Fan of the Day: A willingness to learn

By Andres Burgo Jul 2, 2006, 19:25 GMT

Gelsenkirchen - Michael may fit the stereotype of an American not knowing much about football but he wants to learn and is treating each World Cup game as if it were a fresh lesson.

It's strange. Fans from other nations approach the finals as the fulfilment of their footballing desire, but, for Michael, it's just a game for beginners.

'Sure, I saw a US soccer match once in Washington DC but I can't remember the teams,' he says. 'American football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, golf and tennis are my favourite sports. Well, not just mine but for all Americans. Only those of us in Europe realise the weight soccer carries in the world.

'For the last year, I've been living in a military base in Germany. There are 5,000 of us in fact. Obviously I wasn't going to give up the chance of watching a World Cup. We are a fairly modest team which, in a way, is not that bad as our expectations are not so high and the defeats hurt less.'

And what does a US soldier think of his country's image around the world?

'I know we are not loved in some places but that's normal given the United States' foreign policy,' he explains. 'Throughout history the weak have submitted to the strong and at the moment we are the strongest. It will continue until one day we cease to be so and then we will become the weak. Look, Americans don't know anything about football but we know a lot about other things.'

After United States' defeat to Ghana few would argue.