Paraguay, the opening opponent for the U.S. in the World Cup, might have lost their best player to a freak injury on Friday.

Star-spangled superfans hope their raucous support might give U.S. soccer a home-field advantage.

USMNT vs. GERMANY, Best Squads In World Cup History Part 4 (6/5)

Michael McArdle suffers his first defeat as Northern Ireland boss as his side are controversially beaten by Turkey in their penultimate World Cup qualifier in Istanbul.

Amid all that, Sergiño Dest stayed upfield to offer an outlet if a line-breaking window presented itself. Even when lined up as a nominal defender – he has logged most of his 38 international caps as a right-back or right wing-back – the 25-year-old has posed a threat with his determined dribbling and eagerness to join the attack.

The World Cup will be played elsewhere this summer, but San Diego is not sitting out the party. With FIFA’s spectacle coming to Los Angeles and spreading across the continent, local sports officials saw an opening to connect the city to the biggest global event in sports.