Tag: Korbin Albert

Lloyd: USWNT has embraced Albert after anti-LGBTQ+ controversy

Alexi Lalas said Albert’s Olympic performance said “a lot about her mentality, as a person and as a player”

Carli Lloyd believes that the U.S. women’s national team has embraced Korbin Albert after the controversial midfielder was a vital part of the team’s Olympic gold medal victory.

Albert has been under fire for months after fans discovered homophobic and transphobic social media posts on TikTok, with the 20-year-old called out by USWNT players past and present.

Amid the controversy, the midfielder continued to be an important midfield cog for the USWNT, with head coach Emma Hayes offering her backing after naming Albert to the Olympic roster.

Albert repaid Hayes’ faith at the tournament in France, playing in five of the team’s six games and starting two of its three knockout-round matches — including Saturday’s gold medal game.

Playing at her club Paris Saint-Germain’s home stadium Parc des Princes, Albert delivered the game-winning assist to Mallory Swanson as the USWNT defeated Brazil 1-0 to take home its first gold medal since 2012.

In an appearance on the State of the Union podcast with Alexi Lalas, USWNT legend Lloyd said that from the outside, it appeared that the team had moved on from the controversy.

“She was one of the best players on the field that day (against Brazil) and she played a huge role,” Lloyd said of Albert.

“The midfield looked a little bit more cohesive, and then she played that perfectly weighted pass on for Mallory Swanson to score.

“Ultimately, you silence haters by doing something well on the field and performing. I can’t comment on what’s been going on within the team, but it certainly looks like the team has embraced her.

“When she scored her goal (against Australia), everybody was hugging her and seemed really excited. So hopefully everybody can just move on. And I would imagine that the group has talked about the issue and talked about what happened, and I’m sure they’re wanting to move past it as well.”

Lalas added: “Let’s hope so. Ultimately, she did the job on the field, and she did the job on the field even with all the other stuff that was going on, and the crap that she has been getting off the field. And so it says a lot about her mentality, as a person and as a player.”

In addition to her assist against Brazil, Albert also scored her first USWNT goal in a 2-1 win over Australia to close out the group stage.

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USWNT vs. Brazil Olympics lineup: Albert starts gold medal match over Lavelle

Emma Hayes made her first lineup change of the entire Olympics that didn’t involve a known injury or suspension

The U.S. women’s national team made one change to its lineup for Saturday’s 2024 Olympic gold medal final against Brazil, and it wasn’t a move many saw coming.

Head coach Emma Hayes selected Korbin Albert to start in the midfield over Rose Lavelle, but otherwise made no alterations to the group that defeated Germany 1-0 in the semifinal round.

That meant a place in the team for the only USWNT injury doubt, Tierna Davidson. The Gotham FC defender sustained a knee contusion in the group stage, but recovered to play the first 45 minutes of Tuesday’s win.

Only 13 players have started for the USWNT during this tournament, and both previous changes were enforced. Emily Sonnett replaced Davidson while the latter was out with injury, while Albert started a 1-0 quarterfinal win over Japan with Sam Coffey suspended for yellow-card accumulation.

Should Naomi Girma and Alyssa Naeher play the full 90 or 120 minutes in the final, they will have played every second of this Olympic tournament.

USWNT lineup vs. Brazil

USA (4-3-3): Alyssa Naeher; Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn; Korbin Albert, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan; Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson

Brazil (5-4-1): Lorena; Jheniffer, Lauren, Tarciane, Thais, Yasmim; Adriana, Vitoria Yaya, Duda Sampaio, Ludmila; Gabi Portilho

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Albert: USWNT coach Hayes has offered ‘tough love’ since anti-LGBTQ+ social media controversy

Albert’s impressive strike came even as questions remain over her place in the USWNT Olympic squad

The U.S. women’s national team’s 2-1 win over Australia caught the eye for many reasons, not least of which was an impressive goal from the team’s most scrutinized player.

The USWNT’s successful group-stage performance ended with a third straight win courtesy of a 77th-minute laser from midfielder Korbin Albert. That is to say, a player who has been under fire for four months over homophobic and transphobic social media posts is now making headlines for becoming a USWNT goalscorer in a major tournament.

In post-game quotes published by ESPN and the Washington Post, Albert admitted that USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has adopted a “tough love” approach since deciding to stick with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder amid calls for her to be dropped.

“It’s tough love sometimes,” said Albert of Hayes. “It’s really nice just to have her here and teaching me and guiding me in every way, personally and on the soccer field.”

Albert didn’t directly discuss her social media posts or the aftermath, in keeping with statements from Hayes that the matter would remain internal.

