Lindsey Horan, the captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team, promises to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris next month.
While this would not ordinarily seem abnormal, the USWNT has been at the center of controversies in recent years revolving around the national anthem.
“I think obviously it’s an individual choice,” Horan recently told Fox News Digital.
“I think, for me, without getting emotional here, it’s like one of the coolest moments of a soccer game. You’re stepping out, it’s like the moment before you actually go out on the field. You can kinda sit there, and mentally, fully prepare for what you’re about to do. In that moment, I’m singing the anthem and I’m just [like], ‘I’m playing for my country. I’m representing the USA, which is one of the coolest things in the world. I’m representing my family, the fans here in the stands and at home watching.'”
The 30-year-old Horan then spoke about living out her childhood dream on the biggest stage.
“That little girl wanted to be in this position,” Horan said. “I think about all those things, and I will always sing the anthem because it’s such a special moment to me.”
At last year’s World Cup, many USWNT players were silent during the anthem, with Horan, Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz as notable exceptions.
Later, Trinity Rodman and Emily Fox also sang the anthem.
During the Tokyo Games in 2021, Carli Lloyd was the only USWNT player to stand for the anthem, as the rest of her teammates kneeled.
Lloyd had kneeled in previous games but explained to CBS host Kate Abdo that she had had enough.
“I just felt like I had done it five other times and I just wanted to stand for this one,” Lloyd said.
“That was it, there was like no other thought or anything. … I just thought that we had done enough of the kneeling and I just wanted to stand for my last world championship game.”
