Philadelphia Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya delivered a passionate on-field plea to end gun violence following his goal against D.C. United on Sunday night.
During a nationally televised game in the U.S. capital, Bedoya opened the scoring for his side at Audi Field.
After celebrating with his teammates, and with the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives just two miles away, Bedoya ran over to an on-field microphone and made his voice heard loud and clear.
“Congress, do something now. End gun violence. Let’s go!" the veteran midfielder shouted.
Bedoya's plea came just one day after two separate gun massacres in the United States killed a total of 29 people and wounded dozens more.
A gunman opened fire at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday, killing 20, before another gunman killed nine people on the streets of Dayton, Ohio late Saturday evening.
After the game, Bedoya told reporters that he couldn't help but be affected by the previous day's events.
“I’m not going to sit idly by and watch this stuff happen and not say something," Bedoya said.
"Before I’m an athlete, before I’m a soccer player, I’m a human being first.”
Bedoya grew up 15 minutes away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, where 17 students were killed in a gun massacre in 2018.
Following that shooting, Bedoya wore an “MSD Strong” shirt underneath his jersey to show support for the community.
Bedoya, 32, has been capped 66 times by the U.S. national team and appeared in all four matches for the USMNT at the 2014 World Cup.