IRVINE, Calif. — Great Park, where the U.S. men’s national team has established its World Cup base camp, is the former site of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, which was a military training hub for pilots, aircrews and ground personnel during World War II.
Since then, the more than 1,300-acre property has been transformed into a sprawling public sports and recreation complex. In 2017, the city opened Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium, where the Americans will be training every day for the next several weeks.
Monday, the team was welcomed by 5,500 devoted fans who flocked to the stadium for practice. All World Cup teams are required to conduct one public event, and U.S. Soccer said it received 32,000 registration applicants but had to cap the attendance.
It was a festive start to the week ahead of the Americans’ World Cup opener vs. Paraguay on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium,located a bit more than 40 miles from this temporary home (kickoff at 9 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One and streaming for free on Tubi).
“Once a place where Americans trained to defend our nation, this is now a place where Americans train to represent the United States of America,” Larry Agran, the mayor of Irvine, told the buzzing crowd anxious to see their favorite players.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino also addressed supporters and gave somewhat of a motivational pregame speech.
USA manager Mauricio Pochettino gave a welcome speech of sorts. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“The most important thing is you feel proud about your team,” Pochettino said while holding a microphone and pacing the field. “One thing is for sure: we are going to give everything to create good memories with you, for you to feel proud of your team.”
The moment this country has been waiting for is finally here as the largest World Cup in history – a 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – begins later this week. Half of the USA’s squad played in the World Cup four years ago in Qatar, so they are familiar with soccer’s grandest stage.
But as captain Tim Ream told a room full of reporters before Monday’s training, this is new territory for everybody.
“It’s not our first rodeo, but it’s the first one on home soil, so it kind of is our first rodeo in a way,” Ream explained. “It’s exciting. I’m old enough to remember bits and pieces from 1994 [World Cup]. I’ve tried to tell guys and convey the message in the media that it’s a once-in-a-career opportunity. With that comes more expectation and more pressure, but at the same time, you have to enjoy it.
“And for me, it’s about opening your eyes and taking everything in because this is completely different from anything that any of us players have experienced. So take it in, enjoy it, embrace everything that it is, because it is so unique, so special, and it’s not something that we’ll ever get to do again.”
Last week, while the team was at U.S. Soccer’s new National Training Center outside of Atlanta, several veterans spoke about the responsibility they feel to help first-timers savor every minute of the tournament.
Star forward Christian Pulisic has said he was extremely focused during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and admits he wasn’t always the easiest person to be around during the tournament. Goalkeeper Matt Turner said he didn’t do a good job of “soaking it all in.”
“Like taking a video of something that was going on [and instead] just thinking, ‘Oh, that’s nice,’ and letting the moment pass by,” said Turner, who started every match four years ago. “I wish I documented more things from Qatar.”
USA’s Chris Richards engaging with the fans at practice. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
From the outset, the team appears to be striking a balance between joy and intensity. When players arrived at their hotel in Atlanta for the pre-tournament camp — and again upon reaching their hotel in Southern California — fans were there to cheer them on. Turner made sure to have his phone out and take in the moment as it unfolded.
Defender Mark McKenzie, who’s playing in his first World Cup, has been walking around with a video camera to capture the experience. It’s not the film camera he wanted to bring – he forgot it back in France, where he plays for Ligue 1 club Toulouse – but has been using another one to take a bunch of photos and videos every day.
“I think all those are important moments that you’ll look back on in 10, 15, 20 years and being able to share those moments with my son,” said McKenzie, who plans to make some kind of collage after the summer is over. “I wanted to make sure that I didn’t just document it for myself, but for everybody. I wanted something memorable, something special.
“Obviously, the job is to handle the work on the pitch, but outside the lines, enjoying it as well and making sure we’re capturing it.”
