FRASCATI, Italy — Early on our excursion into the eternal city, we had our first experience with the world’s most popular sport, or “the beautiful game.” The UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Finals were held in Rome between Manchester United and Barcelona (Barcelona wins 2-0), and watching the game in an Italian pub alongside the countrymen of the previous victors of the World Cup was an experience all its own.However, we were advised by one of our program directors not to travel into the city the night of the game or risk being attacked by drunken hooligans.But it was the Americans who would have the last laugh weeks later in the Confederations Cup, a precursor to the World Cup. Despite losing to Italy in preliminary play, the U.S. would advance to the semifinals over the Italians through goal differential. (The headline on the front page of an Italian newspaper the next morning read, “Shame in Italy.”)
In the semifinal matchup the No. 14 ranked Americans, largely considered the laughing stock of the soccer world, would face the globe’s No. 1 team in Spain. In what The New York Times would liken to the 1980 U.S. Men’s Hockey victory against the USSR — dubbed the “Miracle” and eventually made into a movie by the same name — the U.S. pulled off one of the biggest upsets in soccer history by defeating the futbol powerhouse, 2-0, to advance against Brazil for an all-American final.
The U.S. would again shock the world with its performance in the finals, but would still fall to Brazil 3-2.
Witnessing the U.S. stun the world, much like they did in the 2006 World Cup, in what was perhaps the most important victory in U.S. soccer history, is an event I won’t soon forget. The tournament results will likely push the U.S. ahead of Mexico as the continent’s leading contender in World Cup placement.Daniel Lumetta is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Metairie.—-Contact Daniel Lumetta at [email protected]