Football

Let’s Talk Respect: A PSA Ahead of USA Women Versus Russia

Football, there is a level of respect before, during and after a match. Players swap jerseys after battling for 90 minutes.

Tempers might flare during matches, but afterwards, those players are shaking hands with the other players. Rivals swap jerseys and share hugs with their fellow professional athletes.

Let’s Talk Respect: A PSA Ahead of USA Women Versus Russia

USA Women Versus Russia

Even looking back recently, the United States Men’s National Team and the Mexican Men’s National Team, two fierce and bitter rivals in the CONCACAF league, share a team photo together, instead of separately, during their November 2016 match.

The photo proved that football unites people. Hopefully that same level of respect can be found on Thursday, when the United States Women’s National Team hosts the Russian Women’s National Team for a friendly in Frisco, Texas.

It’s hard to not avoid talk about Russia in this day and age. Election hacking, Donald Trump‘s ties with Vladimir Putin and their involvement in the Syrian crisis. However, that’s politics. This is football.

A sport that unites people. A sport that demands respect.

This is a sort of PSA for USWNT fans, and U.S. Soccer fans in general: no matter how much you hate on Russia, politically, remember to have respect. This is a friendly match, so Russia could have easily said no to making the trip to Texas to face the USWNT. However, they agreed, so now many fans can go to Frisco and watch their favorite players.

The Russian WNT deserve just as much of respect as the United States WNT.

The Russian players are not a resemblance of their country’s politics. They are representing their country, and should do so with an immense amount of pride (which they surely will), but they are not scapegoats for the United States and Russia tensions.

They’re people just like the rest of us, and they are incredible athletes. U.S. Soccer fans must, not should, but must show the Russian WNT the respect that they deserve.

As a dual citizen of both Russia and the United States, I hear vulgar sayings all the time. It’s actually kind of cruel the things people will say and then cover up and say “We’re just joking.” Don’t pull that kind of ridiculous, and immature, behavior in Frisco, and in Houston where the two teams will meet up again on April 9.

As a proud citizen of both nations, I will be rooting for both teams. I encourage U.S. Soccer fans to treat the Russian fans that make the trip to the match with the utmost respect. That’s a lot of dedication, flying all the way from Russia to Frisco/Houston, to see your national team play. They deserve respect, just like their players.

The same goes the other way around. The Russian fans must have respect for the U.S. Soccer fans and players.

I’m looking forward to a fun, fierce and friendly match between the two sides. I am also looking forward to not hearing any horrible stories to come from the matches, when it comes to fan relations. These are two teams that deserve the utmost respect.

Football is a sport that unites players, coaches and fans. Let’s keep it that way.

Be sure to read other articles from Rachael at her Kicking it With McKriger blog. Also, you can listen to her, Erik Watkins and Sean Garmer each week, right here on W2Mnet.com or I-Tunes, Youtube and more on the Soccer 2 the MAX Podcast. This week, she expounds more on this very topic.

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