Read the debate intro and Bleacher Fan’s opinion.
Okay, before folks kill our comments with hateful diatribes directed at me, allow me to preface the following piece with a simple statement: I’m a big fan of the United States Soccer team.
For me and all the Sports Geeks I represent, being a big fan means understanding the context – and realities – that are a part of U.S. Soccer.
Soccer is still a sports afterthought in the U.S. It’s a fun recreational pastime for kids (it must be, or those soccer ball car magnets wouldn’t be EVERYWHERE), and an enjoyable game to play in high school, too. Two main factors contribute to the gap in talent between the U.S. team and other international clubs.
First, soccer is played in the majority of playgrounds in virtually every other country in the world. This is no small fact. Instead of pick up games of soccer, our version of football, baseball, basketball, softball, etc. trample the grass in American parks. Soccer just doesn’t have much of a draw from fans here, despite the fact that the U.S. plays a distinctive style built on power and strength.
Second, it’s the feeder system. Because the U.S. has so many popular sports for kids to play, the talent pool gets diluted, something that doesn’t happen to the same degree in other countries. In Brazil, Italy, and Spain, for example, all of the best athletes want to be soccer players. In the U.S., the best athletes may want to play baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc. The lack of attention soccer receives in the U.S. also contributes to a passion vacuum – something other countries have in spades.
One more point on the feeder system – the only real chance a talented, soccer-loving youth has to learn soccer and become great in the U.S. is at the collegiate level. U.S. colleges and coaches are great for teaching some technique, but the style they teach emphasizes physical strength and discipline. Brazil, for example, has a style distinct for creativity and technique. That creativity (and the aforementioned passion) is a missing piece for the U.S., as the discipline of the Europeans and the creativity of the South Americans (Brazil, Argentina) leaves the U.S. in the dust. That style difference is keeping talented up and coming U.S. players squarely on the bench at their club teams, furthering the development gap when the players return to home to don their country’s colors.
Now, the Fifa Confederations Cup final was a very nice outcome for a hard working U.S. team. But, their flaws were exposed in the tournament, too. Let’s not forget this is the same team that allowed a goal in the first 10 minutes of three of their first four matches. The U.S. is not an explosive side, so playing from behind doesn’t favor their style. Granted the U.S. suffered some injury-related setbacks, but they barely squeaked out of round play losing to Italy 3-1, and 3-0 to Brazil before soundly beating Egypt and the miracle victory against Spain.
Any modicum of success on an international stage – like, say, being the runner up in the Confederations Cup – will start a massive piling on of expectations from an undereducated U.S. soccer fan base. It isn’t realistic right now to assume that the U.S. will make the final four at the World Cup next year. But, that won’t stop the expectations train from leaving the station. And, when the U.S. plays well – but not at an elite level (yet) – any momentum the train had will be gone. It’s those massive expectations that come in the blink of an eye to perpetually leave U.S. soccer overrated.
Now, I’m not saying U.S. soccer is terrible. Far from it. They are one of the best 20 sides in the world, no doubt about it. But the gap between the elite teams and everyone else is still significant, and the US is still rightly lumped in with “everyone else” – a place they’ll remain until they can find the discipline, creativity, and passion their elite competition has.
