Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has stated that fan disunity, rather than on-field performance, was the cause of the United States men's national soccer team's World Cup exit. The U.S. team was defeated 4-1 by Belgium in a match that saw them concede early goals and ultimately fall out of the tournament.
Griffin expressed his disappointment on social media, posting, "We lost because (Belgium is a better team) we weren't a united front as fans." He further elaborated, "We are supposed to be the United States of America not the divided states of America."
The former quarterback, who admitted to being in Hawaii and "drinking my sorrows away" with Australians following the loss, also referenced external controversies that preceded the match. He mentioned "a call from President Trump" and a "red card suspension in a 'probationary period'" for player Folarin Balogun as factors contributing to the team's preparation.
Griffin's comments drew criticism from various social media users and sports analysts. Some questioned the logic of blaming fans for a game's outcome, with one user writing, "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." NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Bonta Hill also commented, "The fans had nothing to do with the US getting humbled. Knock it off, lol."
The United States' defeat marked a significant setback for American soccer, with the team being thoroughly outplayed by Belgium. The match concluded with a 4-1 scoreline after Belgium secured their fourth goal in stoppage time.
Griffin concluded his social media posts with a mix of congratulations to Belgium and bewilderment at the performance, stating, "Again Congrats to Belgium but WTF?" He described the U.S. team's performance as being made to look like an "AAU TEAM."