This archive report was first published on 3 July 2019.
On July 2, 2019, the United States women's soccer team secured a spot in the World Cup final with a 2-1 victory over England, thanks in part to Alex Morgan's winning header.
However, it was Morgan's post-goal celebration that has generated significant attention and debate. In a nod to her American heritage, Morgan pretended to sip an imaginary cup of tea, sparking a wave of memes and social media commentary.
The celebration has been met with criticism from some, including England international Lianne Sanderson, who described it as 'distasteful'.
"I think tonight I expected Alex to grab a goal, but I'm not that happy with that celebration," Sanderson told beIN Sports. "I could be wrong but it's based upon playing against England and we love our tea in England. I'm not a tea drinker but that's what we're connected with so I think it's a little bit distasteful."
Morgan, however, defended her celebration, stating that it was her way of responding to critics who have accused the U.S. team of arrogance.
"I wanted to keep it interesting," she said. "I know Megan Rapinoe has the best celebration. I had to try and step up this game. I feel like this team has had so much thrown at them and us. I feel like we didn't take an easy route through this tournament and 'that's the tea'."