Still, a substantial segment of the USWNT fanbase has criticized U.S. Soccer and Hayes for taking Albert to the Olympics despite the controversy. USWNT greats like Megan Rapinoe (whose career-ending injury was mocked in a post Albert liked on Instagram), Sam Mewis, and Christen Press, have been critical of the 20-year-old, and of the lack of public-facing information about what Albert is doing to repair the damage done.

Hayes: Albert ‘has had to do a fair bit of growing up’

In a post-game press conference, Hayes expanded on the matter, though the specifics of Albert’s attempts to progress towards more inclusive views remained an in-house secret.

“We all know she’s been through a lot with her actions and she’s someone who is truly sorry for what she’s done,” said Hayes. “She’s a really inclusive person and she’s really thoughtful and kind, and she has had to do a fair bit of growing up.

“I’m a mother and my instinct is to protect, and I’m never ever going to change that, but I don’t tolerate [Albert’s social media activity], and we want an environment where people can feel they can be [themselves].”

Albert may be in line for a bigger role in the USWNT’s upcoming Olympic quarterfinal against Japan. Defensive midfielder Sam Coffey will be suspended for Saturday’s knockout match due to yellow-card accumulation.

With Emily Sonnett possibly in line to continue at center back due to Tierna Davidson’s injury, Albert appears to be the most likely player to step into the midfield spot vacated by Coffey.

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Former Notre Dame midfielder gets deciding goal for USWNT in Olympics

Way to score, Korbin!

Former Notre Dame midfielder [autotag]Korbin Albert[/autotag] hasn’t been with the U.S. Women’s National Team for very long. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise that she entered the 2024 Olympics in Paris with no goals yet in international play. That all changed though in the Americans’ group-stage finale against Australia.

With the U.S. already up, 1-0, on Trinity Rodman’s second goal of the tournament late in the first half, Albert entered as a substitute during the 65th minute, which also saw Rodman’s departure. Albert picked up a yellow card during her time on the field, but she won’t remember that. Instead, she’ll remember her first international goal, which she scored in the 77th minute:

The goal proved to be critical as Australia’s Alanna Kennedy had her second tournament tally in the 91st minute. That made it a 2-1 final score in favor of the U.S., which will begin the knockout stage when it faces Japan in Saturday’s quarterfinal match.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

2024 Paris Olympics: The youngest USWNT since 2008 includes a teenager and 12 players under 30

The USWNT is counting on youth to bring home the gold.

Looking to get back on top after falling short of gold in back-to-back Olympics, the United States is sending its youngest women’s national soccer team to the Olympics since 2008.

With an average age of 26.8, according to U.S. Soccer, this is the fourth-youngest USWNT ever at the Olympics. Much younger than the 2021 team that won bronze with an average age of 30.8.

The hope is that the new infusion of youth will catapult the team back to the top of the world, when it won three straight Olympic gold medals from 2004 to 2012.

Of course, when a team’s average age is so young, there are usually a few players on the extreme end of that spectrum, and this team is no exception, with two players under the age of the youngest player from the 2021 roster — which was Tierna Davidson at 22.

The youngest is 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw, who will be the fifth-youngest player and fifth teenager to ever play for the USWNT at the Olympics. A forward/midfielder for San Diego FC, Shaw holds the NWSL record for most goals scored by a teenager, surpassing her U.S. teammate Trinity Rodman — who’s only 22 herself.

The next youngest is 20-year-old Korbin Albert, whose selection to the team was a little controversial. Nonetheless, the former Notre Dame standout and Paris St. Germain midfielder has excelled on the pitch.

Ten others from the 18-player roster are also under 30, including Rodman, Jenna Nighswonger (23), Sophia Smith (23), Naomi Germa (24), Davidson (25), Sam Coffey (25), Emily Fox (26), Mallory Swanson (26), Casey Murphy (28) and Rose Lavelle (29).

Davidson backs Albert to ‘evolve’ but admits USWNT has struggled with situation

The defender backed her teammate, but admitted the situation has been hard for her as a gay player

U.S. women’s national team defender Tierna Davidson admitted that the controversy surrounding Korbin Albert has been difficult for her and the team, but backed her teammate to learn and grow from the experience.

Albert was forced to apologize in March after fans discovered she had shared anti-LGBTQ+ content on her TikTok account.

Though Albert has been called out by USWNT players past and present, she has continued to play a major role on the team and has been named to the 18-player roster for the Olympics.

Also on that roster is Davidson, who is expected to start at center back when the USWNT kicks off the tournament on Thursday against Zambia.

