The HBO documentary "U.S. Against the World" has helped me appreciate our men's World Cup team a lot more than I did before. Two quick thoughts:
First, I had assumed Pochettino was just a mercenary. And while it does seem like he'll be headed back to a big club job after the WC, the documentary shows how much his heart is in this role of leading the U.S. team. The scene at the beginning of Episode 5, after they lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup last year, really moved me. He cries and tells them that they don't deserve to be treated like the away team every single time they play on their own country's soil. Freaking inspiring. If the team does well at the WC, the biggest reason will be Pochettino. I'm sure of it.
Second, I have been a bit annoyed for the past several years that there are so many celebrated players who have only the loosest ties to the U.S.A. Surely we should rise or fall on the backs of people like Weston McKennie, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Tyler Adams, and Christian Pulisic who are 100% home grown but have found success in the top leagues like no Americans before them have. The documentary shows that's exactly what's going to happen. Now guys like Tillman and Balogun are the exceptions. Musah isn't even on the team. And one of the coolest things I learned from the documentary is the story of Sergino Dest. He's lived his whole life in the Netherlands, but his father grew up in Brooklyn and served our country in the Vietnam War. His father couldn't be prouder that his boy is wearing the stars and stripes, and it seems Dest is thrilled about it too. Does the son of a war veteran deserve to wear our badge? Hell yes. He mentioned how he plays like a European but he's always had the drive to succeed like an American. I love it.
See, I'm a very open-minded guy.
U.S.A.!!!