'Part of something bigger' - USMNT emerges as the story of the summer for America's historic Fourth of July celebration

In the hours before the USMNT took the field for their pre-Fourth of July baseball adventure, Folarin Balogun put it simply.

"This sort of stuff can only happen in America," he said.

This summer has been one that has seen the U.S. welcome the world, but has also felt uniquely American. At least part of that reason is the rise of this USMNT, one that continues to push boundaries and expectations with their World Cup run.

It began with two wins, one over Paraguay and one over Australia. With those two wins, the USMNT won back-to-back World Cup games for the first time in 96 years, and they did so with style. This wasn't a team content to sit back and hope; they were the aggressor, racking up six goals in those 180 minutes to send a message to the world.

They also sent a message to the U.S., and after the Australia game, the U.S. sent a message back. Moments after that victory, the crowd serenaded their heroes with John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads". The song has since become an anthem, one that binds players and fans.

"At the end of the day, you're here for yourself, you're here for the team, but you're here to change the game in America, the perception of soccer in America," defender Auston Trusty said. "To hear that atmosphere and feel the whole entire vibe of the game, I think as people who are fans of the sport, but also who are becoming fans of sport through watching us play and watching this World Cup, that's what it's all about."

Since arriving in October 2024, that was what Pochettino has been desperate to see. Throughout his tenure, he's spoken several times about building the connection between the team and its fans. That, as he's said, "is football". Having grown up in Argentina, he has, at times, been frustrated by the support in stadiums, which is sometimes 50-50, to put it lightly.

It's partly why he cried after the USMNT's Gold Cup loss to Mexico last summer, one in which the USMNT was serenaded off the field by Mexican fans in Houston. It's also why he was emotional after that win over Australia, when it was his team being serenaded as heroes.

"It's not only to prepare a game and go to play against another team," he said. "It's representing your country. It's a fight for your flag. It's the emotion, the culture, the philosophy. It's how you are."

Over the last year or so, the USMNT's Argentinian coach has fallen in love with American culture. That, too, has been one of this summer's biggest stories.

There are various aspects of American culture that Pochettino has fallen for. He's spoken extensively about his love of country music, namely Ella Langley. He enjoys American food, particularly Chick-Fil-A. More than anything, he says, he enjoys the people. He's met so many since he's arrived as American soccer's game-changing force. Almost every interaction has been somewhat similar in feeling.

"People are very approachable and make you feel comfortable," he says. "It's very welcoming. You can go to, I don't know, some place like Nashville, go to a bar, and if you're alone, you can make friends so quickly. You can look like you belong in a few minutes and feel like you belong in that place.

"When you go around America, that for me was a massive surprise, and every state is all different, but you have the same sense of human being. You always want to welcome people. You make people feel that they belong quickly in that place... I know that the country is massive, and the people are so good. I think we learn a lot. I think we are much better people now, knowing the country and the culture of the people here."

Many fans would say the same. Pochettino has lived up to his billing as a force of change. When he was brought in to lead the USMNT in 2024, he arrived to correct a program trending in the wrong direction. There were bumps along the way, some calculated, Pochettino says, but those bumps, ultimately, were for the best. The USMNT peaked at the right time, and Pochettino has been getting the credit for ensuring that happened.

Meanwhile, those who have worked with him have seen their own relationships develop. As the man himself says, Pochettino's time in American soccer has changed him, and his players have enjoyed seeing that happen up close.

"I think he definitely learns a lot," star Christian Pulisic recently said of his coach's newfound Americanisms. "I think the American culture is very unique. Sometimes, someone will say something to him in a meeting or whatever, and it just sounds like super American slang. He's like, 'huh?', and I just find it so funny.

"It feels like he's really in tune with it. I'm in his office yesterday, and he's listening to country music. It's funny to see, but then he also brings his Argentinian culture. The staff shows us things from there. It's a unique bond within the group, for sure."

