These are the feelings that change things. National anthems sung so loudly they could be heard for miles. Skill moves hit with such audacity that all anyone could do was laugh. Goals, too – plenty of them – each crescendo louder than the last, each celebration wider than the one before.
Christian Pulisic’s dribble. Folarin Balogun’s cutback. Gio Reyna’s trivela. Chris Richards’ composure, Sergino Dest’s courage, Malik Tillman’s flair. Mauricio Pochettino, seemingly overcome by it all, sprinting onto the field like a current player, not a former one, desperate to celebrate with everyone else.
Bedlam in the crowd. Beers thrown in living rooms. Parents hugging children while trying to explain just how long they’ve waited for this. These are moments and, as Pochettino would say, “This is football!” This is what makes it all so special. And on Friday night, in American soccer’s most important moment, the rest of the country felt it in abundance.
That will be the lasting legacy of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 4-1 win over Paraguay, a game that was so much more than a game; it was a moment. It was one watched by a record audience, with nearly 16 million tuning inone that allowed many to feel something about the American game for the first time. There might be a time, years from now, when we all look back and see that night in Los Angeles as an era-starter, a night where everything changed and people started to look forward and stop looking back.
For generations, fans of the USMNT held out on belief. There would be a day, someday, when the U.S. could step into a World Cup and play. Not just win, not just scrape by – actually play. Dazzle, entertain, dominate. Someday, those fans hoped, the traditional grit would be matched with pure talent. How special would that be?
Those generations laid the foundation. They showed up, supported and worked to take the game forward. All the while, they hoped and believed it could happen. After Friday, a new generation won’t have to hope and believe; they’ll know it’s possible because they saw it with their own eyes.
