Intro:

Soccer fans across America - including U.S president Barack Obama - watch their team knocked out of the World Cup on Tuesday (July 1) after being handed a dramatic defeat by Belgium.

Script:

They turned out in their tens of thousands across America, some painted in red, white and blue, waving flags and chanting "I Believe" - in city parks, stadiums and sports bars on Tuesday to watch the US national football team play Belgium in the knockout round of the World Cup.

Some were die-hard soccer fans. Others were newcomers, spurred on by the rising tide of support for the national team.

And they were joined by American President Barack Obama who watched the game in Washington DC with White House staff members, chanting "I believe that we will win" as he entered an auditorium at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

However they didn't get the win they wanted.

After a goalless 90 minutes, Kevin De Bruyne finally beat goalkeeper Tim Howard in the third minute of extra time before Romelu Lukaku scored 12 minutes later to give Belgium a two-goal lead.

Although Julian Green grabbed a late consolation goal, the Red Devils hung on for a 2-1 victory in Salvador, Brazil.

Despite the defeat, USA fan Grace Vistica was pleased with the level of support the team recieved:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Grace Vistica, fan:

"It's very disappointing, but it's cool that everybody came out to support us. We still have so much patriotism, even though that we lost, you know."

In Chicago, home of the US Soccer federation, officials moved a big-screen event from a public park to the famous American Football stadium Soldier Field in order to accommodate a crowd of 20,000 fans