Why are USA so **** at ‘soccer'?

[poolie]

A sleeping giant in some ways just like how we’ve been mentioned in the past.

Is it because as a nation and culture that they have no to little interest in ‘soccer’?

You look at the absolute specimens that play their national sports. They’re monster athletes!

From American Football, Basketball or even running.

But you look at their ‘soccer’ team and it’s far from it.

In a modern game were the mavericks are fading and its more about tactics and athleticism, they should be far, far better.

 

[Boris Bear]

They don’t have the structure. The MLS is it…grass roots are pretty much non existent. It probably needs to grow big in the college system before they ever get any kind of sustained success

 

[chunkyshanhawk53]

Because the money domestically is so huge for NFL and basketball, that’s where their best athletes focus

 

[Shrew]

It's a big participation sport for girls over there and they've dominated at senior level previously.

Wouldn't be surprised if they reached the quarter-final of the men's tournament this year btw.

 

[BingoBango]

Get rid of draws, have each goal mean 5pts, make the goals bigger, make American-only team based competitions called the "World Championships" and have 15 advert breaks a game and they'll be all over it.

Simpletons.

 

[FlashGordon]

More money in other sports. The best athletes go to Basketball, NFL and Baseball. To make the same kind of money in football, they'd have to leave the US, come to Europe and play at an Elite European level for their entire career.

 

[ErichZann]

They're just not that into it, and it isn't culturally ingrained into their very being like it is in Europe and South America. I disagree it's about money.

 

[contrarian]

À sleeping giant infers at some in the past they were a big success
They never have been

 

[brains]

Loads of other sports are more popular there..

The same reason that India are shit at football...99% of their population love cricket...

 

[Binxy]

Short attention span, not enough goals (points)

 

[Freddie the Greek]

They'll go far (or should that be var) in this tournament, Donald will see to that.

 

[Oli Wagkz]

They’ve improved a lot over the last 10-15 years. A lot of their WC squad play in top leagues for decent clubs.

Can only see them getting better over the next decade.


But aye it’s still a minority sport compared to NFL, NBA & MLB

 

[Definitely Maybe]

Gary Lineker talked about it the other day - the culture there is that you go to college at 18 and play amateur sports alongside a scholarship then progress into the professional draft system whereas in Europe you join an academy aged 8 and turn professional at 17.

It's seen as a girls sport compared to NFL and NBA - the US Women's team are dominant and generate more revenue than the USMNT whereas in Europe women's football is growing but relatively tiny.

 

[Fredericton]

As a matter of interest the name soccer is English not American, goes back to the days of public schoolboys playing 'rugger' (rugby football) or 'soccer' (association football).

 

[SuperSub]

Was listening to a World Cup podcast that said football is one of the most expensive sports to play as a kid in America compared to American football/basketball/baseball. Most of the academies, youth football projects charge kids to play so only those who can afford to pay can progress. As a result the majority come from middle class backgrounds.

 

[ighty seven]

like asking why is the UK shit at Basketball. We’re just not into it.

 

[PJH]

Here kids see football, get a football and kick one about. There kids see things like NFL and NBA so get a ball and shoot hoops or throw one about to each other.

 

[si73]

They continue to improve, they gave the Germans a run for their money last night and beat Senegal the other day.

The growth is also partly to do with wealthier white families not wanting their kids getting wiped out by Afro-American kids in Yankee rugby or unable to compete in basketball, or failing against Hispanic kids in Yankee rounders. Soccer is seen as a safer form of sport and a more level playing field.

 

[Lonz]

Don't they still use a college-based system for development like their other sports? American Football, Basketball etc.?

Unless young talent moves abroad they're not going to get "competitive" experience until they're at least 21 years old. No matter how much talented you are, 4-5 years' worth of experience counts for a lot.

 

[Wolte Presents]

Fake News - they are World Champions at every Superbowl