Irvine (United States) (AFP) – Under dazzling blue California skies, the United States soccer team held its first World Cup training session at the co-hosts’ base camp Monday. For the 5,500 local fans with tickets to attend — the lucky ones among a lottery entered by 33,000 — optimism for the tournament about to kick off in their backyard was even brighter.
“I think they can achieve a lot. I think a quarter-final berth would be expected at this stage,” said 43-year-old fan Eric Gordon, attending with his young nephew Oliver. “We could win the whole thing…the best ranked teams don’t always win,” he added, with a smile. That positive outlook, widely shared among supporters who spoke with AFP, has not always been the case for the US men’s national team.
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“A couple years ago my dad and me were counting passes in one of the (US) games and we couldn’t even count up to five — so from that perspective we’re looking a lot better!” joked 16-year-old Paige Dixon. “Quarter-finals…anything less, I would be a little disappointed,” she agreed. It is a contrast to the first World Cup on US soil, in 1994, the tournament which still holds the all-time attendance record at 3.6 million. Back then, expectations for the host team were low.
But the US beat heavily favored Colombia to reach the last 16, and the seeds for an American soccer boom were sown. For supporter Gordon, that tournament took place when he was 12 and “changed my life.” “I became a soccer fanatic after that. And I’m hoping the same thing for my nephew” this time, he said. For that to happen, much more is now expected from the home team on the field — and the players are well aware.
US captain Tim Ream, who was a seven-year-old back then, said he remembers “bits and pieces” of the event — enough to know that a home World Cup is “a once-in-a-career opportunity” that comes with considerably “more expectation and more pressure.” “I think we’ve all been, I wouldn’t say overwhelmed, but pleasantly surprised by the excitement and the buzz around the team, and in the stadiums,” he said.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese recalled being “inspired by the previous generation” of players as a child, and hopes that — if his crop can do the same — it can propel the US further up the global soccer food chain. “There’s a compounding effect to it, obviously…hopefully we inspire the next generation. We are focused as we can (be) to continue to leave the next generation inspired.”
The US finds itself in Group D. Though the hosts are favorites, any team could very plausibly finish top — or bottom. The campaign kicks off against Paraguay in nearby Los Angeles on Friday, before a detour to Seattle to face Australia, then back to southern California for Turkey. Should the US finish runner-up, they could play Iran in the first knockouts — a meeting that would throw up immense geopolitical consequences, given the ongoing war between the nations.
It would also be consequential for California’s huge Persian community, including Ramin Nayebzadeh, who attended Monday’s training with his nine-year-old son Arta. “Originally I’m from Iran but we don’t support the team because of the regime,” he explained. “As an American, we support the US team…especially as my son’s dream is to be a future soccer player of this country.”
Young Arta, though, is not waiting for future editions of the World Cup to dream of US glory. “I think they will win the World Cup, because they have a really good team and really good soccer players,” he beamed.
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