American soccer’s first fan couldn’t hold back his excitement Tuesday that the US men’s national team is moving on in the 2022 World Cup.
President Biden broke out of the crowd at a Michigan technology plant and raced back on stage to tell his audience that the US had beaten Iran 1-0 to advance to the round of 16 as the second-place team in Group B.
The president, who had just finished his prepared remarks at the SK Siltron plant in Bay City, was mingling with guests when the match went final in Qatar.
Biden, 80, was so anxious to deliver the good news that he was drowned out at first by a band playing music.
“US 1, Iran 0, the game is over!” the president finally shouted to cheers, applause and a chant of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”
“U-S-A! U-S-A!” Biden joined in, adding: “That’s a big game, man.”
“When I spoke to the coach and the players I said, ‘You can do this.’ They went ‘ehhhh,’” the president went on, recalling his good-luck conversation with the team before the tournament got underway Nov. 20. “They did it, God love ‘em.”
“Anyway, just thought you might want to hear,” Biden concluded before heading back off the stage to more applause.
The US went undefeated in group play, drawing 1-1 with Wales on Nov. 21 and 0-0 with England on Black Friday before edging Iran on a first-half goal by Christian Pulisic.
The men’s national team has advanced to the knockout stages of five of the last nine World Cups, but have only made it past the round of 16 once, in 2002.
The US will try to keep their tournament going on Saturday morning against the Netherlands.
With Post wires
