LONG BEACH, California -- There's anti-Americanism involved here. It's mostly soccer, but sometimes it goes outside the lines. And it most certainly provides the backdrop for the Canada-U.S. World Cup bronze medal game tomorrow.

There's no team Canada loves to hate more than the U.S.

"They've got players on their team that get all this recognition and don't do jack,'' says Charmaine Hooper.

"They put them on a pedestal and they haven't done a thing in three years.

"I'm going to piss people off by saying it. I've had a little recognition but I've never been fully recognized because I'm not playing for the U.S. That's what fuels my fire. It's the same with a lot of my team-mates.

"They have people on that team, a team which has accomplished a lot with a couple of players who deserve what they are given, riding the coat-tails of those players. Even though it's the third-place game, because the Americans are in the game it's the Grand Finale for us. We all wanted to play them sometime in this tournament. What a way to finish this World Cup it would be to beat them.

"They try to avoid us in exhibition games. They always try to avoid playing Canada. That's one thing. It's the whole American thing, too. A lot of people don't like American athletes. Maybe it's because they've always been on top. But it's like they feel a need to be arrogant and cocky. It's too bad. Maybe the Americans don't care about this game. We care.''

EXPLAIN THE WAY IT IS

Coach Even Pellerud tries to explain the way it is with his team.

"We have nothing to lose and they have a lot to lose. For them to lose to Canada would be a disaster,'' he says.

"For us, beating the Americans would definitely be a big prize. We have a bunch of girls who love to play the U.S. and would love to beat them, especially here.

"I think we have a hate and a respect that is in equal balance.

"I know Charmaine Hooper and all those players who have lost so many times to them will show all their muscles against them. There's a history with Charmaine through 20 years when she's known she's as good as or better than they are and this is her first time to be able to prove it. Those 20 years have built up a lot of emotions in her mind.''

Canada has played the U.S. 31 times and won but three and drawn three. But they tied the U.S. in the Algarve Cup this spring and lost 2-1 in the gold-medal game of the Gold Cup on a golden goal overtime winner by Mia Hamm in the Rose Bowl last fall.

Then there was the 6-1 loss when Canada was a last-minute substitute for Nigeria, unable to show for a game in Washington, D.C. in April. That one really sticks in Pellerud's craw.

"They had their WUSA league players but they wouldn't release our WUSA players. We took a U-20 team.''

Andrea Neil was the one veteran who played in that game.

"It was me and the U-19 team,'' she said.

Pellerud says it's almost as if there is legislation against the Americans playing Canada outside of event competition.

"I understand them. In the times they have played us, it has been very beneficial for us, it has helped us so much to develop our team. It could be a policy not to play us.''

But Pellerud thinks it backfired against the U.S. not to play tougher teams, especially a physical one like Canada, on the road to this World Cup.

"There's no doubt about it. They should have.''

And there is an entitlement, an elitism involved, he says.

"The U.S. has been staying in a different hotel than the rest of the teams throughout the tournament. They even enter through a different door. There is a history of arrogance. I think that's how Americans are born and raised. They are the most talented team in the world and they should win every game easily. But there's an arrogance there.''

ALL THE LOSSES IN THE PAST

Neil, who like Hooper is in her third World Cup, says so much of this has to do with all the losses in the past.

"A lot of our passion comes from a team whose bum has been whupped as many times as ours. There is no love lost between these teams. We're looking forward to this game even if they're not.

"The illusion of invincibility is a very dangerous thing. You could see the gap closing the last couple of years. We believe now we can pick off the best teams on any given day, the Americans being one of those teams.''

Seventeen-year-old Brittany Timko says Canada is coming on and maybe the Americans are at the end of an era.

"We're getting to the level the U.S. used to be at and they're trying to prove they're still at that level. It would be great to beat the Americans and do it in the U.S. at the same time. To do that and get a bronze medal at the World Cup would be incredible.''

Somewhere in there is a soccer game.