Thousands of red, white and blue-clad fans packed streets and stadiums in cities across America Tuesday to watch the World Cup match between the United States and Belgium.

The gatherings in Vicksburg were considerably smaller but no less raucous as a dozen or so faithful fans cheered on the Stars and Stripes downtown. In the back room of The Biscuit Company on Washington Street, a handful of American supporters gathered with bottled anxiety to watch their country play its most important soccer game in years.

In the dim, smoke-filled room, where football banners set the backdrop for futbol binging, American supporters sipped beers, puffed cigarettes and patiently rooted for the U.S. After one of goalkeeper Tim Howard’s many great saves in the second half, a snowy-haired man in the front of the room made the sign of the cross and pointed up to the heavens, murmuring praise to the faithful soccer gods.

The group ranged from hardcore fans to casual observers, highlighting the dichotomy present in this new growing American soccer fan base.

“My son started playing soccer three or four years ago. This is the first time I’ve really gotten into it. I’m a new soccer fan,” Chris Bennett said.

Bennett, from Jackson, Tenn., is part of the sound and light crew for the 2014 Miss Mississippi Pageant. And while he traveled to Vicksburg on business, he used his down time to pay a visit to The Biscuit Company for some Star Spangled action Tuesday afternoon. Bennett hasn’t always been a soccer fan, and admitted that he needed a little help when things first started.

“I had to go on Google when (the World Cup) came on and Google “Soccer for Dummies” and figure out all the rules,” he said with a laugh. “I have some friends who are interested in it and it’s kind of a good way to hang out with folks and just have a good time.”

Jeremy Young is a different story. The 38 year-old from Jackson sported a blue U.S. jersey and a thick beard Howard would be proud of as he sat captivated by the flat screen TV mounted on the wall. A fellow sound and light crewmember with the pageant, Young — a self-proclaimed fan of 10 years — has witnessed the rapidly growing interest in the sport and attributes it to the way businesses have started to embrace the soccer culture.

“You see even advertising for it in all the big chain restaurants. McDonald’s is pushing soccer, so they’re attracting younger fans,” he said. “They’re attracting fans from all walks of life. There’s definitely a bigger push for it in America right now.”

That evidence is  present even in Vicksburg, where people who weren’t working enjoyed the atmosphere as if watching their favorite NFL team on Sunday. The game’s 3:30 p.m. start time prevented many from truly making an afternoon of it, but the handful of faithful supporters at The Biscuit Company made up for them in both beer sales and spirit.

Next to a colorful Christmas tree in the corner of the room adorned with beer and whiskey bottles in place of ornaments, Kyle Lutz looked on at the match with intensity. Lutz has been watching the U.S. team for about eight years and believes the squad’s recent success has ushered in a new era of fandom that was unable to blossom when America struggled in past tournaments.

“For years, the U.S. just really wasn’t very good on a world stage. It’s really been the past eight to 12 years; we’ve made it into the knockout round the last two World Cups,” Lutz said. “Each younger generation is seeing these teams advancing and scoring goals, so they’re really getting into it.”

When the final whistle blew, and Belgium narrowly escaped Arena Fonte Nova with a 2-1 victory, the restaurant fell to a hushed silence. The dozen or so guys quietly watched the Belgians celebrate on the pitch, but nobody moved for the exits. The Americans’ longshot quest for a World Cup title had ended, yet there wasn’t a feeling of anger or disappointment. It was as if a subdued confidence had built in the air, one that comes from watching an underdog team play its guts out on the world stage.

Lutz stared at the TV while the American players bowed their heads in defeat and was asked if the loss would somehow change his investment in U.S. soccer. He shook his head as if it wasn’t even a choice, representing the buoyant, new age fan of the United States

“No, no, no, no” he said, a small smile creeping onto his face. “We’re going to be even better the next time.”