Team USA, coach Mauricio Pochettino carry torch of American diversity on 250th Fourth of July

SEATTLE (AP) — Less than 24 hours removed from throwing out the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners game alongside his team, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino extended some unexpected birthday wishes.

They were not directed toward forward Folarin Balogun, who turned 25 on Friday, but rather the country the two are representing at the World Cup. Saturday marked the 250th anniversary of American independence, which was cause for celebration in Pochettino’s eyes before practice at Husky Soccer Stadium.

“Happy birthday,” Pochettino said to reporters as he circled the pitch. “It’s 250 years, no?”

The 54-year-old coach, who was born in Argentina and lives in Spain, has fully embraced the American experience this summer. Pochettino has joined tens of thousands of fans in singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after U.S.wins — all while not letting his players forget his roots.

“He’s 200 percent Argentine,” U.S. captain Tim Ream said. “I think he’s obviously taken to the culture, and at the same time has added his bit of culture to us as well. … The group is such a melting pot of staff, players. And, it’s just an incredible representation of who we are as people. But, he definitely won’t let us forget that he still is Argentine at the end of the day.”

Pochettino isn’t the only member of the team with roots outside the United States. Six players on the roster were born abroad, while others like Balogun were raised in Europe.

Balogun was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, but raised in London. He could have played for any of three countries, yet chose to play for the U.S.

“This is a unique experience for me,” Balogun said, “being in the World Cup in your home nation.”

Many Americans are still lukewarm about soccer. Its popularity lags behind American football, basketball and baseball.

But new polling from Ipsos Sports, provided exclusively to The Associated Press, shows that the World Cup has excited soccer fans and piqued many Americans’ interest, even as the sport faces an uphill climb to reach mainstream popularity.

On Monday at Lumen Field, the U.S. has an opportunity to further invigorate its fans when it plays Belgium in the Round of 16. A victory would mark the first time the Americans have ever won two knockout games at the World Cup, while securing their second quarterfinal appearance and first since 2002.

“(An) opportunity to continue to inspire tens of millions of people, inspire kids,” Ream said. “It’s an opportunity for us to win another knockout-stage game in a World Cup.”

The U.S. will need contributions from its diverse roster. Starters like Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest, for instance, are the children of U.S. service members.

Dest is confident the Americans can win on Monday, even after Belgium blew out the U.S. 5-2 in a World Cup warmup match in March.

“Belgium is a great opponent,” Dest said. “But, we also see some opportunities for us to be able to win that game. ’Cause we are also a great team at the moment. We grew a lot, as well, in this tournament. And, at the moment, it’s really difficult to beat us. So, it will be difficult for Belgium as well.”

Saturday provided an opportunity for Ream and his teammates to celebrate the American holiday by watching fireworks from a rooftop bar. Ream previously played for Fulham of the Premier League before returning to the United States with Charlotte of Major League Soccer.

“It’s a little bit different celebrating here than over there because obviously, in a lot of ways, a lot of people don’t actually know why we celebrate the Fourth,” Ream said, “which is crazy to me, because they were a big part of why we celebrate the Fourth.”

The U.S. hopes to close out the holiday weekend by winning Monday night, with a team that is quintessentially American in Ream’s eyes.

“With all our different backgrounds, where we all have grown up, it’s a true representation of what America is,” Ream said. “It’s a melting pot of people, personalities, of characters. It’s the perfect representation of what the U.S. is.”

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