WATCH: England Takes Knee as U.S. Team Remains Standing at World Cup

True to their word, the UK team took a knee ahead of its game against the U.S. Men’s National Team at the World Cup in Qatar. But many are commenting on the remarkable fact that the U.S. team remained standing.

Last weekend, England signaled that its players intended to take a knee to protest Iran’s ongoing oppression on its LGBTQ community, its recent assault on women, not to mention the strict Islamic sharia law suppressing of its people.

NOW – England taking a knee before the match against the USA. pic.twitter.com/wtRMgs586f

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 25, 2022

Some supporters of England’s act of taking a knee found the incident startling because taking a knee as protest was invented in the U.S., yet the U.S. team did not take a knee on Friday.

Social media users were shocked over the U.S. team’s decision not to kneel along with their British opponents.

Amazing and disappointing to see that while @England take the knee against racism, the @USMNT does not do the same. @WorldCupEN pic.twitter.com/7bbZjkR8nr

— Arturo Sarukhan (@Arturo_Sarukhan) November 25, 2022

WATCH: #BNNQatar Reports

England's soccer team takes a knee in support of Black Lives Matter, while the United States remains standing moments before kickoff.#WorldCup2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/5QjfKboqf6

— Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) November 25, 2022

So England takes the knee, a gesture adopted after the death of American George Floyd, and the American team do not. Anyone else think this is a bit of a joke?!

— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) November 25, 2022

England takes a knee: the Americans don’t. Recolonize them, I say

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) November 25, 2022

England takes a knee to bring awareness to discrimination around the world & the USA team displayed a lack of solidarity when they didn't.

— swfrank (@nherwords) November 25, 2022

Still, others saw the act as just another example of empty virtue signaling:

Amazing.

England ‘take the knee’ for BLM,

And USA players look on, where the movement started, to say ‘WTF are you lot doing?!’ 😂

Wave your virtue signal lads… no one is seeing through it, honestly ….

— Rebecca Jane (@LadyDetectives1) November 25, 2022

Ever seen anything more ridiculous?
George Floyd, violent career criminal was killed by a rogue cop in the USA. Taking the knee begins.
Several years later, England about to kick off against the USA.
Not a single USA player kneels.
Every English woke warrior takes the knee? pic.twitter.com/6yD4OfILWi

— The Philosopher's Monkey (@Dunnylad1) November 25, 2022

Goody,. rainbow armbands. Show we support Gays.
Take the knee, grovel for BLM.

Play Football.. WHAT ! what's that, oh they'll be home quicker than it takes to find a can of Bud!

FOR THE FIRST TIME I WILL SAY IT. I AM ASHAMED OF THE ENGLAND TEAM… It's coming home,very soon

— Ruth (@CupOfEarlGreyT) November 20, 2022

Granted, England’s taking a knee is rather empty when compared to the actual members of Iran’s team, all of whom have risked serious punishment by their country’s leaders for refusing to sing the Iranian national anthem at the World Cup.

The Iranian players have risked jail, or even torture and execution by standing up against their own country’s civil rights abuses.

Compared to that, England’s taking a knee seems a little less noteworthy.

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