Davidson, who is gay, spoke out on how she has been affected by the controversy surrounding Albert.

“It’s a difficult situation that has obviously affected me personally, given what she was speaking on,” the NJ/NY Gotham FC defender said in an appearance on “Good Game with Sarah Spain” from iHeartPodcast on the company’s Women’s Sports Audio Network.

“I think that it is something that you have to learn as a young player, especially with the platform that you’re given, is your beliefs or how you choose to express certain things is very public. And people do look and listen.”

Echoing USWNT head coach Emma Hayes, Davidson said that Albert is doing work behind the scenes to learn about the affect of her actions. Though Davidson admitted the situation has impacted the USWNT negatively, she insisted that Albert can “change and evolve” through the process of learning.

“I think that she has gone through a lot of learning since then,” Davidson said. “And she has to continue to do that, as we all do. As humans, we have to learn from what we do in our lives, and how people react to it and understand the hurt that we can cause.

“I think that it’s difficult because as a team, we have always wanted to be very welcoming to all of our fans, to all players that walk through the locker room. And so, to have that in our space is very difficult. But I have always believed in the ability for people to learn, and for people to change and to evolve. And that sometimes requires a very difficult experience, which I think this is that moment for her.”

Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Albert has continued to be the subject of boos at home matches, and Davidson has expressed her hope that fans always feel welcome when supporting the USWNT.

“It’s been hard to hear how fans have been taking it because I feel like I want to be able to represent the queer community really well on this team,” she said. “And so I want to have fans feel really welcome and feel like they can see themselves on this field, in this team. And so I don’t want there to be any sort of feeling that they are not welcome here.”

Davidson admitted it hasn’t been easy to share a locker room with Albert, but expressed her willingness to help the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder through the situation.

“She’s one of my teammates, and I respect that and I respect her as a player,” Davidson said. “But it is something that you have to go through [in] life. You encounter and work with people that you don’t always agree with, but you want to try and help people to change, you want to try and help them love and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

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Ex-USWNT star Rapinoe on Albert: ‘I hope that she’s doing the work’

Albert has yet to address the controversy beyond an initial apology on social media

U.S. women’s national team legend Megan Rapinoe is hopeful Korbin Albert is doing work behind the scenes after controversial social media activity earlier this year.

Rapinoe was one of the earliest and most prominent critics of the USWNT midfielder, who shared and reposted a host of anti-LGBTQ+ content on her TikTok account earlier this year.

Albert also liked a post that poked fun at Rapinoe for tearing her Achilles in her final career game.

After Rapinoe called Albert out for her social media activity, the pressure around the 20-year-old grew and she was eventually forced to apologize.

Albert has gone on to play in every USWNT match since the controversy emerged in the spring, and was named to the Olympic roster that will kick off the competition on Thursday against Zambia.

For her part, Albert has not addressed the controversy since her initial apology. With the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder yet to speak about the matter further, Rapinoe has said she is hopeful the issues are being dealt with out of public view.

“I know that there’s been a player, Korbin, who has expressed some anti-gay views,” Rapinoe told The Advocate. “But I think what is hopefully evergreen about this team, is that we’re always fighting for not just for gay rights, but for all of our right to be who we are and to be our full selves.”

“For Korbin, I hope that she’s doing the work,” she continued. “It’s the sort of process that isn’t public and transparent in a way that allows anyone outside of the environment to really see it. But I hope that it is happening and that she understands that until we are all free, none of us are free, her included.”

After naming Albert to her Olympic roster, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes insisted that the midfielder was indeed working behind the scenes.

“There’s been a lot of work that’s been going on in the background,” Hayes said.

“Korbin has had to learn,” the coach added. “She’s a young person who’s understood fully the implications of her social media activity.”

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Lavelle scratched from USWNT lineup vs. Costa Rica

Minutes before kickoff, the USWNT star was removed from the team’s starting lineup to face Costa Rica

The U.S. women’s national team made a surprise, last-second lineup change for Tuesday’s Olympic send-off friendly against Costa Rica.

Rose Lavelle had been named to Emma Hayes’ initial starting 11 for the match in Washington, D.C., but barely 10 minutes before kickoff, U.S. Soccer announced that the NJ/NY Gotham FC star was a late scratch.

Per the official team announcement, Lavelle was experiencing “leg tightness.” Per U.S. Soccer communications staff, the move was made out of an abundance of caution on a night that saw temperatures at kickoff hovering in the upper 90s.

Lavelle was replaced in the lineup by Korbin Albert, and was seen walking without issue to the USWNT bench shortly before the match kicked off.

