A few hours before England kicked off against Mexico in a World Cup Round of 16 match, Michael Harris II logged onto X and made a declaration that probably got some weird looks in the Braves clubhouse.
“England I’m forever with you!!” the Atlanta Braves center fielder posted, alongside an AI-generated image of himself in an England kit. “Let’s Do It Tonight!!”
And here’s the thing. He called the score too. Harris predicted England would beat Mexico 3-2, which is exactly what happened. So either he’s been watching a lot of Premier League tape or he’s just that locked in.
How an American Baseball Player Became an English Icon
This didn’t come out of nowhere. English fans rolled into Atlanta for England’s Round of 32 match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After celebrating Harry Kane’s goals, a bunch of them wandered over to Truist Park for a Braves game. That’s where they found Harris, and apparently it was love at first chant. They spent the whole game singing his name to different tunes.
Harris met with them after the game and, according to reports, was genuinely moved. Now he’s emotionally all in on England’s World Cup run. (He’s also 25, a left-handed hitter who won the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year award, and a third-round draft pick in 2019. But none of that matters to the English fans who’ve adopted him.)
The timing is interesting. England’s win over Mexico in Estadio Azteca gave the squad a real boost heading into the quarterfinals. The team has looked shorthanded and shaky at times this tournament. Now there’s a different energy around them. Is that because Michael Harris II blessed them from across the Atlantic? Probably not. But nobody’s ruling it out.
No Conflict of Interest Here
Harris doesn’t have to worry about divided loyalties because the USMNT is on the other side of the bracket entirely, getting ready to face Belgium. So he can cheer for England without betraying anybody. Easy call, really.
At this rate, someone in the British royal family is probably drafting an invite for afternoon tea. Harris predicted a score right. He brought good vibes from a baseball stadium in Georgia. That’s basically diplomatic work.
The Braves season is a ways off, but for now Michael Harris II has a second national team. And England’s got a center fielder in their corner.
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