During a victory celebration, Kiké Hernandez, the star of the Dodgers, criticizes Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles over the “world champions” controversy. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernandez sent Olympic gold winner sprinter Noah Lyles a message following their World Series triumph over the New York Yankees: “World Series champions – suck it, Noah Lyles.”
The controversial controversy that Lyles started when he questioned American sports leagues for referring to themselves as “world champions” has taken a new turn thanks to Hernandez’s audacious quote.
Hernandez took a time during post-game celebrations to take aim at Lyles, who previously caused a stir when he criticized sports like the NBA and NFL for referring to their best teams as “world champions.” The Dodgers won a thrilling 7-6 triumph to secure their most recent title. Lyles had inquired in September 2023, “What is the world champion? “The United States?” NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, among others, responded to the remark, which touched a nerve with athletes in American sports.
A rivalry was reignited following the Dodgers’ victory
It’s evident that Hernandez’s jab at Lyles has remained with him even though it wasn’t directly provoked that evening. A number of NBA players responded on social media to Lyles’ widely shared statement, defending the international standing of American leagues. After capturing gold in Paris, USA Basketball even joined in on the fun with the humorous tweet, “Are we theWorld Champs now?”
Lyles’ remarks extended beyond the NBA. He has also expressed similar views regarding the Super Bowl and, it is likely, the World Series. Hernandez and other American sportsmen view the title of “world champion” as a testament to the prestige and power of their respective sports. After all, Major League Baseball attracts athletes from all over the world, and baseball has a large global following.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, are currently enjoying their World Series win and will probably keep celebrating their title as “world champions” without giving the semantics any thought.
