Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Country Roads World Cup celebrations have become one of the United States’ most unexpected tournament scenes, with players and fans singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after American wins.
The anthem has followed the United States across the west coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, despite the team having few direct ties to West Virginia.
The tradition gained even more attention after the United States’ knockout run, while Spain eliminated Portugal in a World Cup thriller as Cristiano Ronaldo exited.
How The Song Started
The song was not planned as a deep-rooted United States soccer tradition.
According to The Athletic, FIFA World Cup chief strategy officer Amy Hopfinger wanted a song that could create a shared post-match moment between players and supporters before the United States’ second game.
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” was chosen from two options and played after the United States beat Australia 2-0 in the group stage.
The fans joined in, the players noticed, and manager Mauricio Pochettino reportedly played the song in his office in the days that followed.
Players And Fans Buy In
The anthem was also played after the United States lost to Turkey, but it found a warmer place after the knockout win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Song co-writer Bill Danoff told the Associated Press the moment turned him into a soccer fan.
“I thought, ‘Gee, I wish John [Denver] was still here,'" Danoff said.
"John got super excited about stuff like that, and it would have been fun to watch that game with him."
The song was released in 1971, with Danoff later explaining that the lyrics were inspired more by country roads and songwriter imagery than a direct West Virginia story.
The track has long lived in sport, from West Virginia University events to Manchester United chants and National Football League games in Germany.
Official tournament updates are available through FIFA.
