Carli Lloyd just put Maradona, Messi and Pulisic in the same sentence.
U.S. women’s national team legend Lloyd is one of many former soccer stars invited to be a part of FOX Sports’ live studio broadcasts in their coverage for the Euro and Copa America this summer. USMNT icons Alexi Lalas, Clint Dempsey, and Maurice Edu are also part of the panel.
However, the former USWNT striker is already off to an interesting start to her analysis in just the first day of the 2024 Copa America, putting Christian Pulisic as a contender to fight for Lionel Messi’s crown in the world of soccer.
Watch: Carli Lloyd places Pulisic as a contender to take Messi’s world soccer ‘crown’
During FOX Sports’ pre-match coverage for the inaugural Copa America match between Argentina and Canada, the USWNT icon had an interesting take regarding Messi and the players that are up next to take his crown in the world of soccer. According to Lloyd, USMNT’s Christian Pulisic is in the mix.
“There’s nobody like Messi and I don’t think that there ever will be somebody like Messi. [He’s] a generational talent, it’s like [Diego] Maradona and then Messi has just had that crown but there’s other players… Jude Bellingham, you know. [Christian] Pulisic is coming up,” said Lloyd.
That is… hard to watch.
Following her comments, fans on social media were quick to call out Lloyd for putting World Cup winners and arguably the best soccer players of all time in the same category as Pulisic.
Though, and in pure Lloyd fashion, she did not track back on her opinion.
The two-time Women’s World Cup winner responded to a fan on X questioning her comments, defending her bold statement by saying she has to give the United States, including Pulisic, some love.
You can’t hate on that.