Netherlands striker Lenneth Berenstein wasn’t upset about the US women’s national team’s exit from the World Cup.
In fact, it was just the opposite.
Berenstein criticized the USWNT on Thursday, just days after the tournament. This was the first World Cup exit for the United States.
In Berenstain’s view, the Americans were incredibly cocky upon their arrival in Australia and New Zealand.
“From the first moment I heard they came out, I was like, ‘Yeah! Bye!'” Berensten, who also plays for Juventus, said on Thursday, via ESPN. “Since the start of the tournament, they had really big mouths and were already talking about the final.
“I was thinking you should first show that on the field before you speak.”
After failing to win their last two group stage matches, they entered the World Cup Round of 16 on Sunday in Melbourne. The USA-Netherlands match in the group stage ended in a 1-1 draw. Sunday’s loss to Sweden extended the USWNT’s winless streak to three games and kept their scoring drought to 238 minutes, both worst in history.
The USWNT will now have to regroup, and it will do so without many of the big names that have led the organization for years now. Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz have both announced their retirements, and more are likely to come. This paves the way for young stars like Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson and others to step in.
While it’s easy to see why the USWNT was a bit cocky at the event — the team was the bet favorite entering the World Cup after coming off back-to-back titles — that situation clearly didn’t work out in the end.
“I’m not being rude in that way, I still have a lot of respect for them, but now they’re out of the league, and for me, that’s a relief, and for them, that’s something they’ll have to put up with in the future,” Berenstein said.
“Don’t start talking about something that’s so far-fetched. I hope they learn from it.”
Berensten and the Netherlands meet Spain in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday.