Obama praises ‘badass’ U.S. women’s soccer team for World Cup championship

Many words have been used to describe the U.S. women’s soccer team that fought its way to the World Cup title this summer. President Obama came up with a pretty good one Tuesday when the champions visited the White House on Tuesday.

“This team taught all of America’s children that playing like a girl means you’re a badass,” Obama said.

The president also took the time to note some of the players’ and coaches’ individual achievements, particularly midfielder Carli Lloyd whose hat trick in the first 16 minutes of the final against Japan helped lift the U.S. to a 5-2 victory and its first World Cup championship in 16 years.

“I was explaining to the team and Carli, I had gotten my popcorn, I was all settling in. I’m thinking I’ve got a couple hours of tension and excitement and poof! It was gone. It was over,” Obama said.

He also managed to get in a jab at the crowded field of candidates for his office.

“Carli’s performance was so good that by the time the game was over someone had changed her title on Wikipedia from ‘Midfielder’ to ‘President of the United States,’ which by the way, the job’s about to open up,” Obama said. “What’s another candidate in the mix? I guarantee you Carli knows more about being president than some of the folks who are running.”