Exclusive | Country Roads gave USMNT epic shared moment at World Cup go behind the scenes of song selection
LOS ANGELES — History isn’t always made by the player who scores a goal.Sometimes it’s made by the person who picks the song that plays after the win.When 66,925 fans inside Lumen Field threw their arms around complete strangers and belted out John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after the United States defeated Australia 2-0 last Friday, it felt like one of those moments we’ll remember forever.
Within hours, the videos had flooded social media, turning a postgame celebration into one of the defining images of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Believe it or not, none of that happened by accident.The architect of that moment was FIFA Chief Business and Strategy Officer Amy Hopfinger.In an exclusive interview with The Post, Hopfinger revealed that she personally overruled U.S.Soccer’s preferred song selection, a decision born from equal parts instinct, experience and 17 years working inside the federation before joining FIFA in 2022.Before the tournament began, FIFA asked all 48 participating nations to submit songs for warmups, hydration breaks, goals and postgame celebrations.
The USMNT weighed in themselves, selecting “WIN” by Jay Rock, “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco, “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi and “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.After the Americans opened the tournament with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, “WIN” blasted through the speakers.It was fitting for the occasion, but something was missing.“There wasn’t that shared moment,” Hopfinger recalled.When England beat Croatia a few days later, “Wonderwall” by Oasis echoed through AT&T Stadium.
Players and supporters sang in unison.Videos went viral.
It felt like a British block party deep in the heart of Texas.Hopfinger saw those videos and wanted that same moment for the United States.She called U.S.Soccer’s communications staff for ideas.
Their recommendation was “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.The only problem was that England and the Netherland...