They turned out by the tens of thousands, some painted in red, white and blue, waving flags and chanting "I believe!" in city parks, stadiums and sports bars from coast to coast on Tuesday to watch the U.S. national soccer team play Belgium in the knockout round of the World Cup.
Some were die-hard soccer fans and others were newcomers, spurred on by the rising tide of support for the national team in the world's biggest tournament, but in the end they left without what they wanted at Belgium eliminated the United States with a 2-1 victory in Salvador, Brazil.
From Texas to Chicago to California, fans watched nervously as the U.S. team and Belgium played 90 scoreless minutes before Belgium scored twice in extra time. The U.S. team responded with a goal, but it couldn't tie the match to send it to penalty kicks.
After 120 minutes of soccer, the Americans' World Cup was over and America, in the middle of its World Cup frenzy, got a reminder that soccer can be a cruel sport.
"It was heartbreaking," said Adam Graves, a 39-year-old special needs teacher who stood among about 2,000 fans sweating in the 95-degree heat in Austin, Texas, at a city watch party at a park near downtown. "What a roller-coaster. Just when you thought we were out of it, we were back in it.
"That's what I love about soccer."
Others were more distraught.
"I thought we were going to blow through this," said Sierra Kaufman, 19, of Redondo Beach, Calif., whose face was painted red, white and blue. "I mean, I knew Belgium was good, but I didn't think we were going to go out like that.
"Half of these people came here just to dress up in USA stuff, but I really wanted them to win."
Tuesday's game was the fourth for the U.S. team in Brazil as it tried to move into the quarterfinals of the tournament for only the second time. With every game, the crowds swelled as die-hard soccer fans joined the newcomers. Suddenly, America looked like a soccer-crazed country as people skipped work and gathered in big crowds and watched the game play out on giant screens.
"They're short people at work and they tried to call me in to work, but I told them no way," said 25-year-old Alex Sanders, who chose watching the game on a Jumbotron at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles over his extra shift at Sports Authority. "I'll let you know on Thursday if they're mad."
Each game pulled in more fans. The U.S.-Portugal game drew 24.7 million television viewers overall, and the 18.22 million who watched on ESPN were the most the network has ever attracted for an event that didn't involve American football. The Americans' game against Germany averaged 10.7 million viewers, making it the third-most watched World Cup game ever on the network.
The swelling enthusiasm forced cities to make changes to accommodate crowds. In Chicago, home of the U.S. Soccer federation, officials moved a game watch event from a public park to Soldier Field to accommodate an expected crowd of 20,000 or more.
Some watched from covered sections of the field, where the NFL's Chicago Bears play that other brand of football in colder months. They stood to observe the national anthem and roared when it was finished, with chants of "I believe we will win" breaking out throughout the 90-minute game.
The Chicago Transit Agency extended services in the morning and afternoon to accommodate fans traveling to the game. Fans began to trickle out of the stadium after Belgium scored its second overtime goal. Others who stayed placed their hands on top of their heads and groaned in frustration as the U.S. team lost in overtime.
There were misting stations at the block-long Freedom Plaza to keep fans cool in the 90-degree heat in Washington, D.C. Crowds sang the national anthem together, and it was hard to find a seat at game time.
Marie Davenport, 76, set up a folding chair outside of the main crowd but with a good view of the big screen.
"I think that after this World Cup Americans are sold on soccer," said Davenport, who said the scene and crowd's enthusiasm made it a better choice than watching from her living room.
President Barack Obama left the confines of the White House Oval office and joined about 200 staffers in an Executive Office Building auditorium to watch the second half of the game.
"I believe!" he exclaimed as he walked in at the front of the hall. "I believe!"
He was quickly joined by a chorus of "I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!"
"I was worried that if I walked in and Belgium scored, I'd get in trouble," the president admittedly sheepishly after taking a seat in the auditorium's front row.
The loss ended the party for U.S. fans, but not before some agonizing moments as the Americans fought back from two goals down early in extra time.
Thousands watched the match in the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with every save by U.S. goal keeper Tim Howard drawing a rousing cheer.
When Belgium finally scored, a small group of Belgium fans chanted and cheered as hundreds of U.S. fans started leaving, only to come racing back when Julian Green's goal pulled the Americans to within 2-1.
When the final whistle blew, Graves, the school teacher wearing a U.S. soccer jersey, shrugged his shoulders and sighed. He marveled at the turnout of fans in Austin and elsewhere around the country.
"I remember watching games in 1998 at home," he said. "There was no point going to a bar because they wouldn't have the game on."
Caitlyn Baldasaro, a 21-year-old college student in Austin, said she had seen video images of giant World Cup watch parties in places like Paris, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro. She predicted they will only get bigger in the United States if the Americans can eventually find a way to get deeper in the tournament.
The U.S. hasn't advanced to the quarterfinals since 2002, but she predicted the Americans will win it in the next 20 years.
"We're very serious about sports in this country," Baldasaro said. "It will happen someday."
Sports on 07/02/2014