Whether you agree with her rather pointed criticism of the United States Women’s National Team or not, Carli Lloyd made a name for herself at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Of course, if you’re a fan of the sport or the national team, Lloyd was already a household name as a player, but she didn’t enter that conversation as a broadcaster until she took the gloves off at this year’s World Cup.
Lloyd recently made an appearance on Cold As Balls from LOL Network with Kevin Hart and revealed that she actually had no interest in becoming an analyst.
“I actually didn’t want to,” she said of becoming an analyst. “When I retired, it was kind of a pivotal time with the Men’s World Cup rolling around, and then the following year was the Women’s World Cup. Fox Sports contacted my agent and they just showed interest to see if I’d be interested in doing it. I think I was actually talking myself out of it. Maybe not thinking that I would be good or want to do it, but this is what I did my whole career. And so, I’m like, you know what? I gotta just try this: go to the Men’s World Cup and work a little bit. And if I don’t like it, I don’t have to do it.
“I’m actually really glad that I did it, and then it was great to be then part of another team — the Fox Sports crew team. And what’s great about it is we give our own opinions, right? And that comes with a lot of flak sometimes, but I’ve always been somebody who’s truly valued being authentic.”
While Llyoud initially had doubts about becoming an analyst, she took the chance and found success and fulfillment in being part of a team expressing authentic opinions.
When discussing the 2023 team, it’s impossible not to mention Lloyd. She spoke candidly about the team she was once a legend for and was open with Hart about the criticism she received. She said that she wants women’s sports to get a place where we can critique and offer a similar viewing experience to that of men’s sports.
She also argues that women’s sports, and soccer in particular, need more critical commentary and diverse opinions, like the commentary on TNT’s Inside the NBA by Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.
“For women’s sports and women’s soccer in general, we need to get to a place where we can critique, where we can offer more opinions,” Lloyd said. “Because I listen to these guys, commentators, Shaq, Barkley. I mean, I tune in for TNT….They’re hilarious, you know? They’re experienced, they get it, they see things, they offer their opinion.
“I get so much flak because I’m speaking truth and honesty and stuff that I’ve experienced and I’ve seen, which should be embraced.”
So, while her views may spark debate, Lloyd’s unapologetic approach to analysis is paving the way for a more critical and engaging conversation about women’s sports.
