Sports Editor Wyatt Meyer watches the United States Men’s National Soccer Team. The USMNT qualified for the round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup after beating Iran, but Meyer believes that regardless of future results, the team did the U.S. proud. “Far more importantly than proving the doubters wrong, you proved a generation of young people right,” Meyer wrote. “You showed a country of believers that they could put their faith in a young, unproven team with a chip on its shoulder.” Illustration by Antonio Starks
Sports Editor Wyatt Meyer writes a letter expressing his support for the United States Men’s National Soccer Team after qualifying for the round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup.
Dear United States Men’s National Soccer Team,
Breathe.
You’ve done it. You’ve made it. You’ve achieved more than most thought possible for a team from a country that doesn’t even call football by its proper name.
You’ve advanced.
Even here in the U.S., people like myself wondered if you could beat Iran and advance from the group stage of the FIFA World Cup after missing out completely in 2018.
Can they do it? Are they good enough? Can a team with an average age of just over 25 years have any chance of earning its place as one of the 16 best in the world?
You proved me – and the world – wrong. You beat Iran soundly, making it through to face the Netherlands in the round of 16, making me – and the world – proud in the process. You showed me – and the world – that you’re no pushover, no easy out and certainly not to be taken lightly.
But far more importantly than proving the doubters wrong, you proved a generation of young people right. You showed a country of believers that they could put their faith in a young, unproven team with a chip on its shoulder.
Your captain, Tyler Adams, said that “pressure is a privilege”, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. You’ve earned our trust, and with that comes an unspoken agreement – so long as you show us your 100% commitment to the game, you’ll have just as much support from us.
In a sense, it doesn’t matter how you do against the Netherlands because you’ve already given us something infinitely more valuable than a World Cup trophy.
You’ve given us belief.
Best of luck,
