Pochettino's USA squad unite a nation as World Cup fever grips America ahead of Belgium clash

Mauricio Pochettino threw out the first pitch at a sold-out Seattle Mariners game on Friday evening, surrounded by his U.S. men’s national team players, as America prepared to celebrate its 250th birthday and the squad readied itself for a World Cup round-of-16 meeting with Belgium on Monday.

The gesture captured something broader than a pre-match photo opportunity. The United States team has quietly become a focal point of national pride during a tournament that has already produced a string of vivid, distinctly American moments — from fans worldwide discovering Waffle House and ranch dressing, to Scotland’s Tartan Army descending on Boston, to Pochettino himself joining his players in a post-match rendition of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

“That sort of stuff can only happen in America,” forward Folarin Balogun said on Friday, smiling.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner, speaking after the victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, reflected on what hosting the tournament has meant beyond results on the pitch. “It’s a place that is exactly as advertised in a lot of ways — it’s free, it’s beautiful, the people are nice and kind,” Turner told reporters. “To actually have seen some people having the time of their lives in our country, it’s been amazing.”

Turner said his ambition for the tournament extended beyond the scoreline. “People are always saying, ‘What do you want from this World Cup?’ And I just say I want us to be gracious hosts and good stewards to people who come to the United States and really feel our culture, and I want us to welcome these people with open arms. I think we’ve done a great job. Lifelong memories for a lot of people.”

The scenes around the country have reinforced that sentiment. Hotel guests in Seattle gathered in a lobby to watch Egypt outlast Australia in a penalty shootout. Dallas police officers greeted Norway’s squad by performing the “Viking Row” on the airport tarmac. Social media erupted as Cape Verde pushed defending champion Argentina to the brink of penalties.

There were genuine doubts before the tournament about whether Americans would embrace the World Cup at scale. The long-term legacy will take years to measure, and how deep the U.S. run goes will shape it significantly. But the short-term impact is already visible.

Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan, who plays his club football in the city hosting Monday’s match, has watched the energy build throughout the group stage. Turner described it as a collision of sporting cultures. “The fan passion is coming to light, we’re creating our own new sort of things with ‘Country Roads’ after the game — it’s like the college football scene mixing with the U.S. Soccer scene,” he said.

With Belgium now standing between the United States and a place in the quarterfinals, Pochettino’s squad will attempt to convert that groundswell of goodwill into something more tangible at Lumen Field on Monday.