ATLANTA (AP) — As the World Cup approaches, Team USA defender Chris Richards has developed a humorous perspective on what defines American culture.
“Maybe the TSA lines right now, that’s pretty American,” Richards commented on Monday while preparing for a World Cup exhibition match against Portugal.
The Birmingham, Alabama native spends most of his time in London playing for Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. He returned to the United States last week to participate in two international friendly matches scheduled in Atlanta.
Previously, Richards had focused on American cuisine when describing cultural differences. During friendly matches in Texas and Colorado last October, he introduced teammates Cameron Carter-Vickers and Antonee Robinson, both raised in England, to the American dining experience at Chili’s Grill and Bar. The group also included Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Mark McKenzie, according to cbssports.com.
“The Triple Dipper you have to get but then I think it’s the endless chips and salsa, but then also there’s sports on TV and also the chocolate molten lava cake and it’s just like you’re sitting there and you’re looking at the ground, the tile,” Richards explained in his earlier comments. “You’re like, this is beautiful. This is nostalgia. This is really America … I think that’s one of the things that makes us American — places like Chili’s are like a staple and I think they finally could have that stamp on their passport now that they’ve had Chili’s so I was happy for them.”
Even France’s national team coach Didier Deschamps experienced America’s stringent airport security measures before his team’s friendly match against Colombia in Landover, Maryland on Sunday.
During a press conference prior to the Colombia match, Deschamps expressed surprise at the extensive security procedures his team encountered upon entering the country.
“At our arrival, we spent an incredible amount of time at the airport, with checks that I’ve never seen in my life,” Deschamps told reporters. “We are adapting.”
