USMNT hoping to inspire American soccer with home World Cup

IRVINE, Calif. – As Tim Ream pulled into the Great Park Sports Complex on a muggy Monday morning in Southern California, all he could see were long queues of U.S. fans wearing red, white and blue colors as they lined up to enter Championship Soccer Stadium.

When the team started its training session, chants of “U.S.A!”, “U.S.A!” filled the Irvine sky. 

That’s when it started to hit him and the rest of his teammates: World Cup energy is in the air and it’s spreading across the country.

“I wouldn’t say overwhelmed, but presently surprised by the excitement and buzz around the team and in the stadiums,” Ream said Monday morning. “Pulling up here with 5,500 fans ready to watch a training session is incredible.”

After concluding its final World Cup preparation friendlies against Senegal and Germany, the USMNT arrived in Orange County to begin its training camp at Great Park, where coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side will stay for the entirety of group stage action. About 5,500 fans filled Great Park to cheer on the team with the World Cup opener scheduled for Friday against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Those fans were the fortunate batch out of over 30,000 applicants requesting to attend the team’s open training session in Irvine. Much of the attendance comprised kids of all ages, watching their soccer heroes prepare to host a World Cup on home soil.

With so many in attendance, the players understand the potential impact the tournament could have on a new generation of American soccer players.

“It means so much to be able to be in a position to inspire the next generation – and there’s a compounding effect to it,” goalkeeper Matt Freese said. “We were inspired by the previous generation, hopefully we inspire the next generation. The more we inspire them the better the following generation will be.”

When the U.S. opens group stage action on Friday night, it represents a potentially watershed moment for soccer in the country. It’s the culmination of years of preparation, beginning in 2018 when FIFA awarded the United States, Mexico and Canada hosting rights for this year’s World Cup. All the work is leading up to the opening match where eyeballs around the world will descend on Inglewood.

But with the growth in the sport – and the expectations to perform as a co-host nation –- comes great pressure. Only two host countries have failed to qualify for the World Cup knockout rounds in the 22 editions of the tournament.

“We see this as a fantastic opportunity to play in front of our country, our people and represent each other and our families,” forward Ricardo Pepi said of handling the pressure.

Pepi, who was snubbed from the 2022 roster in Qatar, is one of 13 players on Pochettino’s squad making their World Cup debuts. He is one of seven forwards available for Pochettino during the tournament and is the third-youngest player on the 26-man roster at 23 years old.

Ream is the opposite. The 38-year-old defender is making his second World Cup appearance and will captain the side this summer. Born seven years before the United States hosted World Cup 1994, Ream vividly remembers pieces of that summer and recognizes the growth in American soccer.

He also emphasized the uniqueness of playing a World Cup on home soil, which not many get to experience.

“It’s a once-in-a-career opportunity. With that comes great expectations and great pressure,” Ream said. “But at the same time, we have to enjoy it. There’s nobody putting more expectation and pressure on us than ourselves. And that’s the way it should be.”

The Stars and Stripes know all the attention will likely be on them on Friday night against Paraguay, where a win would not only help their qualification hopes, but will do something much greater for the casual fan and the upcoming generation of American soccer players.

“Pressure makes diamonds,” Freese said. “We are a group of 26 guys that want to show we are a bunch of diamonds.”

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