Other Nations' Fans Falling in Love w USNT

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Don't look now, U.S. men's national team, but you are increasingly becoming the second favorite team for a lot of folks from other countries, including the host nation.

"Brazil is falling in love with the U.S.," said Brazilian businessman Mario Ribiero, who partied with American supporters in Recife last week. "It is seen as something new and exciting and surprising. We love the team because it is an underdog. And we love the fans."

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The Outlaws don't have the historical arrogance of England or the fatalist pessimism of Italy. They are short on the more abusive and insulting chants that soccer fans indulge in (although a couple have crept in) and a lot of the cheering blends things taken from Europe or South America, but even American college sports.

Their optimism is refreshing.

"If the World Cup – the pinnacle of England's favorite sport by a country mile – has shown us anything thus far this year, it's that the Americans are actually doing it right," wrote Liam Happe, an English sports journalist for Yahoo Eurosport. "I know who I'll be cheering for throughout the rest of the finals."

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