Como as estrelas dos EUA estão ajudando os fãs internacionais a aproveitar ‘cada bolso da América’
U.S. Men’s National Team Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) — Waffle House. Wendy’s. Buc-ees. Jordan-Hare Stadium.
These are some of the hot spots traveling soccer fans who have arrived in the United States ahead of the World Cup have experienced so far.
One German supporter in particular, who goes by the moniker FreddyLA7, has been delightfully documenting his journey over the past week. According to his X profile, he traveled from Germany to Dublin to New York before landing in Atlanta, where he began a road trip through the South.
Since then, his itinerary has included a pilgrimage to Taco Bell — which he dubbed the “Holy Land” — along with stops at Walmart, the Chattahoochee River, Chili’s to watch the NBA Finals and, naturally, the mecca that is Waffle House.
FreddyLA7 is one of the millions of fans expected to descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico for this summer’s World Cup, which begins Thursday, June 11 and concludes with the final on July 19. For many of those visitors — including players and team staff — it will be their first time experiencing North America.
USA star center back Chris Richards, who plays for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, noticed FreddyLA7’s post about a pit stop at a gas station in Alabama. Richards, who grew up in Birmingham, responded with a burger shop recommendation.
“I think the rest of the world, when they think of America, they think that we have a lack of culture, I guess,” Richards said with a big smile when asked about his reply to the fan. “It’s been good to see that people from all walks of life have been able to experience America, which is a blend of many cultures. So it’s been cool.”
FreddyLA7 was in Alabama for Tuesday night’s friendly between Argentina and Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Auburn’s campus. There was something wonderfully surreal about seeing Lionel Messi and La Albiceleste immersed in Auburn traditions, from the stadium-wide Swag Surf to the iconic War Eagle Flight, when a live eagle soars overhead before kickoff.
“It’s always fun and it’s always interesting hearing other people’s takes or their journeys and experiences here in the U.S.,” said defender Mark McKenzie, who plays for French club Toulouse. “I think it provides a lighthearted side to social media when you see somebody trying Taco Bell for the first time. I know Chris shouted out the guy because he was going through Alabama. [He posted about] sua primeira experiência na Waffle House.
“Eu amo a Waffle House”, continuou McKenzie, antes de brincar: “Não muito! Mas é muito importante mostrar isso porque, com a mídia, você tem muitas tomadas diferentes.
McKenzie disse que ouviu falar de vários companheiros de equipe que estão nos EUA com suas seleções nacionais. Um, disse ele, está “absorvendo cada pedacinho” da Califórnia, enquanto outro está baseado na cidade de Nova York, para onde McKenzie tem enviado recomendações de restaurantes.
“É muito legal que todos os bolsões da América agora estejam experimentando [people from a] novo país, e as pessoas desse país poderão vivenciar a cultura americana”, disse Richards.
