NPR Guest On Why He’s Not Rooting for Team USA

If there is one thing that consistently surprises critics of the political left, it is how often politics finds its way into places where many people simply want to enjoy sports.

That dynamic was on full display during a July 1 episode of former MSNBC host Joy Reid's podcast, recorded the same day the U.S. Men's National Team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 despite forward Folarin Balogun receiving a red card.

Reid's guest was Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation, who argued that international soccer cannot be separated from global politics. In explaining his view, Zirin said he found himself hoping the United States would lose, particularly if it were facing a team from what he described as the Global South.

"I find myself really wishing the United States was actually playing a team from the Global South so I could truly root with even more fervor to see them get knocked down a peg, because we know how it's going to be exploited if they go forward in the Cup," Zirin said. "Let's just be real about that."

Reid responded with laughter before Zirin expanded on his reasoning.

"The World Cup is politics by other means. It is informed politically, and it is created politically, for the simple reason that we do have this world of unequal nations, and we do have this sport that the entire world watches," he said. "And when you imbue that incredible global viewership with the politics of colonialism and empire, it's impossible to extricate the two."

Reid then shared her own rooting interests for the tournament.

"I'm being very open about it. I'm rooting for the African teams. I want one of them to win. I think it would be so great for the Global South for an African team to take home the big prize," she said. "And I am sorry, not sorry, but I really want that to happen. I think it would be great for our collective souls if that happened."

Since those remarks, most of the African teams that qualified for the tournament have been eliminated, leaving only Egypt and Morocco still in contention.

Meanwhile, the U.S. team received a significant boost ahead of its Round of 16 match against Belgium after Balogun's red card was overturned on appeal, restoring his eligibility for the knockout stage. President Donald Trump publicly welcomed the decision following his administration's engagement with FIFA officials, while supporters credited the intervention with helping secure the reversal. FIFA has not attributed its decision to political involvement.

For critics of Zirin's comments, the irony is hard to miss. His concern that a successful American run in the tournament could become politically advantageous has only become more relevant as the U.S. advances. Whether politics should play any role in determining whom fans support is a debate that shows no signs of ending, but Zirin and Reid made clear that, for them, international sports and political identity are closely connected.