Allianz Field Is Where Minnesota Nice Ends
We invited FIFA World Cup Veteran Tony Sanneh to contextualize the historical significance of the upcoming USA vs. Honduras FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Allianz Field and explain how the “home-field advantage” has less to do with the field and more to do with the fans that fill it.
Image by isiphotos.com
The road to the FIFA World Cup runs through Minnesota for the first time in our state’s history. The U.S. Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) campaign to qualify for the 2022 World Cup is just past the halfway mark. Only the top three in the eight-team group (also called the Octagonal) qualify automatically for the world’s greatest tournament. As of today, only two points separate the top four teams, so the game on Feb. 2 at Allianz Field will be critical!
Having represented our country at the World Cup, I can tell you there is no greater honor for a soccer player. It’s a sporting event that is watched and celebrated by billions of people around the planet, and it means so much to earn that privilege. And we can help them achieve it.
With so much at stake, this is a special opportunity for our state and our fans to show the world how we Minnesotans can make a difference. Home-field advantage isn’t about the field; it’s about loud, enthusiastic, and unwavering support. We can do that and more; we can show our visitors how to enjoy the outdoors in this special time of year! Most importantly, we can stake our claim to U.S. Soccer that when you need a place to play a game when everything’s on the line, you’ve got a home in the Twin Cities.
I understand the differences a playing environment can make. In the places we go on the road, the psychological battle begins before you even step on the field: buses being pelted, fire alarms pulled, and fireworks going off at all hours to keep you from sleeping the night before the game.
No place illustrates the challenges more than the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. When you enter the Azteca, with the 100-degree heat, horrific air quality, and 100,000 hostile fans, you start having doubts. There’s a reason why Mexico almost never loses there, and it’s why when we play at home we need every point, every advantage, and every fan. Substitute the heat for the cold, the pollution for icy air, and 22,000 die-hard Minnesotans to create an atmosphere no opponent wants to experience.
USA-Honduras is the third game in seven days for the USMNT, so we’ll all know before the match exactly what’s at stake. Bottom line – we need to be ready to step up. We can make our mark and solidify Minnesota as a stronghold for the USMNT, and proudly say that Allianz Field is where Minnesota Nice ends when you enter, and our opponent’s dreams become a nightmare.
Tony Sanneh is a FIFA World Cup Veteran and played 43 times for the USMNT. After his retirement, he founded and became CEO of The Sanneh Foundation to address the range of social factors that empower youth and improve community well-being through culturally responsive and equitable access to programs, opportunities and environments. Additionally, continues to serve the United States all over the world as a Sports Envoy on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, and contributes to the sport of soccer at home as a member of Major League Soccer’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee.