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US Men’s Soccer borrowing NC State’s Underdog ‘Why Not Us!’ Mantra

Pack Pride Staff

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2 hours ago

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Sure, the country can borrow our rallying cry!

Team USA is set to face Belgium on Monday (8 p.m. EST) in the Round of 16. The match kicks off in Seattle as the U.S. continues its surprising run at the 2026 World Cup on home soil. After strong group stage performances (where they finished top of their group), the USMNT has defied expectations to get here.

It’s no secret that the US is considered an underdog in world soccer, but unity, hard work, and belief have propelled them into the Final 16.

Sound familiar?

NC State fans are no strangers to underdog runs, but this USMNT run has a little more connection to the Wolfpack than just that.

The U.S. head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, and his team have adopted “Why not U.S.?” as their official rallying cry. The motto is plastered on walls in team meeting rooms, on T-shirts, and has caught on nationally.

That’s the same motto that went nationally viral during NC State’s Final Four run in 2024.

For those with a short memory, here is how ours went down…

  • ACC Tournament Miracle: They won five games in five days in DC, including the overtime, last-second banked three by O’Connel vs UVA), Duke, and finally North Carolina in the championship game. This earned them the automatic bid as ACC champions.
  • NCAA Tournament: Seeded No. 11, they continued the magic:
    • Beat No. 6 Texas Tech
    • Survived No. 14 Oakland in an underdog vs underdog thriller
    • Upset No. 2 Marquette
    • Defeated rival No. 4 Duke in the Elite Eight, behind DJ Burns Jr.’s dominant 29-point performance (video below)

State reached the Final Four for the first time since 1983, their first in 41 years, before falling to Purdue in the national semifinal. It was a nine-game postseason winning streak, all elimination games.

Now, here’s what the US Men’s Soccer Team is in the middle of…

  • Group Stage:
    • Defeated Paraguay 4-1
    • Beat Australia 2-0.
    • Fell to Turkey 3-2.
  • Round of 32: After winning their group, they defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in a knockout victory, securing their place in the last 16 and ending a long winless streak against European opposition. This was their first knockout-stage win in 24 years.

The team now faces Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle, with a chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.

If they continue their run, it would mark one of the strongest World Cup performances in U.S. soccer history. Much like our 2024 Cinderella run, the USMNT is playing with joy, unity, and the fearless question that we’re happy to them them borrow…

Why not us?

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