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“WE PLAY COUNTRY MUSIC EVERY NIGHT BEFORE GAMES.” — USMNT COACH POCHETTINO. THEN LAINEY WILSON HEARD ABOUT IT. Mauricio Pochettino is from Argentina. He coaches the U.S. men’s soccer team. And somewhere during this World Cup, he fell in love with country music. Every night before a match, the coaching staff gathers and plays Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Ella Langley. He even posted himself prepping for training with Wilson’s music, calling it “American vibes.” But what Wilson did when she found out surprised everyone. She sent the team a personal message and an acoustic “God Bless America.” Then before the Belgium match, she sang “God Bless America” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for the squad. That last song became something no one planned. After every U.S. win this World Cup, 66,000 fans stood up and sang it together. Players clapped from the pitch. Pochettino — an Argentine — sang along from the sideline, eyes wet, belting a 1971 John Denver song like he was born in West Virginia.

How Lainey Wilson Turned a Soccer Tradition Into a Shared American Moment

Mauricio Pochettino did not arrive in the United States men’s national team camp with a country music playlist in mind. He came from Argentina, brought his coaching philosophy, and stepped into one of the most demanding jobs in world soccer. Yet somewhere during this World Cup journey, something unexpected happened: country music became part of the team’s nightly routine.

Before matches, Pochettino and his staff began gathering and playing songs from Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, and Ella Langley. It was a small ritual, but it gave the team a sense of comfort and energy. Pochettino even shared a clip of himself preparing for training with Lainey Wilson playing in the background, describing the mood as American vibes. For a coach from Argentina leading the U.S. men’s team, it was a striking, human detail that fans noticed right away.

Lainey Wilson Heard the Story

Then Lainey Wilson found out what the team had been doing. Instead of simply reacting with a quick comment or a social post, she made it personal. She sent the squad a message and recorded an acoustic version of God Bless America. It was a thoughtful gesture, one that felt less like a celebrity appearance and more like a genuine salute to a group preparing for a major challenge.

That alone would have been memorable. But Lainey Wilson went further.

Before the Belgium match, she sang God Bless America and Take Me Home, Country Roads for the team. The moment carried a warmth that cut through the pressure of tournament football. Players listened, staff members smiled, and the atmosphere shifted from tense preparation to something shared and celebratory.

A Song No One Planned

The real surprise came with Take Me Home, Country Roads. No one planned for it to become part of the team’s story, yet that is exactly what happened. After every U.S. win in the World Cup, 66,000 fans rose to their feet and sang it together. The song moved from a private team ritual to a stadium-wide anthem, creating a link between players, coaches, and supporters.

From the pitch, the U.S. players clapped along. On the sideline, Mauricio Pochettino joined in too. The Argentine coach, known for his tactical discipline, was suddenly singing a 1971 John Denver classic with the kind of emotion usually reserved for lifelong fans. It was an image that said more than a press conference ever could.

Sometimes a team finds its identity in the most unexpected place. For this U.S. squad, it was a country song, a coach from Argentina, and a singer who understood the value of showing up with heart.

Why It Resonated

What made this story stand out was not just the music. It was the way music created connection. A World Cup can feel distant and intense, but moments like this bring it back to people. Fans saw a coach embracing a new culture. Players felt supported. And Lainey Wilson turned a passing mention into a memory the team and supporters will carry with them.

In the end, the story was never only about one song or one performance. It was about how traditions begin, how they grow, and how a simple gesture can bring an entire crowd together. For the U.S. men’s team, country music became part of the journey. For Lainey Wilson, it became a chance to give something back. And for Mauricio Pochettino, it proved that belonging can sound a lot like a stadium singing in unison.

 

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“WE PLAY COUNTRY MUSIC EVERY NIGHT BEFORE GAMES.” — USMNT COACH POCHETTINO. THEN LAINEY WILSON HEARD ABOUT IT. Mauricio Pochettino is from Argentina. He coaches the U.S. men’s soccer team. And somewhere during this World Cup, he fell in love with country music. Every night before a match, the coaching staff gathers and plays Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Ella Langley. He even posted himself prepping for training with Wilson’s music, calling it “American vibes.” But what Wilson did when she found out surprised everyone. She sent the team a personal message and an acoustic “God Bless America.” Then before the Belgium match, she sang “God Bless America” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for the squad. That last song became something no one planned. After every U.S. win this World Cup, 66,000 fans stood up and sang it together. Players clapped from the pitch. Pochettino — an Argentine — sang along from the sideline, eyes wet, belting a 1971 John Denver song like he was born in West Virginia.

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IN 1984, BARBARA MANDRELL SURVIVED THE CRASH — BUT THE HARDER ROAD STARTED AFTER THE AMBULANCE LEFT. By then, Barbara Mandrell was already one of country’s brightest names: two straight CMA Entertainer of the Year wins, a hit TV show with her sisters, and a schedule that had already taken her voice once. On September 11, 1984, she was driving in Tennessee with two of her children when another car crossed into her lane. The crash was head-on. The other driver died. Barbara lived with a broken femur, shattered ankle, damaged knee, cuts, and a concussion. But the part fans did not see came after: the surgeries, the rehab, the pain, and the fear that the old Barbara might not come back. Eighteen months later, at the Universal Amphitheatre, Dolly Parton opened the night. Then Barbara stepped out again — not fully healed, but still standing.

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“SHE HID HIS NAME ON HER TRACKLIST FOR MONTHS. EVERY SINGLE FAN GUESSED WRONG.” Lauren Alaina spent months hiding a name on her new album tracklist. She blurred it out completely. Even posted fake letters so the length of the name wouldn’t give anything away. Fans guessed over and over. Every single one was wrong. Then on July 7, she finally said it out loud — and the answer made perfect sense. Kane Brown. The same kid she sat next to in choir class at Lakeview Middle School in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. The same voice she recorded “What Ifs” with back in 2017 — a song that went Diamond with 10 million copies sold, and made Kane the first artist in history to top all 5 country charts at the same time. Their new duet is called “Never Been In Love,” dropping July 17 as part of Lauren’s 17-track album Stages, arriving August 28. Turns out, Lauren had been telling everyone for months. They just weren’t paying close enough attention.

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SHE WAS TOO YOUNG TO DRIVE, BUT SHE ALREADY KNEW EVERY WORD. While Ella Langley was singing on stage, a little girl in the crowd stood there in her Dandelion shirt, light blue jeans, and a black cowboy hat. Then something sweet happened. She started singing along to “Choosin’ Texas” and “Weren’t for the Wind” like those songs had been playing in her room every night. For a second, the people around her stopped watching the stage. They turned toward her. And they cheered her on. She did not act shy. She did not worry about the cameras. She just smiled, looked up, and sang with everything she had. That may be the quietest proof of what Ella Langley is building. Not just fans. Little girls who already feel like country music belongs to them.