USWNT captain Lindsey Horan apologizes for comments saying American fans ‘aren’t smart’

U.S. women’s soccer star Lindsey Horan sparked outrage earlier this month when she said that American soccer fans “aren’t smart” and don’t understand the game. 

Now, the USWNT captain is walking back those remarks. 

Horan, who previously played in the National Women’s Soccer League, issued an apology when speaking to reporters on Thursday ahead of the first CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup slated to begin next week. 

“First and foremost, I would like to apologize to our fans,” the 29-year-old midfielder said, via ESPN. “Some of my comments were poorly expressed, and there was a massive lesson learned for me.”

“When I think about our fans, I love them so much. This team loves them so much, and I can’t begin to explain how much they mean to us. Every time we step out and train, every time we step out and play in games, we play for you guys, and you are our inspiration, you are our motivation, and seeing you wearing our jerseys and seeing you screaming our names and chanting ‘USA,’ that’s what we play for.”

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She continued, “And I never wanted to take any of that away. And continuing on that, the soccer culture in America is changing and growing so much in such a positive way.”

The sentiments Horan expressed Thursday are in stark contrast to those expressed during an interview with The Athletic earlier this month. 

“American soccer fans, most of them aren’t smart,” she was quoted as saying. “They don’t know the game. They don’t understand. (But) it’s getting better and better.”

“I’m gonna piss off some people, but the game is growing in the U.S. People are more and more knowledgeable, but so much of the time people take what the commentators say, right? My mom does it! My mom says, ‘Julie Foudy said you had such a good game!’ And I’m here, just going, ‘I was f—ing s— today.'”

The remarks sparked a fierce backlash, especially after the team was recovering from their worst finish at the Women’s World Cup last summer. The U.S. was eliminated in the round of 16, for its earliest exit in the tournament to date. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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