Carli Lloyd, the former United States women’s national team captain that became one of the team’s most vocal critics, heaped praise on the side that won the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

Lloyd was very outspoken in her negativity towards the team at last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. But after the team handled Brazil in the finals of the first edition of CONCACAF’s top women’s tournament, she praised the squad.

‘Congrats @USWNT!,’ Lloyd posted to Twitter. ‘Bounced back after the [Mexico] loss, responded well, and found gritty ways to win after that… a good start!’

‘Best I’ve seen her step up in a way I haven’t seen from her,’ said Lloyd. ‘Ceiling is high and a great leader! It helps playing the 10 position. Best suited there.’

The United States women’s national team won the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup

The lone goal in the 1-0 fixture was scored by captain Lindsey Horan (L)

Former USWNT captain Carli Lloyd, who’s been critical of the team, praised them Sunday

She also spoke highly of Horan, saying that she stepped up ‘in a way I haven’t seen from her’

But Lloyd was also cautiously optimistic – saying that there’s always work to be done, before weirdly mentioning the incoming and not-yet-in-charge-of-the-team coach Emma Hayes.

‘Emma hasn’t even been able to implement a lot of tactical changes,’ Lloyd wrote. ‘It was mentality and confidence that this team gained this tourney.

‘If there was no mentality they don’t win. Need to be able to have many tools and adapt on the day.’

Hayes has yet to arrive with the United States – and she will do so this summer, once her season with Chelsea ends.

Lloyd was very pointed in her criticism of the USWNT last summer at the Women’s World Cup – often yelling at the team through screens for simple things like celebrating advancement or the way they arrived to matches.

This is not behavior that’s exclusive to last summer. She’s been critical of the team and its culture before and since that tournament – most notably speaking up after she retired from her playing days in 2022.

Lloyd also brought up Emma Hayes – who has not yet arrived to coach the team

Lloyd has become a very vocal critic of the US women’s national team since her retirement

That includes over the past summer – when she criticized the team at the Women’s World Cup

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore said that this team was ‘just getting started’

As for the team itself, their success in this tournament represented the start of a healing process from the disaster of their play in Australia/New Zealand.

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore said that this team was ‘just getting started’ with plenty ahead to work for.

‘This is a group that’s moving forward together, that still wants more time together. It’s time to go back to club [seasons] for them and do those things, but we genuinely enjoy being together and feel like we’re just getting started,’ Kilgore told reporters.

She added: ‘This is a team and a program that will always have attention and expectations on it, and we say that pressure is a privilege.’

‘We’ve regrouped, we’ve set new goals, we’ve set a new style of play. We’re working towards something together, and it’s a very public process, and that’s just not easy. I’m just so proud of them, and I’m just so happy.’

The USWNT does have two major tournaments on their plate coming up – beginning with the SheBelieves Cup in April before the Summer Olympics in Paris.