MOSCOW – Attention, American soccer fans: Iceland’s prime minister wants your support.
The United States is absent from the World Cup for the first time since 1986, which means up to 325 million Americans are temporarily free agents.
Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said her island nation about 900 miles off Norway’s coast is the perfect pick for their passion. With just 350,000 residents, Iceland is the least populous country ever to qualify soccer’s quadrennial showcase.
“We can do with more supporters. We absolutely need them,” she said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “We’ve got a lot of support from people around the world. I think a lot of people like the way the Icelandic team played. I think the team spirit really was something that people liked.”
Costa Rica, Egypt, Morocco, Peru and Saudi Arabia were already out of contention for the knockout stage after Friday’s matches, and Argentina is on the verge of elimination. Still, alluring alternatives remain for those unsure how to release their pent-up fervor with no red, white and blue – at least of the U.S. variety – to support.