An instant takeaway from the World Cup: America needs to do all it can to sustain this momentum to ensure soccer becomes the next big thing.
The world has arrived in Boston, delivering an electrifying atmosphere that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the most storied traditions of our local football, basketball, baseball and hockey culture.
France beat Norway, 4-1, to secure the top spot in Group I in this summer’s World Cup at Boston Stadium in Foxboro on Friday.
Ousmane Dembélé put on a performance of the ages by recording the second-fastest hat-trick in World Cup history, scoring three goals in the first half for Les Bleus.
But the final score and electrifying performance on the grassy pitch didn’t seem to really matter.
Even after Norway walked away with the loss, Norwegian fans remained in the stands, waving flags of their native country, as players acknowledged their supporters.
In the opposite corner of the stadium, French fans jumped up and down, dancing and celebrating their team’s electrifying victory.
As the game clock wound down, French fans started participating in their own version of the Norwegian’s “Viking Row.” And Norway didn’t seem to care.
From an American perspective, this is what sports are all about. The world has unified not only in Foxboro, but all over the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Boston Stadium sold out with 64,146 fans witnessing the world’s best.
The money flowing from the World Cup environment in Greater Boston is strong.
Official estimates project roughly $1 billion in economic output, about 7,000 jobs, and more than $70 million in tax revenue coming from the seven World Cup matches in Foxboro
I kept reminding my Patriots fan self that the World Cup is much bigger than the Super Bowl, as I watched Friday’s match 11 rows from the field and even taking in 10 minutes of action on the field — a once-in-a-lifetime experience thanks to Verizon.
Walking away from Boston Stadium, I can admit that watching live top-tier soccer is more insane than watching top talent in the NFL: Premier athletes flying around the field, very little stoppage time, and when a goal is scored, a party erupts in the stands.
Kids of all ages play soccer nationwide; it is one of most popular and widely played NCAA sports; the MLS has attracted top international talents with the likes of Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller, and in the past, David Beckham.
But yet it has struggled to ascend the ranks of professional sports in the U.S.
The challenge for America now isn’t just hosting this spectacle — it’s ensuring that when the final whistle blows in mid-July, the momentum doesn’t leave with the fans.
Comments