IRVINE, Calif. — Minutes after the World Cup opener straight from everyone’s wildest dreams, a group of believers gathered at midfield to pray.They huddled in a circle and bowed their heads, just as they’d done six days earlier and previously. Most, in fact, had been glorifying God for years, at church or at home or at soccer matches. Within the broader brotherhood of the U.S. men’s national team, roughly seven players regularly convene for prayers or bible studies.But on Friday, June 12, after a 4-1 win over Paraguay, something spontaneous happened. The entire USMNT — teammates and coaches and staff — rushed to join the circle.Mark McKenzie, a backup defender who plays club football for Toulouse in France, suddenly found himself leading the full group in a post-match prayer.“It was a powerful moment,” McKenzie tells The Athletic. And instantly, a snapshot often overlooked by the secular soccer world became one that defined the team’s togetherness.Pochettino Exclusive USMNT InterviewAnd a week later, the USMNT reproduced it. This time, after a 2-0 win over Australia, it was less spontaneous. “After the first game, it just happened,” McKenzie recalls. “And then the second game, guys are like, ‘Hey, let’s go, let’s go.’”This time, rather than crowd around the prayer circle, dozens of them joined arms in one big ring. McKenzie stepped to the center, knelt, raised his arms and spoke. Some teammates bowed their heads. Others looked straight at McKenzie. Some soaked in his words. All listened.