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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — It was a stadium like any other, packed with American sports fans wearing their favorite team’s jerseys and red, white and blue face paint, cheering as players took the field.<\/p>\n
Only this time, The sport was soccer.<\/span><\/p>\nTens of thousands of soccer enthusiasts gathered at a huge stadium near Los Angeles for Friday’s U.S. World Cup home opener against Paraguay. In many cases, they paid thousands of dollars to see their teams play on the biggest world stage in a sport long overshadowed in the United States — a sport many say has finally reached its moment.<\/p>\n
Many fans said they grew up playing soccer in recreational leagues from childhood through high school and college. Nakisha Gutierrez, 37, an occupational therapist from Los Angeles, and her sister both played the sport. She said their Argentinian father raised them playing soccer and now the next generation is taking up the sport as well.<\/p>\n
“It’s in the family’s blood,” Gutierrez said, a glittering red and blue star painted on her cheek. “That’s American culture. It’s starting to become that.”<\/p>\n
The World Cup is held every four years, with fans around the world following each country’s national team and hoping they are good enough to qualify. In many countries\u2014 Friday’s opponent is Paraguay<\/span> \u2014 Just attending a tournament can lead to street parties, fireworks, and holidays. In the United States, however, the reaction is often a little more muted. Soccer has long been overshadowed by football, basketball, and America’s pastime, baseball.<\/p>\nBut since the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, soccer has grown in popularity. Major League Soccer was launched two years later, and soccer became especially popular. among young athletes.<\/span> Interest is also growing due to immigrants from countries where, as Gutierrez says, “soccer is life.”<\/p>\nEva Cupid, 14, traveled from Franklin, Tennessee, with her family to cheer on Team USA wearing a Statue of Liberty costume. Her great-grandfather was from Spain and helped bring soccer to small towns, where he built fields and promoted the sport.<\/p>\n
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“He got us all into soccer. Our whole family loves soccer,” said Eva’s mother, Rachel Cupitt. \u201cPeople who get married just become part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jose Contreras, a self-proclaimed soccer “junkie,” said he grew up playing soccer with his uncle in Mexico because it was cheap and accessible. He flew from Georgia to cheer on the U.S. opener, even though there were games to watch closer to home in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
“This is one of the happiest days of my life,” Contreras said.<\/p>\n
A crowd of 70,492 people gathered at the gigantic stadium in Inglewood, California, where football games are usually held, and the stands rang with cheers from fans. The seats were a sea of \u200b\u200bred and white. Fans wore glittery American flag high-tops, overalls, robes and the team’s signature jerseys. Some were dressed as Uncle Sam, the ultimate symbol of American patriotism, with long white beards and top hats. Some wore George Washington costumes.<\/p>\n
They came to show their support for the team and to show that Americans can be just as passionate about soccer as the rest of the world. Many were trying to attend all of the U.S. team’s group-round games. One spectator said he was from Texas and had previously seen the U.S. team compete in an international match in front of a large crowd cheering the opposing players.<\/p>\n
Hector Garcia, 63, said it was his sixth World Cup appearance. He thinks the U.S. team is the best ever and that the players will be heartened to see so many fans wearing the Stars and Stripes.<\/p>\n
“This is the World Cup atmosphere. I think this really lifts their spirits,” he said.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP World Cup coverage: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/fifa-world-cup<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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