APTOPIX Bosnia US WCup Soccer

John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” has become the unofficial anthem of the U.S. men’s national soccer team at the World Cup, with players and fans singing it together after victories. John Denver's estate says the song’s simple, relatable message has helped it transcend its lyrics, which focus on West Virginia. The song was actually inspired by a drive through Maryland and could have gone to Johnny Cash before Denver recorded it in 1971. “Country Roads” cowriter Bill Danoff told The Associated Press that he’s honored that the U.S. team has embraced the song, and that Denver, who died in a plane crash in 1997, would have relished watching the most recent match.

The United States has World Cup fever. Wednesday night’s match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina was the most-watched soccer telecast in English language history with more than 24.4 million viewers tuning in, according to Fox Sports. The United States won the game 2-0 to advance to the round of 16. It was its first knockout round win since 2002. The peak audience was 31.8 million.