GETTING THEIR MESSAGE ACROSS: USMNT players have their say on social justice issues prior to kickoff

SWANSEA, Wales – The U.S. men’s national team got their message across Thursday.

Not during the game, but just before kickoff at Liberty Stadium.

During the walkout and anthem prior to Thursday’s international friendly against Wales, the U.S. men’s national team players spread their social messages.

With the goal of inspiring action on social justice issues, the players had “Be the Change” adorned on the front of their anthem jackets.

The word, STATES, was on the left side of the jacket, with the word UNITED eliminated.

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter said he was “proud of the fact that the players came together and thought long and hard about how they want to activate for social justice. They came up with ‘Be the Change.’ If you saw the warm-ups and anthem jackets. The guys really take it serious and really believe that if we want change it’s up to the individual to take responsibility for it. So, it’s a great message and really proud of the guys in that moment.”

Each player was allowed to include a personalized message, representing something meaningful to them on the back of his jacket.