LOS ANGELES — History isn’t always made by the player who scores a goal. Sometimes it’s made by the person who picks the song that plays after the win.
When 66,925 fans inside Lumen Field threw their arms around complete strangers and belted out John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” after the United States defeated Australia 2-0 last Friday, it felt like one of those moments we’ll remember forever. Within hours, the videos had flooded social media, turning a postgame celebration into one of the defining images of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Believe it or not, none of that happened by accident.
The architect of that moment was FIFA Chief Business and Strategy Officer Amy Hopfinger.
In an exclusive interview with The Post, Hopfinger revealed that she personally overruled U.S. Soccer’s preferred song selection, a decision born from equal parts instinct, experience and 17 years working inside the federation before joining FIFA in 2022.
Before the tournament began, FIFA asked all 48 participating nations to submit songs for warmups, hydration breaks, goals and postgame celebrations. The USMNT weighed in themselves, selecting “WIN” by Jay Rock, “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco, “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi and “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
After the Americans opened the tournament with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, “WIN” blasted through the speakers. It was fitting for the occasion, but something was missing.
“There wasn’t that shared moment,” Hopfinger recalled.
When England beat Croatia a few days later, “Wonderwall” by Oasis echoed through AT&T Stadium. Players and supporters sang in unison. Videos went viral. It felt like a British block party deep in the heart of Texas.
Hopfinger saw those videos and wanted that same moment for the United States.
She called U.S. Soccer’s communications staff for ideas. Their recommendation was “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. The only problem was that England and the Netherlands also had submitted that song for their in-stadium playlists.
Hopfinger wanted America to have its own song. Its own identity.
So she made her own decision.
“I only felt comfortable overruling the U.S.’s song selection because of my relationship with the team,” Hopfinger told The Post. “But it’s pretty cool the role music has had in this World Cup.”
Her replacement?
“Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
The gamble paid off almost immediately.
Following the win over Australia, American players locked arms with supporters as Denver’s classic echoed throughout the stadium. The scene spread across social media faster than any tactical breakdown on the pitch ever could.
“I’m so glad I overruled you,” Hopfinger laughed as she recalled what she said to her old co-workers at U.S. Soccer after the videos went viral. “We wanted to play to the atmosphere inside the stadium and appeal to everyone. That was just another great example of the amazing job FIFA’s production team has been doing across the board.”
From Shakira and Katy Perry to Future, LISA and Michael Bublé, music has become one of the tournament’s central characters.
Scotland supporters have turned Baccara’s “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” into a traveling anthem. England has “Wonderwall.” Australia celebrates with “Down Under” by Men at Work.
Now America has “Country Roads.”
Hopfinger insists she was simply doing her job. Behind the scenes, FIFA’s event production staff has continuously shuffled playlists, adjusted songs and fine-tuned stadium experiences after nearly every match.
Yet history has a funny way of remembering the smallest decisions.
A former U.S. Soccer employee ignored her old organization’s recommendation, trusted her instincts and accidentally handed American soccer its new World Cup anthem.
Some goals echo for generations.
Sometimes, so do songs.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
