WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Spotlight : WORLD JUMPS ON U.S. SOCCER BANDWAGON

Although most of the officials who run soccer are from Europe and South America, there was a decidedly pro-American sentiment at FIFA’s World Cup headquarters in Irving, Tex., after the United States stunned Colombia, 2-1.

“This is the best thing that could happen to the whole tournament,” said Guido Tognoni, a spokesman for FIFA, soccer’s world governing body. “We’ve had many highlights, but this is the highlight for the tournament.”

FIFA has brought its international showcase, the World Cup finals, to the final frontier in an effort to plant a soccer foundation in America. But no matter how well-run the tournament, FIFA knew it would fail to grab the American public without the help of the home team.

Now international soccer is getting more help than it had imagined.

“It is an historical day for the U.S.,” Tognoni said. “This is exactly the kick soccer needs in this country.”

Tognoni marveled at the change in American interest in the past 10 days, ignited when the United States opened the Cup with a 1-1 tie against Switzerland last Saturday. He said it would have been a disaster had the United States lost three in a row.

“We couldn’t expect such a euphoric crowd,” Tognoni said of the American reaction to the tournament. “A week ago, most Americans knew only something about hooligans. Now they are finding it is a real sport and the American players are heroes.”

FIFA always hopes the host country does well.

“The Americans are not impressed by big names, they just try to go out and win,” Tognoni said. “I think it is a great mentality. This winning spirit is typically American.

“It is not the end of the story yet.”