As Patrick Agyemang strolled through the lobby of the U.S. men’s national team’s 5-star hotel in the swanky Buckhead district of Atlanta late last month, the mother of two young soccer fans approached the lanky young striker. "Are you a player?," she asked. Agyemang stopped, flashed his 1000-watt smile and, somewhat sheepishly, confirmed that he was and introduced himself. Witnessing this interaction was a timely reminder both of the national team's place within the larger American sports landscape and of how the coming World Cup has the power to turn someone like Agyemang — a 25-year-old form...
HALO NEWSLETTER
Join HALO today and unlock this story instantly — It's Free