USWNT star Carli Lloyd says she ‘hated’ culture in final years on team

United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) star Carli Lloyd said she “hated” the culture on the team in her final years. 

“It was really tough and challenging to be playing these last several years,” the soccer star said on the “Hope Solo Speaks” podcast, CNN reported. “I wanted to win and I wanted to help the team, but the culture within the team was the worst I’ve ever seen it.”

Lloyd retired in 2021 after a successful career with the team in which she won two World Cups and two Olympics gold medals. 

She said on the podcast hosted by her onetime USWNT teammate Hope Solo that the team lacked the unity and desire to achieve a successful culture in the last few years of her career.

“You can have the most talented people working for you, you can have the most talented players playing on the team, but if there is no collective one, if there is no collective goal, no team and no business can be successful with a poor culture,” Lloyd said.

“And by culture, I am referring to mentality, respect for coaches, teammates, support staff. I am also talking about the drive, the desire, the hunger, the fight, the accepting a role and doing it to the best of your ability,” she added.

Lloyd has faced some pushback for speaking out about the culture on the team, but she’s stood by her comments, according to CNN. 

“I still have a lot left to give to this world and the soccer world and no one will ever stop me,” Lloyd said. 

Lloyd started on the team in 2005 and scored 128 goals, CNN noted. After she retired, the team won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.