The United States men’s soccer team is having a moment.
It crushed Paraguay 4-1 in its opening game at this year’s FIFA World Cup. It then throttled Australia 2-0 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score suggests, winning Group D and assuring a top placement in the knockout round.
The team lost 3-2 to Turkey, but the game was meaningless. Even then, though, something was different. The game was played with an electric energy and excitement. Although the U.S. played mostly reserves, it still almost won or tied the game — but for a last-minute goal in stoppage time.
Women’s soccer here has thrived and had many moments. The women’s team has won the World Cup four times and built a culture of soccer excellence that has inspired countless players of all ages and become a point of national pride.
But men’s soccer has sputtered, often viewed as the fifth major league sport in a nation that recognizes four — football, basketball, baseball and hockey.
But something is different about this team and this moment for the United States. Viewership is at record levels. It’s been estimated that 25 million people watched the U.S. team’s opening match against Paraguay.
The team is electric, tough, vibrant and explosive. They play to win, passing the ball, seizing open space, pressing forward. There is a sense they could score at any time and play against any team. In their match against Paraguay, the U.S. soccer team completed more than 20 passes in a row before scoring a goal.
Just as inspiring as the play on the field is the magic of the tournament off it. It has been awesome to watch our nation cheer on this team with unbridled enthusiasm and spirit, just as we are celebrating our 250th anniversary as a country.
It has also been awesome to watch the world soak up the best of the United States, and in turn for the United States to soak up the world. We have loved seeing fans from around the world come together to celebrate one another’s teams and nations.
There is a spirit of brotherly love that we don’t want to end with this World Cup.
Whatever happens against Belgium — we do not want this joyful run to come to an end — U.S. men’s soccer has finally had its moment. One that is taking this entire nation home, and down country roads to celebration and appreciation. One that will serve as an inspiration for soccer generations to come.