USMNT sets up training camp at Irvine’s Great Park for FIFA World Cup preparations

The Americans, who face Paraguay in Friday’s Group D opener in Inglewood, will use the Great Park as their training base until their World Cup run is over

IRVINE — The U.S. Men’s National Team officially moved into Irvine’s Great Park Sports Complex on Monday to begin the final week of preparations for Friday’s FIFA World Cup opener.

The Americans, who will face Paraguay in the opener at SoFi Stadium, also known as Los Angeles Stadium, held their first training session inside Championship Soccer Stadium in front of an expected crowd of 5,500 on “Community Day.”

“You’re going to be proud about your country and your team,” USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino told the fans in attendance. “The most important thing is you feel proud about your team. One thing is sure, we are going to give everything to create good memories with you. I’m so proud to be here and I’m so grateful to the people.”

More than 32,000 fans applied to be selected.

“The city of Irvine, which was founded 55 years ago, now is one of the top 100 cities (in the U.S.) in population, but more important, qualitatively, the city of Irvine is emerging as a real great master plan community that includes master planning for events like this, where we can show our stuff and show the people of Southern California and the whole world that Irvine is a destination place for athletics and manner of civic life,” Irvine mayor Larry Agran said.

The process to become the training base for the USMNT started five years ago, according to Agran. The process ended in March when both sides announced that the USMNT would be setting up in the Great Park. The soccer stadium is home to the Orange County Soccer Club of the USL Championship. OCSC is on the road until Aug. 1.

“About five years ago, the city put out feelers to FIFA regarding our availability,” Agran said. “This soccer stadium is only, I think five or six years old. And the idea was that this would be a quality facility for the Great Park, of course, a great park that we hope will rival San Diego’s Balboa Park and other great parks across the country, but it would also be a place where we could excel. Where we could have not only elite athletics, but obviously community athletics here as well. It took a lot of nurturing, a lot of time, a lot of work, but finally, the sale was made and the idea was that Irvine’s the place.”

The USMNT will remain at the Great Park Complex until its World Cup run is over. After Friday’s opener, the team will travel to Seattle to face Australia on June 19 and then return to L.A. to conclude Group D play against Turkey on June 25. Then, if the team makes it out of group play, it’s on to the knockout rounds. The Americans have advanced past the Round of 16 just twice (1930, 2002).

“I think we’ve all been, I wouldn’t say overwhelmed, but pleasantly surprised by the excitement and the buzz around the team and in the stadium the last two games and pulling up here with 5,500 fans ready to watch the training sessions, you know is incredible,” defender and captain Tim Ream said. “I think we’re in a good place, mostly right now. It was a long two weeks, a hard two weeks, but we’re in a good position, mentally, physically and emotionally and ready to be involved.”

Chris Richards returns, Tyler Adams sits

Defender Chris Richards, who sat out the exhibition matches against Senegal and Germany after suffering an ankle injury with his English Premier League club team Crystal Palace, was back with the group on the training field on Monday.

Adams was the lone player not participating in Monday’s session due to load management.