The United States is officially in love with its national soccer team. Americans idolize mythological winners like John Wayne, Joe DiMaggio or Michael Jordan, and now they have a solid reason to identify with soccer's elite unit as well. After repeated disappointments since the 2002 World Cup, their team has finally won a knockout match at the World Cup and showed character by doing so with ten players against Bosnia - first-goal scorer Folarin Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute - when the second goal arrived while down a man. If there is one thing Americans value even more than the victory itself, it is the heroic manner in which it was secured.

Do not confuse them with doubts, for example that the opponent was merely Bosnia, hardly a tournament favorite, or that this was only an early knockout round. In their eyes, their team fought and delivered a Hollywood ending against the odds (supposedly), and now deserves even greater confidence, which means far more frenzy across the country, if that is even possible.

The Mexicans turned Mexico City into a metropolis that breathes the World Cup every moment, yet the Americans do it their way, on a much larger scale, almost coast to coast. Every match draws thousands to city centers in Kansas City, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle and Los Angeles, where enormous viewing zones are erected with giant screens, food stalls, street performances and a festival atmosphere that begins hours before kickoff and continues long after the final whistle. People arrive with children, flags and dogs wrapped in Christian Pulisic jerseys, turning the World Cup into a month-long Super Bowl.

Popular morning shows open broadcasts with analysis of the team's matches, pundits spend hours debating its chances of going all the way to the trophy itself, and sports networks that normally focus on football and baseball have suddenly discovered that soccer can deliver strong ratings and fill stadiums. Restaurants and bars overflow, and even Uber drivers in Miami refuse to pause the live streams on their phones. Passengers board and the match keeps playing on the dashboard. In a country that loves to think big, there is no room for small dreams. If the team has reached the round of 16, why should it not go all the way? What did you say? France? No problem.

After the win over Bosnia, American commentators were especially impressed by the calm and confidence that never wavered even in difficult moments, and noted that the US team can no longer be viewed as an exotic story or a marketing gimmick for a home tournament. It is now a side with a clear identity and a coach who knows exactly what he wants to see on the pitch. Mauricio Pochettino, the first US coach to secure three wins in a single World Cup, has built a squad whose fans feel reflects the new America they might like to see: young, diverse, self-assured and unafraid to compete against Europe's traditional powers.

The US plays a highly disciplined yet attacking brand of soccer built on near-constant movement and exceptional athletic quality. The press on opponents starts high with Pulisic, who enjoys near-total freedom of movement, Malik Tillman surges from the second line and has become one of the tournament's pleasant surprises, while Tyler Adams blends quick decision-making with aggression in midfield, acting as an engine that keeps the system running. Chris Richards excels at the heart of defense, Weston McKennie supplies craft in the middle of the park, and even with ten men the weapon of rapid counter-attacks remains effective.

Now comes the Americans' big test. Belgium awaits, and memories of the painful 2014 elimination by the same Belgians in the round of 16 still linger among fans. Yet the America of summer 2026 is not afraid to believe. Belgium in 2026 is no longer the golden generation of old, and here they are convinced the outcome will be different this time.

Hollywood has already lined up behind the team as well. Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Edward Norton, Paris Hilton, Will Ferrell and Jessica Alba have been spotted at US matches throughout the tournament, NBA players post support videos (LeBron James crowned Balogun the young king) and music stars turn up at fan zones across the country. Once entertainment, sport and patriotism converge on the same success story, it is very hard to stop the wave of enthusiasm. The question is no longer whether soccer has captured a place in American hearts, but how large that place can become, alongside the guys running on the field wearing helmets, of course.

In the 1950 World Cup the US stunned the world by beating the birthplace of soccer, England, 1-0 in the group stage. Seventy-six years later, Americans believe an even bigger surprise is already on the way, waiting at MetLife Stadium, which will host the final.