Sophie Turner Defends Alex Morgan ‘Sipping Tea’ In World Cup After Scoring Goal
While some soccer fans are ranting about U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan miming drinking a cup of tea after scoring a goal in the World Cup, Game of Thrones actor Sophie Turner isn’t one of them. The young star took time out from her honeymoon to show her support for Morgan and the American team.
Page Six reports that Turner, who just had her second wedding to singer Joe Jonas, posted a message supporting Morgan on her Instagram story, saying that while she is disappointed that her own English team didn’t win, she is pleased that if they had to lose, they lost to a great team.
The British Game of Thrones star explains that she was touched to hear that Morgan explained in an interview on ESPN that her tea sipping moment was an homage to Turner’s social media sign off, which includes a sip of tea or wine before saying goodbye.
“Alex Morgan, all those haters are saying this is disrespectful, I’m honored that you thought of me,” Turner posted. “And all those people that are hating on you are probably sitting at home — millennials drinking kombucha — I’m really f–king proud of you, Alex Morgan, congratulations on your win, and that’s the motherf–king tea.”
“Game of Thrones” actress Sophie Turner defended Alex Morgan’s tea-sipping goal celebration, saying she was honored the U.S. women’s national soccer player had thought of her. https://t.co/E75s4VVVry
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) July 5, 2019
Morgan was thrilled to hear back from Turner, and reposted the Instagram story to her own social media with her own message, adding “ILYSM! PS- CONGRATS!”
The soccer star, who scored in the World Cup on the day she turned 30-years-old, believes that the backlash is the sign that there is a double standard in sports when it comes to men and women. She explains that people are up in arms about her gesture, while men can do something vulgar and nobody says a word.
“To feel like we have to be humble in our successes and have to celebrate, but not too much or in a limited fashion. You see men celebrating all over the world in big tournaments, grabbing their sacks or whatever it is. And when I look at sipping a cup of tea, I am a little taken aback by the criticism.”
In an interview with Yahoo Sports commentator Dan Wetzel, Morgan explained that her gesture wasn’t meant as disrespectful to the country of England, or to the team, reports NBC Sports.
“My celebration was actually more about, ‘That’s the tea,’ which is telling a story, spreading the news,” she said.
At the end of the day, Morgan’s teammates agree that the whole thing is a tempest in a teapot.
