Best reason to just kick it

This past summer, Sacramento consistently landed in the top 10 markets of World Cup viewership, and the Sacramento Republic FC fans shattered the United Soccer Leagues Pro’s attendance record. Among some of Sacramento’s notable ultra-fans and tireless organizers are Manny Camacho, who runs a summer league for adults who want try out a pickup game; R.J. Cooper and Andre Barnes Jr., founders of the Tower Bridge Battalion, Republic FC’s raucous supporter club; and Drew Farmer, president of the Sacramento chapter of the American Outlaws, the U.S. Men’s National Team supporter club.

So, what’s gotten into this town exactly?

“I think the national excitement is drawing the fans,” said Farmer, who’s also a capo, or chant leader, for the Tower Bridge Batallion. “You’re seeing it all over ESPN—I think it’s a national trend—but I also think you have this innate, natural soccer village here in the Sacramento region.”

There, it’s official: We’re a soccer village now. Perhaps that new realization will make a little more sense with a quick a look at the city’s rich soccer past, full of great players growing up in—and choosing to play around—the area over the years.

That means reaching all the way back to 1996 when Nigerian professional soccer player Stephen Keshi chose to come to Sacramento to play for the now-defunct Sacramento Scorpions of the also defunct USISL Select League. Why is that important? Keshi has managed Nigeria’s national football team since 2011, leading it to win the African Cup of Nations in 2013 and reach round 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

Jump ahead to 2000, when Rio Americano High School alum and Major League Soccer player Sasha Victorine scored arguably the biggest penalty kick in U.S. Men’s National Team history. His kick was the game-clinching one, sending the team past Japan onto the semifinal round of the Olympics (the team unfortunately failed to medal after losing to Spain in the semifinal, though).

Other soccer stars with Sacramento ties include: former Elk Grove Pride players Megan Rapinoe and Stephanie Cox, now U.S. Women’s National Team regulars; Lisa Wrightsman, Sacramento street-soccer team Lady Salamanders’ founder, player, and coach of the United States at the Homeless World Cup; and Miguel Ángel Ponce, the Sacramento-born player who represented Mexico at the World Cup in Brazil this year.

And, in the present, the Republic FC—a front-runner to be the next MLS expansion team—is coached by U.S. Men’s legend, Preki. No real soccer fan could forget his game-winning goal from 25 yards away against Brazil in the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal, could they?

So, don’t be surprised if Sacramento’s “village” raises future stars whose names will be chanted at future World Cups.

“I see youth teams everywhere, I see men’s pickup teams, I see jerseys everywhere, all the time,” Farmer said. “I think we’re starved for something else besides basketball at a professional level. I think it’s a soccer-mad region.”