“Basically the NWSL equivalent of Taylor Swift & NFL” – Fans ‘tired’ of camera cutting to Ben Shelton during girlfriend Trinity Rodman’s soccer games

September 10, 2025

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Fans recently expressed their frustration over the camera focusing on Ben Shelton during Trinity Rodman’s soccer matches. Shelton was recently seen cheering for his girlfriend during the Washington Spirit’s faceoff with Seattle Reign FC on Sunday at Audi Field.

The Washington Spirit’s forward netted two goals to secure a 2-0 win and earn the Spirit’s sixth clean sheet of the regular season. As soon as Rodman scored the second goal, the camera panned to capture Shelton’s reactions, who was beaming with joy and pride.

However, the repeated focus on Shelton did not sit well with fans, who voiced their annoyance. One of the fans drew a similarity with the camera cutting to Taylor Swift's coverage after Travis Kelce's touchdowns in the NFL.

"Basically the NWSL equivalent of Taylor and the NFL lmao," the fan wrote.

Another fan compared Shelton to Morgan Riddle, who also receives similar criticism for her appearances at tennis tournaments to cheer on her boyfriend and American player Taylor Fritz.

"Not Ben being the Morgan Riddle of women’s soccer," a fan compared.

"so when are you going to do this with the other SOs? any wives or girlfriends? no? i’m tired of this nonsense," another fan reacted.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"Stop revolving her around him plz," one of the fans chimed.

"Girl get him off the screen," another fan expressed.

"I'm tired of seeing this man," a fan expressed their frustration.

Ben Shelton and his girlfriend Trinity Thomas engage in a sweet moment after the Washington Spirits' game

Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman at the NWSL match between Washington Spirit and Chicago Stars in Washington, DC. (Photo via Getty Images)

During one of the press conferences at the US Open, Trinity Rodman took Ben Shelton by surprise, asking him how he felt after falling short of hitting the serve at 135. Days later, as the tennis player got the opportunity to interview Rodman (after the Washington Spirits vs Seattle FC faceoff), he did not hold back and asked her about her dynamic with Criox Bethune.

“First off, I wanna say great game, Trin. I got a couple questions,” Shelton said. “Two great combo goals today, it was really cool to see the assist. Could you talk about your dynamic with Croix Bethune and how you guys play off each other. It’s really cool to see.”

The couple made their relationship public in March 2025, since which Rodman was seen at Ben Shelton's tournaments, including Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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