Why Is Sophia Smith Wearing Gloves?

Sophia Smith is the new hope of the US Women’s National Team. The young gun showed off her skills when she knocked Vietnam out with her double score and an assist in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. The player is the youngest in USWNT to get two goals in her first WWC game. That’s not all.

22-year-old Smith is only the second youngest player in USWNT to score two goals in any of the WWC matches ever. But her magic foot didn’t work in the match against Sweden, and US women’s national team lost the battle.

The game went into penalty kicks, and Smith couldn’t score. But amid grief, fans have noticed another thing- Smith wearing black gloves. So why was she wearing those?

The USWNT has given no official reason why their new 22-year-old star Sophia Smith was wearing black gloves in the FIFA WWC 2023 match against Sweden. Fans think she was wearing it because she was cold or to prevent her hands from sweating or getting dirty. However, some have hypothesized that it was in support of BLM.

Why Was Sophia Smith Wearing Gloves?

Sophia Smith wore black gloves in the FIFA WWC match against Sweden that disqualified USWNT from the 2023 tournament. It was a curious site because none of her teammates wore such gloves during the game. Theories quickly began to surface about why she was the only one wearing gloves and that too black.

The 22-year-old player hadn’t worn black gloves in any of her other games, nor had she given any indication through her social media posts or interviews that she would wear gloves for this specific match. Some thought that it was because her hands were cold. Others believed it was to prevent her hands from sweating or getting dirty.

However, few also believed it could be a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. But that isn’t confirmed and is just a fan conjecture at the moment. More than the gloves, all eyes were on Sophia Smith’s performance at the critical knockout match. However, she failed to deliver.

USWNT’s Embarrassing Defeat Against Sweden at FIFA WWC 2023

Sophia Smith or anyone from the USWNT failed to score a single goal against the rival Swedish team during the game. Since the scores were tied 0-0, the match went into the penalty round, where the 22-year-old young player failed in her attempt.

Sweden took home the match by millimeters when the referee declared that Lina Hurtig’s ball had gone over the line even though the US team’s goalkeeper had blocked it from going all the way in. The USWNT broke down on the field after the loss that sent them home. Sophia Smith was seen crying as her teammates were consoling her.

This is the first major loss that the player has experienced on such a scale. But one of the team’s star players, Megan Rapinoe, backed Smith. After the young star’s gold streak against Vietnam, she had this to say about Smith:

“She can just hurt you in so many different ways; she comes inside, and she can beat you around the edge. She’s so quick. So smart, the finish is great. She’s kind of a do-it-all player.”

USWNT captain Lindsey Horan has hope for the future after the major loss against Sweden. CNN reported her saying:

“Being able to come out of the group stage, where we didn’t play our best, and changing it into this kind of performance, this is what this team is going to be made of with so many young players coming through.”

What are your thoughts about Sophia Smith wearing black gloves in the game against Sweden when she had never worn one before? Was it only for the cold? Or is there a deeper meaning?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Source: CNN