Ella Langley Becomes Secret Weapon in USMNT's World Cup Victory

There’s a new tradition brewing inside the USMNT’s locker room, and it involves a country star from Alabama and an unlikely pre-match ritual.

After the United States Men’s National Team secured a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara on Thursday, punching their ticket to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, midfielder Weston McKennie decided the best way to celebrate wasn’t with the usual post-game speech. Instead, he fired up the team bus sound system and blared Ella Langley’s Choosin’Texas to a crowd of increasingly enthusiastic teammates. Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic joined in, forcing out their own vocals in what looked like a full-fledged on-wheels jam session.

What started as a feel-good moment shared on McKennie’s Instagram turned out to be something deeper: evidence of a team-wide obsession with country music that extends all the way up the coaching chain. Manager Mauricio Pochettino recently revealed that he personally loves to listen to country before games—meaning this isn’t just one player’s quirky taste, but potentially part of the team’s mental preparation playbook. It’s the kind of detail that separates winning cultures from everyone else: when a coach is willing to lean into what energizes his squad, magic tends to happen.

The victory itself had its share of dramatics. Folarin Balogun, who entered the match with three goals already this tournament, scored in the first half with his signature silencer celebration—a moment so memorable that LeBron James felt compelled to shout it out on social media. But Balogun’s night ended on a sour note when he was handed a red card, which will sideline him for Monday’s crucial matchup against Belgium. Still, the damage was done: America advanced, the vibes were unmistakably high, and somewhere along the way, Ella Langley became part of the soundtrack.

If country music is what fuels this team’s confidence, there’s no reason to turn down the volume. Championship teams have won on stranger rituals than this. And hey, if a few more wins follow, you might just see Choosin’Texas become as essential to the USMNT’s identity as the stars and stripes on their jersey.