AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – His right cheek painted with an American flag, Jon Watson sat sweating in the Texas heat.
He didn’t mind the searing sun, the 90-plus degree temperatures or the lack of a breeze in Austin. He was here for a party with thousands of other American soccer fans set to watch the U.S. play Belgium in the World Cup, with the winner set to move on the quarterfinals of the biggest sporting event in the world.
“And I’m not even a soccer fan. I’m a tennis guy. I should be watching Wimbledon,” Watson said. “But I wanted to get out and be part of the community, to come together and cheer for the same team.”
From Texas to Chicago to California, U.S. fans flocked to public spaces, from wide open parks to sports stadiums to their favorite sports bars, to watch the game.
Tuesday’s game was the fourth for the U.S. in Brazil as it tried to move deeper into the tournament. With every game, the crowds have swelled as die-hard soccer fans joined the newcomers. Suddenly, America looks like a soccer-crazed country, as people skip work and gather in big crowds and watch the game play out on giant screens.