Scotland’s arrival created a running exchange between visitors and Americans. Reactions to ranch dressing, petrol stations, oversized trucks and bulk-shopping stores became light entertainment, but the fascination ran deeper.
Visitors were meeting people rather than headlines. Americans, meanwhile, were seeing their country through foreign eyes - and often enjoying the view. That is the connective power of international football: it turns difference into conversation before a ball is kicked.
“There is this element of seeing through other people's eyes and seeing what they find joyous and what they appreciate,” Allison Prasch said. “That helps us appreciate that ourselves.”
Boston now has the chance to carry that atmosphere into the stadium. England are due to face Ghana at Gillette Stadium this week, weather permitting, bringing a major football occasion to a city that has already embraced the tournament’s human side.
The match will be judged by the scoreline, but its wider value will be measured in the crowd, the streets and the exchanges around the ground. England’s established football identity and Ghana’s international following can add another layer to a host city already discovering how much colour supporters provide.
The timing is significant. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary and prepares to host its second World Cup, the tournament is offering a version of national pride built on curiosity rather than isolation.
Scotland’s supporters have opened that door. The England-Ghana fixture is the next chance to see whether Boston can keep it open.