The United States men’s national soccer team’s loss 2-1 loss to Belgium in extra time was difficult to swallow for fans at The Little Bar on High Street. The campus bar, likely more accustomed to scarlet and grey than red, white and blue, was packed with fans in USMNT jerseys, Captain America shirts and some draped in the stars and stripes.
As the dejected Americans spilled out onto High Street, many had their own explanations for the USA’s loss. One fan, who asked to be identified only as Victor, expressed his opinion that the Americans “squandered all of their opportunities.”
USA fan Josh Niese lamented that the US only managed to score when they were already losing.
“When they’re down a goal, they play to their whole potential,” said Niese. Still, he appreciated that the team scored at least once when a lot of teams would have given up in the face of unfavorable odds. Niese summed up the end of the USA’s memorable and hope-filled World Cup run; “Soccer is a cruel game.”
A cruel game, but one that has started to take hold with more American fans, particularly in Columbus. The city was second only to Washington, DC in ratings for USA’s June 22 tie with Portugal, and Columbus found itself in the top 10 markets for the July 1 loss to Belgium according to Forbes.
Recent Ohio State graduate Collin Mocas said he thinks soccer has a chance to gain popularity in the US in the wake of these World Cup games.
“What I’ve heard is we’ve got more people viewing these games than ever before,” said Mocas, who played soccer in high school. “I think soccer is a great game and I think more people would like it if they got to start watching it.”
OSU student Sarah Speirs has played soccer since she was young and said she loves when the World Cup comes around and puts the game back in center stage.
“I think soccer has an opportunity to grow in America right now,” said Speirs, “if we could just get people to enjoy watching a little more.”
Tim Sherer, also an OSU student, said he isn’t much of a soccer fan himself, but enjoys the opportunity the World Cup provides to cheer on the United States and the other competing nation he feels an attachment to; Germany.
“I feel like Germany is going to go a lot farther than America,” said Sherer during the US-Belgium halftime. Sherer said he enjoys the camaraderie and shared excitement of watching matches with crowds like those that gathered at all manner of Columbus establishments during these World Cup games.
“It’s kind of like game days here at Ohio State,” said Sherer. “I think people have gotten away from the stigma of ‘it can go for 90 minutes and nothing can happen.’”
Sherer also raised the stakes for the USA’s make-or-break match against Belgium, declaring that his facial hair would remain until the Americans pull off a win.
“Ideally, we win and I’m forced to shave my mustache,” said Sherer.
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