Overwhelming Support for The US Men’s National Team in South Africa

Andy McCaslin is an avid US National team fan and has followed the team all over the world. He’s been coaching soccer for 14 years at levels from U-6 to college. Originally from Indiana, he moved to Winona to take over as assistant men’s and women’s coach at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota.

The US contingent has been the best of any group at the World Cup 2010.  Several different Lady Liberties have raised their torches above the crowd. Captain America, Superman, and of course Elvis have all been in attendance. Patriots like Betsy Ross, and many other nameless freedom fighters have also all been a part of Sam’s Army in RSA.

Those dressed up as Obama and Clinton, as well as the real Bill Clinton, made the trek.  Rocky, Uncle Sams and facepainters too.  Then there are also those of us in American flag shirts, scarves and Uncle Sam hats and seersucker pants that are along for the ride as the US makes its way to the Round of 16 to face Ghana tomorrow.

Approaching my 38th US fan cap I have endured it all. Most painfully is always playing away games. Even at home. At the qualifier against Honduras in Chicago last June I was embarrassed at the fan support by our home fans. Outnumbered six or more to one, in our own stadium! It was so hard to be there and endure that.

It has been different here. These US fans are smart, savvy and aren’t afraid to be heard or seen. US fans are everywhere and clad in US gear. Jerseys, scarves, warmups and hoodies. People are proud to be here as Americans.

In ’06 there were spatterings of US fans all over the stadiums, but few were confident enough to show their colors.  As a kid my mom told me to always be a good traveler and to try to blend in. Don’t talk on the subway, don’t be loud. Great advice in general, just not a the World Cup.  Here it’s OK to show where you’re from. It’s OK to be proud and wear your team’s crest. And our supporters are doing a magnificent job in and out of stadiums.

When we arrived at Rustenburg to face England I was amazed to see the amount of US supporters. I knew we had sold the most tickets but it’s never easy to know with our country’s diverse background if they were supporting our fans or not. I can assure you a massive amount of the 140,000 US tickets sold went to our fans.

In the very friendly pre-game festivities I ran into people that were amazed at our following.  “I’m surprised to see so many US fans,” said a South African supporting England that night.  He went on, “I didn’t think people in America liked soccer.”

Many still don’t, but at least now we’re being heard. Loud and clear.  It was the same too for the game at Ellis Park in Jozi. Great fans with a lot of familiar faces from Royal Bafokang.  The American Outlaws local bar was next to impossible to get into, let alone find a beer. So we passed and found another spot full of Americans dressed in flags and shirts supporting their Yanks.

Chanting while marching into the stadium, a fan was yelling out the game lineup for our guys. Smart soccer fans who knew what a change from the previous game meant in the midfield and what the change did for the team tactically. Inside there were plenty of  actual US supporters songs and that could be heard and followed. The US fans here are educated soccer fans who are invested in their team.

After the 2-2 draw there were faces of pain and anguish knowing it might not be enough to advance with just a draw with the Slovenians. Hard thoughts to swallow for those who snapped pictures as they were leaving maybe with just one game remaining.

Arriving in Pretoria the day in front of our fateful match with the Algerians there was much apprehension. As we get out of our vehicle my brothers, my father and I were literally the only Americans in sight. The Algerians had started their party early and we were massively outnumbered.  It was the first time I had that “uh-oh” feeling regarding our fans this tournament.

As we walk to try to find the American Outlaws at their Pretoria location, Homebaze, we were stopped by some Algerians for pictures. Then more came. Then more. And more. We’d walk for not more than 15 yards and be stopped again. Now, I don’t know if it was the fact that we all had on Uncle Sam hats and American flag shirts and US flag sunglasses or if it was the fact that we were the only Americans in sight, but for the first time in my life I felt like a rockstar. We were in literally thousands of pictures and shook hundreds of hands and gave a few too many sweaty hugs that morning. We had to take a back way around the Algerian fans at one point so we could get to a restaurant.

But more Yanks did show up.  They were there again and out in force. Walking into the stadium it was loud and there were chants and songs, something that is rare in our own stadiums back home. But here it was again. And it was amazing.

As the game wore on more and more of us became worried. Turnovers in bad spots led to chances for Algeria and the tension grew. Louder cheers and songs. Longer chants of USA. This group was willing on its team.  A few people in the crowd around us kept checking on the England-Slovenia status. The tension was driving people mad. The time ticked on.

Suddenly everything changed. The loud cheers of urgency and the unknown along with near failure turned to jubilation, joy and almost certain victory with one neat little run by our Number 10.

I literally don’t remember the last 3 minutes of stoppage time. It was an absolute blur. Hugging, yelling, screaming and crying was all around us. It happened.

And it kept happening. Hugging and pictures with complete strangers. Beer being sprayed everywhere. “One guy wanted it to stop and I told him that there should be more! It was really great!” said one US supporter.  We stayed in the stadium until they kicked us out. Nearly 45 minutes of jubilation after the end of the match. It was one of the most incredible feelings I’ve had as a US supporter. And I thought it was over.

Walking out of our section through the long hallways and out of the bowels of the stadium the high fives didn’t stop – singing and chanting didn’t stop. We get out of the stadium where it literally all began, but thousands of fans were refusing to leave. We chanted, sang, some guys got up on top of the turnstile structures 15 feet or so in the air. We took photos, slapped hands some more, hugged and rejoiced that our Yanks were going through – with total strangers. With one completed goal: we get out of the group. But these fans knew we had done one better. We had won the game and won the group. And it felt oh so good.

We stayed inside the gate of Loftus Versfeld but outside the stands as Americans who were proud to be US citizens and not afraid to be Americans in a foreign place. Nearly 2 hours of celebration later, we were finally kicked out for good.

The support through the first round of US games has been incredible.  My hope is we can take it home with us for friendliest and qualifiers. But for now I’m focusing on the next round.  As I said farewell to the rest of my family yesterday in Jozi I saw a lot of American shirts in the ticketing counters headed back. There was only me and one other person picking up tickets for Ghana on Saturday.  He was quick to point out that we were together!  We’ll see how many stay for the next (hopefully few) games. To date though, the support has been definitely uplifting. And I hope it continues.