The Americanization doesn't just apply to Pochettino, but also to the players who didn't grow up in the continental United States. For those players, Chris Richards and Tim Weah have often served as the team's unofficial tour guides, taking their teammates to some of American soccer's not-so-crucial landmarks.

"I remember Balo's first camp, we were taking them to American staples, particularly in food, and so I think he enjoyed that. I think he still has this kind of notion where he says 'Americans aren't real' because there's some stuff that we do that just doesn't fly back in London. It takes a while to learn, and especially when you're only here for a few weeks at a time. It's been cool being able to see different pockets of America.

"I'm trying to get a few of the guys to come to Alabama and see where I grew up, but it's been cool. They've seen the South now, they've seen out west, the Pacific Northwest. It's my first time going to Seattle as well, so that was cool to be able to experience that with everybody."

While the USMNT has enjoyed their tour of America, there's been a separate story going on with the World Cup's other participants, who have helped make this American summer feel a little bit more worldly.

If you've been on social media, you've almost certainly seen the clips. You've seen the Scots taking over Boston bars or the English singing for their new heroes on the Atlanta Braves. You've seen Norway rowing through Times Square or the city of Lawrence, Kansas adopt the phrase "Rock Chalk Algeria". Argentinian singalongs, Japanese cleanups and German saxophones - all part of a World Cup that has seen the world arrive on American shores.

At a time in history where divisiveness has become the norm, there have been a few weeks where the world has come together to celebrate the game they love and the fact that, no matter where you're from, it's a game worth loving.

"I think, for me, it helps America have this feeling of different cultures," Anja Tillman, mother of USMNT star Malik, tells GOAL. "This brings so much to this country. I think this tournament has done that, especially."

Unique bonds have been built as a result of this cultural exchange. Pochettino has experienced that firsthand, having been in the country longer than those visiting this summer. He hopes that Americans will have learned something from the world, but also hopes that the world has learned something from the Americans who have welcomed soccer with open arms for this tournament.

"When people come, they start to realize that sometimes you have a wrong idea about the people here in this country," he says. "Maybe the different countries reflect different visions about the USA. The reality is different."

One of Pochettino's taglines for this summer, though, has been "never chase reality". He uses it to remind his team to dream big, to believe that they can win the World Cup. If they do, it will change the trajectory of American soccer forever, of course. In truth, though, this team already has.

Every time they speak to the media, the USMNT's players are asked about the idea of legacy. What will this summer mean? How can this run impact the sport? How can it impact America as a whole?

"I've been trying to comprehend it, but I think America's such a big country," Balogun said. "It's difficult, but Weston [McKennie] has been showing me videos because I sit next to him on the plane. He's been showing me videos of fans in different parts, watching the games on some big screens, in bars and stuff. Every time we score, they're celebrating in different places.

"I think it's not something any of us can really comprehend because we're in it, but I think once we're out of it, and, I don't know, kind of getting on with our daily lives, I think we'll be able to see the impact we've made. It's a beautiful thing."

This group, one dubbed a golden generation years ago, has always aimed to make that kind of impact. Before Pochettino's tenure, the goal of the Gregg Berhalter era was to change the perception of American soccer forever. This is the summer to do it. Heading into it, everyone knew this was the chance.

So far, the USMNT has come good. So far, they've made their mark, bringing in new fans while also reigniting the passion of old ones. By the end of this, that will likely be the team's legacy. They'll be the ones that gave everyone a reason to celebrate, either for the first time or for the thousandth.

"I think, as a team, we want to leave our mark on the game and leave a legacy behind," Tyler Adams said. "I want it to be more than just what this moment has created and the hype around it, you know. If we're talking about the team and the success that they've had two years from now, then we've done something right."

That talk is for another day. For now, there's a game to prepare for and a holiday to celebrate. Pochettino effectively began those holiday celebrations with his address to the Seattle crowd moments after throwing his first pitch. Then, once Pochettino and Roldan took the microphone to send a message:

“Let’s go win a World Cup."

On the Fourth of July, 250 years after the U.S. declared independence, the World Cup feels closer than ever. So, too, do American soccer and those who love it.

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