Entry into US Men’s National Fandom

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

Every soccer fan has a player or a moment or signature win that pulls them into the game and binds them to a team, no matter how high or low the journey becomes.

For me, that moment was tied to the U.S. Men’s National Team hosting the 1994 World Cup, along with my own recent introduction to the sport as the starting goalkeeper for my school team. Tony Meola, in particular, stood out as one of many important icons and trailblazers for the USMNT during that era.

I imagine there are countless young fans around the world who have already had, or will soon have, that defining moment over the last few years: discovering their first…