The World Cup continued on Tuesday, and stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane took the field for their countries. With most of the major leagues now in their offseason, the soccer tournament has been dominating the headlines, especially after the USMNT’s strong start at home.
Former Super Bowl Champion Mark Schlereth Criticizes Jordan Ayew for Wearing a Bandage in FIFA Game
The games have been taking place all over the nation, and the second game on Tuesday had England facing Ghana in Group L. Despite being massive favorites, Thomas Tuchel’s team couldn’t break the deadlock, and the game ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw.
In the 21st minute, a head collision between Reece James and Jordan Ayew put the medical teams on the field to check on them. Ayew suffered a cut to the head and had to wear a bandage to avoid extra blood until he was substituted, a regular precautionary measure in soccer.
Not everyone could understand why Ayew wore the bandage, though. Former NFL guard Mark Schlereth, who has worked as an analyst for Fox Sports, stated that he “can’t watch soccer” because the players are too soft:
“This is why I cannot watch soccer,” Schlereth said. “Somebody bumped into this tough SOB, so they had to put a cast on his head. These dudes are softer than real [expletive]!”
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In recent years, soccer has also improved its protocol to prevent head injuries. The sport has developed its own concussion protocol, which allows for an extra substitution in case a player is diagnosed with a head injury and cannot continue.
Ayew was substituted in the 66th minute, while James played the full 90 minutes.
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Schlereth was harshly criticized on Twitter, but he stood by his take, saying that he saw “no blood” coming out of Ayew’s head after the collision with James.
He hasn’t had many soccer tweets since the start of the World Cup; it’s safe to assume he’s not a big fan of the sport.
Schlereth played in the NFL for 12 seasons. He spent the first half of his career with the Washington Commanders, winning Super Bowl XXVI before adding two more rings with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl in 1991 and 1998.
