President Barack Obama got caught in the spirit of soccer fandom while honoring the U.S. Women’s National Team at the White House on Tuesday.
Obama said the team, which beat Japan 5-2 in the World Cup Final in July, taught America’s children that “playing like a girl means you’re a badass.”
After the crowd in the East Room clapped and cheered, Obama joked he probably shouldn’t have said that.
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He clarified, “Playing like a girl means being the best! It means drawing the largest TV audience for a soccer match – men or women’s – in American history. It means wearing our nation’s crest on your jersey, taking yourself and your country to the top of the world. That’s what American women do, that’s what American girls do – that’s why celebrate this team.”
Obama also offered some spirited commentary on the 2016 election. While praising midfielder Carli Lloyd, who received the 2015 Golden Ball Trophy after famously scoring a hat trick during the final game, the President said her performance was so good someone changed her title on Wikipedia to President of the United States.
“Which by the way, the job is about to open up,” the President laughed. After Lloyd responded she was ready for the job, the President continued.
“What’s another candidate? I guarantee Carli knows more about being President than some of the folks who are running.”