President Donald Trump has called the U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team ahead of its opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Trump will not be in attendance at SoFi Stadium later Friday, but he shared words of encouragement with the team over the phone.
The president told the players Thursday night, “We’re all rooting for you. The pressure is gone. Have some fun,” according to Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft.
The team later took to social media to share a clip of the call, in which Trump told coach Mauricio Pochettino that he was a “fantastic guy.”
“I’ve heard all about your record and your success and I know how great the players are,” Trump told Pochettino. “I think you’ve got a really good chance of going all the way. I just want to wish you a lot of luck.”
Pochettino thanked Trump for his support and said his team will do everything they can to make America proud.
Trump will miss out on Friday night’s match, which will begin at 6 p.m. PT.
The USA’s World Cup opening ceremony will start 90 minutes before kick-off and include performances from singer Katy Perry and rapper Future.
This is a developing story…