It’s never easy being a fan of the United States. You don’t get any respect – even in your home nation. It’s tough to find your matches on TV. There are only a few highlights on SportsCenter.
In Europe, the American soccer fan is viewed as a strange, rare creature. We get odd looks in the streets. People walk up and ask to have their picture taken with us. But I don’t think they expect much from us – or from our team.
In Gelsenkirchen on Monday, the site of the first U.S. match, our fans – if not our team – showed something to the world.
Hours before kickoff, Americans were everywhere in the streets of Gelsenkirken. Hundreds of fans took over a town square. We unfurled a giant American flag, and we sang and danced for hours. As Americans wandered out of the nearby train station, the crowd greeted each with a deafening cheer and welcomed them into the party.
Around the square, open-mouthed Europeans stared at the crazed U.S. fans with a bemused look on their faces. I heard one British guy on the phone exclaim to a buddy: “Yeah, it’s a bunch of &%$# yanks! And they’re singing!” Even fans of the Czech Republic couldn’t help but smile as they headed to the match.
By the end of the day, there was little singing from the Americans. Our team soundly beaten, we headed back to the train station. We put their arms around each other. Many of us exchanged hugs.
But no Europeans taunted us – not even the Czechs. Many gave us a sad, knowing look, as if to say, “You’re football fans now. There is as much agony in this game as there is joy. Welcome to our world.”
And that’s a lesson, we American fans now have learned. The road to the top of world’s game will not be as easy or as quick as we had hoped.
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