Following the match, USWNT coach Emma Hayes said the issue was groin tightness, and emphasized that she was taking “no risks” with her squad. Lavelle is expected to be fit in time for the team’s Olympic opener against Zambia on July 25.

The choice of Albert rather than Jaedyn Shaw — widely perceived to be in line for more minutes as an attacking midfielder after Catarina Macario’s withdrawal from the roster — could point towards a more cautious approach from Hayes at the Olympics.

The 18-player U.S. roster has few other options if Lavelle’s injury turns out to be more serious. Crystal Dunn has extensive experience in the midfield. However, Washington Spirit playmaker Croix Bethune, who leads the NWSL in assists this season, is available as an alternate.

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Korbin Albert’s Pride jersey earns highest bid at auction for LGBTQ+ charity

The midfielder’s jersey was sold for more than $4,000 — the highest bid of any USWNT or USMNT player

Korbin Albert’s Pride-themed jersey has earned the highest bid in an online auction of shirts worn by 49 U.S. women’s and men’s national team players in June.

U.S. Soccer auctioned off the jerseys worn by the USMNT and USWNT during Pride Month, with all proceeds benefitting You Can Play, a charity that, per a federation release, “helps promote a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community.”

All of the rainbow-numbered jerseys were signed by players and then put up for auction throughout June, with the bidding ending on Sunday, the last day of the month.

Albert’s kit earned a bid of $4,052 from a user known as Daniel G. That offer easily topped the second-highest winning bid of $3,014, which came in for Alex Morgan’s jersey.

That Albert’s jersey topped all bids is, of course, ironic, given the controversy that has surrounded the midfielder since fans discovered anti-LGBTQ+ activity on her TikTok account back in March.

Albert apologized after the posts were publicized, and has since been rebuked by USWNT players past and present for her social media activity.

The 20-year-old has continued to be a key member of the USWNT’s midfield, appearing in all 10 of the team’s games this year.

Albert was named to the USWNT Olympic roster last week, with head coach Emma Hayes insisting afterwards that the midfielder is working hard behind the scenes and fully understands the damage that her posts could cause.

“I can say firsthand that having spent limited time with Korbin, she really is a lovely person and someone who really values the most important things, and that she’s spending time working on herself as we all do,” Hayes said.

“I look forward to building on that with her, and I want everybody to know that my job is to make sure I keep doing that. I want the fans to really embrace Korbin because I think she’s a tremendous human being.”

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Sam Mewis wants Korbin Albert to show her work

The World Cup-winner isn’t writing off Albert for good, but did say the public should be given evidence of her growth

Former U.S. women’s national team star Sam Mewis has urged Korbin Albert to demonstrate the work she’s doing to address her anti-LGBTQ+ social media activity.

Albert was named to the USWNT Olympic roster on Wednesday, with head coach Emma Hayes insisting afterwards that the midfielder is working hard behind the scenes amid an ongoing controversy over her posts on TikTok.

“There’s been a lot of work that’s been going on in the background,” Hayes told the media after naming the PSG midfielder to her roster.

“Korbin has had to learn,” Hayes added. “She’s a young person who’s understood fully the implications of her social media activity.

“The conversations we have had have been to talk about the importance of what we have to be mindful of, and how we are all part of an environment that’s one that appreciates and understands the damage that can do.”

Albert herself hasn’t addressed the issue publicly since she issued an apology in March after her social media activity was discovered by fans online.

In her apology, Albert said that “liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive and hurtful was immature and disrespectful, which was never my intent.”

Since then, she has been rebuked by USWNT players past and present, but has also continued to be a key figure for the team. The 20-year-old has played in all 10 of the team’s matches in 2024 thus far.

After the Olympic roster was released, Mewis addressed the issue on her podcast on The Women’s Game. While the World Cup-winner isn’t writing off Albert for good, she did say that the public should be given evidence of her growth.

“Korbin Albert’s selection to this roster is upsetting to a lot of people, especially within our women’s soccer community,” Mewis said. “Earlier this year, Korbin had shared some homophobic and transphobic content on her social media. While the team has expressed that they are handling it all internally and Korbin did issue an apology on her social media, fans and supporters of the team haven’t been privy to any work or ongoing conversations regarding the situation.

“Some players and even head coach Emma Hayes have addressed this issue, maybe even suggesting an opportunity for us all to accept and move on. While I believe that people should be given an opportunity to change and grow, there are endless opportunities to demonstrate this growth to the community that has been hurt.

“The actions that were a problem were out in the open, and so to some extent the growth should be out in the open as well. And I think that that is what’s missing from this equation right now.”

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