Chris Perkins: ‘U-S-A!’ Let’s have a memorable World Cup

I’m not a soccer fan. But I love the World Cup.

Somewhere on this planet there’s a compelling video of me during the 2014 World Cup. I was watching the U.S. men on TV and obnoxiously banging on the bar at a Himmarshee drinking establishment while loudly and passionately leading the populace in an “I believe that we will win!” chant.

Tonight, I’ll be among the millions of Americans excitedly watching the United States against Bosnia-Herzegovina at 8 p.m. in a highly-anticipated round of 32 match in Santa Clara, Calif.

And I’ll be among the thousands watching at the FIFA Fan Festival at Miami’s Bayfront Park.

This match is huge on many levels. But mostly it’s huge because I’d like to see it be part of a memorable U.S. World Cup run.

Start with this: The United States is 1-13-7 against European teams in the World Cup and winless in its last 13.

You can be sure I’ll be pulling for our boys, who are ranked No. 15 in the world, to get a knockout-round win tonight (Bosnia-Herzegovina is ranked No. 61 in the world), something we’ve only done once in a modern-era World Cup, in 2002, defeating Mexico, 2-0.

After that, I’ll be looking for our boys to earn an attention-getting round of 16 win against the Belgium-Senegal winner.

Granted, that’s getting way ahead of things, but who knows?

Our best-ever showing was a semifinal appearance, later changed to a third-place finish, in 1930, the inaugural World Cup, a 13-team event. Our next best showing was the 2002 quarterfinal appearance.

Perhaps, somewhat miraculously, we can match that, or, even more miraculously, do better.

For as long as I can remember, and I’m talking about the 1970s, when Pele, the Brazilian great, played for the New York Cosmos, we’ve heard that U.S. men’s soccer is about to turn the corner, that its time is about to come.

We’re still waiting.

That’s not said in a snarky tone. That’s said in a bated breath tone. I want to see us make history.

I’m hoping, finally, that it’s our time.

Even if that’s not the case, I’ll enjoy the event.

I love the World Cup for the amazing skill of the players. But I love it even more because of the laser-focused fervor that it inspires from real futbol fans as well as the bandwagon love that it draws from soccer novices such as myself.

When I lived in Dallas, one of the nation’s most soccer-crazed areas, I attended a 1994 World Cup match between Nigeria and Bulgaria at the Cotton Bowl. It was magical. The chants. The drums. The buzz. It was the best sports atmosphere I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve covered Super Bowls, NBA Finals, World Series, Final Fours, Miami-Florida State, Texas-Oklahoma, Heat-Knicks in those four consecutive NBA playoff series (1997-99).

The World Cup is unmatched. But I’d like to experience the World Cup excitement as an American whose team is making its way through the bracket.

The U.S. isn’t the only country with World Cup struggles.

There’s the English heartbreak. They haven’t won a World Cup since 1966 for its only title.

There’s the Dutch frustration. They’re three-time second-place finishers, most recently 2010, and they were eliminated in this year’s Round of 32 by Morocco.

There’s the Italian heartache. The four-time champions have failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.

Our longtime mediocrity is understandable, but exasperating.

Of course, a memorable World Cup run has been my wish every four years since the days of Marcelo Barboa and Tab Ramos through Clint Dempsey, DeMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard, Landon Donovan and, now, Christian Pulisic.

Despite our American letdown, I have great World Cup memories.

In 2022, I watched the World Cup Final between Argentina and France at the Miami Beach Bandshell among a largely Argentinian crowd. You can imagine the wild celebration that ensued when Argentina, after a 3-3 draw in regulation, won, 4-2, on penalty kicks. The impromptu party shut down Collins Avenue on North Miami Beach.