Sports legend Billie Jean King has defended the U.S. women's soccer team after they were slammed for wildly celebrating every goal in their 13-0 defeat of Thailand.
Tennis star King insisted that the criticism is 'ridiculous', hitting back at trolls saying: 'I don't think they would be doing that if they were men.'
King says she's 'ticked off' over the situation and feels that there are double standards regarding the way female and male soccer stars are treated.
The 75-year-old also believes that the women's team have 'a lot of responsibility' on their shoulders so celebrating is a way of releasing the pressure.
She told DailyMailTV: 'First of all, I think the criticism is ridiculous. I don't think they would do that if they were men. I think they would be celebrating them making all of those goals, so let's just put that in perspective.
Billie Jean King tells DailyMailTV that she supports the U.S. women's soccer team after they were slammed for wildly celebrating every goal in their 13-0 defeat of Thailand
The U.S. women's soccer team has been slammed for celebrating every goal in their 13-0 defeat of Thailand. Pictured: U.S. player Mallory Pugh celebrates one of 13 goals
Thai players were seen in tears as they embraced each other at the end of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
King spoke as she and her partner Ilana Kloss were being honored at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's Fifth Anniversary Blue Diamond Gala
The former tennis world number one feels that detractors should stay quiet insisting 'let them be, they are a great team - they want to celebrate. It is okay.'
'This USA Women's Soccer team has got a lot of responsibility. They keep telling them you've got to promote the sport, you've got to do this, you have to do that. Let them be.'
King, who won 39 Grand Slam titles and represented the USA in the Federation and the Wightman Cups, added: 'It's great and I think we just have to stop it. The way we're socialized, boys and girls are so different.
'When a girl is really ambitious or really does something well, or goes a bit over the top, we are not supposed to be like that. Stop it. They're great. They had a dozen goals.
'Can we all appreciate
