social media. Major League Soccer (MLS) has, for its part, praised the American Olympic team. It also sent them encouragement. On its X account, the Major League Soccer says it is "proud of these boys no matter what." It accompanied the post with two photos of American players who participated in Friday’s match, one of them in a group and another of them lined up before kick-off. "It brought us back to the Olympics for the first time since 2008. We qualified for the round of 16 for the first time since 2000," the League added.

After their crushing victory over the United States, Achraf Hakimi and his teammates will face Spain on Monday, August 5 in Marseille. They will try to win a medal for Morocco.