New York Knicks player Josh Hart found a humorous way to cope with the U.S. men's national soccer team's elimination from the World Cup. Following the USMNT's Round of 16 loss to Belgium, Hart posted on social media, "US lost but Knicks still Champs. Goodnight!"
Hart was referring to the Knicks' recent NBA championship, which ended a 53-year title drought for the franchise and coincided with the start of the World Cup. His message aimed to remind fans, particularly in New York, of the basketball team's success amid the soccer team's disappointment.
During the match, Hart engaged with fans on social media, making several playful comments. He quipped, "Pancakes > Belgian Waffles," and later joked about potential controversies, writing, "We didn’t want to win anyways cause they would have called it rigged." This alluded to discussions surrounding player Folarin Balogun's participation in the tournament.
Despite the team's efforts, the USMNT struggled to match the performance shown in previous games. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged the team's subpar play, stating, "We started in a poor way. We never found the flow of the game... We have to accept we weren’t good. We don’t need to find excuses." The USMNT's exit in the Round of 16 marked the end of their World Cup campaign, with the team unable to advance further in the tournament.