Ivan Stankevich: A U.S. national footballer was accused of insulting a goal against England. She accused the critics of sexism

From June, 7th till July, 7th in France there passes the World championship on football among women. In the semifinal of the tournament met with the U.S. and English teams, who played each other one way to the finals. But the match was more remembered not by game moments, but by a gesture after one of the heads, which caused a scandal and mutual accusations.

By the first half-hour of the game the teams exchanged goals. But on 31 minutes, U.S. captain Alex Morgan hit her team with her head. She celebrated the goal in an atypical way: as if she was drinking tea from a small cup. The match ended 2-1 in favor of the Americans.

Alex Morgan is one of the most famous footballers in the world with popular social networks. But after the match with England, she received much more messages and comments than usual. The reason is simple: many users thought that the athlete showed disrespect for another nation with her "tea gesture".

When we win, I hope every one of our players plays Big Mac and big French fries

The English have two reasons to resent such a celebration of the goal. Loving tea is one of the stereotypes used to make fun of British people.

The second reason is more important: the gesture is a reference to the Boston Tea Party. On December 16, 1773, American colonists destroyed a shipment of tea belonging to the English East India Company. This is one of the landmark historical moments that pushed Americans to the revolution and the formation of the United States. The match between the United States and England took place the day before Independence Day.

At first, Morgan did not say what she had put into her gesture. But the media and social networks did everything for her.