Lone U.S. women’s soccer player to stand for anthem makes history with record number of goals
Thomas McDonald
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Carli Lloyd, the lone player on the United States Women’s National Team to stand for the national anthem, set a record for most Olympic goals made by a USWNT player.
“I’ve never played to be top goal scorer anywhere,” Lloyd said after the game. “I’ve just been continuously climbing, continuously pushing limits, continuously just trying to hone my skills and get better each and every day.”
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Lloyd, 39, stood with her hand over her heart while other players on the team knelt in protest of alleged “systemic racism” in the United States. She scored two goals to help her team beat Australia 4-3 and make Olympic history.
“Carli Lloyd, the greatest Olympic goal scorer in USWNT history, stood alone before today’s bronze medal game,” tweeted Outkick.
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Her first goal in her 312th international game made her the first to score a goal in four separate Olympics and tied her for the U.S. women’s record of most Olympic goals.
“Fun fact: @CarliLloyd has played in three Olympic medal matches. She’s scored in all of them (including two braces),” tweeted the U.S. Soccer WNT account.
Her second goal, the game winner, put Lloyd in a class of her own, giving her the record with 10 Olympic goals.
“HISTORY MADE! ICYMI, Carli Lloyd becomes @USWNT‘s leading scorer in Olympic history with 10 goals,” tweeted the official NBC Tokyo Olympics account.
“I’ve always wanted to be someone who determines when my career ends, and whenever that is, I’m going to walk away proud at some point. Just be proud of being part of this team, proud of representing my country,” Lloyd said after the history-making match. “It’s been amazing. I just wanted to win, that’s really it. Win and be the best version that I can possibly be.”
“I think that I’ve had a different mindset going into this one,” she said. “I haven’t made any official announcements yet, but obviously I am at the tail end of my career.
“Physically, I feel really good, but at some point, I have to hang up the boots and live life. And I know my husband is eagerly waiting for me to switch off because it’s been 17 years of just grinding away.”