World Cup 22

And HSs aren't where the best soccer athletes are playing. They're playing for MLS academies or on overseas academies.

 

US having trouble maintaining possession. Not off to a great start. Playing a defensive game and making mistakes.

 

That's My point.

 

That doesn't diminish soccer in the US tho. Every athlete on the US national team played overseas as teens. When looking at the best US athletes they're not playing baseball, and that's the real problem.

 

Yes I wouldn't put baseball up there, but You are missing the point. A lot of schools have soccer, and still most of the best athletes at those schools don't play it. I know I've been to a few games. Most are Guys that's family's don't even have a few generations in the USA. Hell it's the 5th lowest played sport in the schools that carry it...., and it's participation has been it's lowest since 2005. Those are facts.
Until that changes....most of our best athletes will not be playing it....again not all....nothing is 100%, but most.

 

Never happy with a tie but that was one helluva match by the US squad.

 

But that's still besides the point. In U17 and U15 academy action, US clubs have more than held their own against the world, specifically against Europe clubs. Soccer talent just isn't developed in traditional hs sports, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

In the average HS, soccer is the 3rd highest participated male sport.

 

Do you recall any of the names? It seems like shortstops, point guards, cornerbacks, slot wide receivers, and hockey players with quick changes of direction would make the best soccer players. OF course, playing it at a young age helps with developing the needed skills. Hakeem Olajuwon played soccer as a youth, and people said it was instrumental in helping him have great footwork in basketball.

 

I'm very happy with the result...beat Iran and we move on.

 

Two of the guys they said, I mentioned. Tyreek Hill, LeBron, Mahomes. I think one guy said Aaron Judge. Not sure I agree with that one so much. I agree with you, the guys with quickness and fast twitch movements would be best.

 

I see more football players switching to soccer in the future because of the concussion issue. The dirty secret is concussions are fairly common in soccer, from heading the ball and falls, but probably still not as many as football.

 

To answer the original question, the athletes from football and basketball that that translates the most to soccer are WR and secondary from football and PG and SG from basketball.

 

No it's not... its 5 th. I looked all this up before I said it.

 

They started off a bit sloppy, but pulled it together and played tough. Definitely impressed with this young team.

 

Have to bring that same intensity against Iran.

 

Same here, I go for the little guys.

 

Thanks METALMAN_68 for directing me to this thread!!

I am a little shocked so many of us follow it. I only watch every 4 years. Just don't find guys with big ass legs running up and down a field much fun but the World Cup is pretty cool. I'd say biggest sporting event in the World by far.

I think in 2026 it is in USA. I'm able body I'm going to a game in Philly. Yes I'm an American but since soccer is not huge in our country (I bet it will be one day) I tend to root for Italy. Had a friend in Rome when they last won it all. Said it was insane.

My wife was in Peru when the French won it all. She couldn't understand what was happening in the French consulate which was across the street from her place. She thought it was a riot at first.

 

Wouldn't wish that game on anyone. Very dull but that's tournament football sometimes. Everyone still has a chance to qualify with 1 game left.

 

My experience was in Mexico '86. I was at the Zocalo with my ex-wife in her home town of Queretaro. Denmark was going to play Germany the next day. A guy in a Denmark hat glared at me and asked where I was from When I told him, US, he brightened up and said," Oh, I can talk to you. I thought you were from Germany!"

 

I think a lot of non soccer fans just aren't sure what they're looking at, therefore it comes across as boring. Personally, I feel that US/England match was way more exciting than that dud between the Jets and Patriots last week. I watch a lot of football every week and less than half the games are interesting to watch

Also, most Americans don't really know where to find good soccer on t.v. MLS is getting better but I try and watch Premier league when I can but there's also Bundesliga and La Liga that boast some of the best players on the planet. Watching Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Neymar is a thing of beauty when these cats are on the ball. In the end though, the sport is not for everyone and that's ok.

 

France and Denmark still scoreless at half. Decent scoring chances for both sides.

 

Some interesting debate on how soccer is in USA compared to Europe or globally. In my opinion, one of the biggest barriers to it never being able to be as big in USA is the geography and history.

In Europe alone the density of soccer clubs that have existed for 100+ years or more is a huge factor. There are tens of thousands of clubs all with many huge and intense rivalries that have been forged over decades and centuries. You play so many different teams constantly, in different competitions, year on year. Any team can transcend the pyramid no matter how big or small you are.

Like people have seen from Welcome to Wrexham, almost all the clubs no matter what size the fanbase or club is are linked to the foundation of a town or cities community and identity and supporting your team is like sticking your neck out for your town or city and the natural attitude for many of the 'working class fans/lad culture/hooliganism is to drive actual hate against other teams not just in a sporting manner but in every way possible because these rivalry's transcend sport. Hence why 99% of the time rival fans have to be completely separated in the stands, no exceptions. In my City you can't even walk out of the stadium the same way as an opposition fan as it isn't allowed.

If you ever see the stupidity of how serious soccer gets in Europe the violence of football ultras in Italy/Germany/Greece/Poland etc. These are some extreme examples but the culture is built on extreme support, passion and over the top attitudes. The more commercial the game gets the more rebellion occurs as many fans are against modern soccer. Against the exploitation of their beloved teams as they lose identity in the form of foreign money, huge TV deals that push ticket prices up and price out the hardcore fans leading to worse atmospheres and the soul being sucked out of the real reason football is good...the fans. My point is, before that ramble, I don't believe you can manufacture any of the above because it is completely organic. Especially not across a vast country using a corporate model like the MLS. Of course the MLS has some great clubs, attracts some top players, has some super fan groups. But it is thinly spread, has no history, has little to no top level fan rivalry and is so far behind being as high stakes or intense as European football that it just will never catch up. Plus, your whole country's culture and attitude to sports is very different. Soccer can't penetrate the greatness that other sports have, due to their own rich history. America is a truly world leading place for sports and attitude towards sports and that is why it will always compete at the highest level and idolised globally but it will never manage it in soccer.

Anyway, that load of bollocks has covered over that 0-0 draw. Can't imagine there's any demand for more of that anyway.

 

For me also, 75% of the enjoyment I get from it is actually attending the game. Mixing with friends and other fans, drinking before, the intensity of the fans on the way to the ground. The tension between rival fans. The police, the smell of pyro, the nerves and fear I used to feel ss a kid because it was too loud and intense. Not all games are like that but the big ones against local rivals or with high stakes. You just can't get any of that from TV and of course attending any sports gives you those personal first hand experiences.

 

That was some excellent insight and 100% spot on. Not to mention, the United States as a country is very young in comparison to the rest of the world so there's a lack of a long history in a lot of things, not just sports.