No World Cup in 2018 for USMNT

[MichaelB]

Well, the US men’s soccer team lost last night and will not qualify for World Cup 2018. They had plenty of opportunities but couldn’t make the cut.

Now it’s 2022 in Qatar.

 

[Corporateburnout]

The world most popular game in not popular in the US so I don't think too many people here care. We were having dinner at a local sports bar with some friends and not one of the 25 TV sets were tuned to the game. Also the game in our area was carried only on Bein sports channel with limited subscribers.

The team would not have made an impact in Moscow but it's the first time the US has not qualified since 1986.

 

[Car-Guy]

The world most popular game in not popular in the US so I don't think too many people here care.

+1

Personally, I'm not sure which sport would put me to sleep quicker, soccer or golf.

 

[ponyboy]

I didnt realize the united states had a soccer team...lol

Do people actually watch soccer?

 

[Mdlerth]

It's a mystery

I'm always puzzled why American men's soccer fares so poorly on the world stage. Our women's soccer teams wipe the floor with the rest of the world!

Also, we pour more resources into sports than the GDPs of many nations. It's not just playing fields and gymnasiums; it's also the number of trainers and dieticians and physical therapists keeping the competitors in peak condition.

For the last World Cup, Brazil built a bunch of new stadiums, the expense for which sparked a lot of internal controversy. However, the all-time biggest World Cup was the one held here 23 years ago. We built zero new stadiums for it.

Why? Because we are awash in facilities. There are college athletic fields that dwarf the national soccer stadiums of many countries. I remember reading back in 1994 that foreign media outlets coming to America were flabbergasted, not just by the number of existing arenas but also by the auxiliary equipment such as media feeds which were invariably far more extensive than they would have had at the largest overseas stadiums.

Even if football/baseball/basketball/hockey dominate our sporting budgets, there's still an enormous amount left over to support lots of other sports: track, wrestling, gymnastics, weightlifting, tae kwon do, swimming, lacrosse, etc. It's why half of the athletes in the Olympics who represent other nations do all their training in the U.S.

I've heard the argument that the Big Four suck up all of our best athletes, leaving lower-tier sports to compete with lesser talent. It may be technically accurate, but I don't believe it's at all relevant when it comes to explaining why the US (men's) team routinely loses to teams from countries with one percent of our population.

Oh well, I'll still watch the World Cup next time around, even if our guys aren't in it. Maybe it's better that way; less painful since I don't have to worry about when we'll be booted.

 

[pablo]

I'm always puzzled why American men's soccer fares so poorly on the world stage. Our women's soccer teams wipe the floor with the rest of the world!

Also, we pour more resources into sports than the GDPs of many nations. It's not just playing fields and gymnasiums; it's also the number of trainers and dieticians and physical therapists keeping the competitors in peak condition.

For the last World Cup, Brazil built a bunch of new stadiums, the expense for which sparked a lot of internal controversy. However, the all-time biggest World Cup was the one held here 23 years ago. We built zero new stadiums for it.

Why? Because we are awash in facilities. There are college athletic fields that dwarf the national soccer stadiums of many countries. I remember reading back in 1994 that foreign media outlets coming to America were flabbergasted, not just by the number of existing arenas but also by the auxiliary equipment such as media feeds which were invariably far more extensive than they would have had at the largest overseas stadiums.

Even if football/baseball/basketball/hockey dominate our sporting budgets, there's still an enormous amount left over to support lots of other sports: track, wrestling, gymnastics, weightlifting, tae kwon do, swimming, lacrosse, etc. It's why half of the athletes in the Olympics who represent other nations do all their training in the U.S.

I've heard the argument that the Big Four suck up all of our best athletes, leaving lower-tier sports to compete with lesser talent. It may be technically accurate, but I don't believe it's at all relevant when it comes to explaining why the US (men's) team routinely loses to teams from countries with one percent of our population.

Oh well, I'll still watch the World Cup next time around, even if our guys aren't in it. Maybe it's better that way; less painful since I don't have to worry about when we'll be booted.

Dr. Lerth: As far back as I can remember (1970's when the Cosmos drew > 50,000 fans several times for soccer), soccer has been the up and coming sport in the USA. But it never happens. Never! There are many reasons for this, and I believe that soccer will continue to be ignored by most in the USA. I can't tell you how many kids I grew up with who played soccer as children and then completely ignored it in favor of MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL as adults. They now have their own kids who have done the same exact thing! The amount of times as an adult anyone (anyone!) engaged me in a conversation about soccer (family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues) approximates zero.

As to womens soccer, yes the USA is overwhelmingly dominant, but the sport is even more ignored than men's soccer! That is not a healthy sign for a supposed world-wide sport.

 

[jollystomper]

I've heard the argument that the Big Four suck up all of our best athletes, leaving lower-tier sports to compete with lesser talent. It may be technically accurate, but I don't believe it's at all relevant when it comes to explaining why the US (men's) team routinely loses to teams from countries with one percent of our population.

I believe it is very relevant. It is all about choices and future opportunity. In the U.S. there are many more choices from the time a kid is 5 years old and not just the big four. And there are more coaches/supporters from the big four looking for kids who are good in other sports to attract them to the big four. One of my sons became a very good high school wrestler (good enough to make our state tournament), and when the football coach saw him outrun one of his fastest players he came after me and DW to get our son to go out for the football team.

IN many of these smaller countries (such as the ones my parents came from), soccer is the ONLY choice beginning at that age, and something that is played year round, not just a "season". There are not others trying to recruit the best players into more "popular" sports because in many cases there are not other popular sports.

If you give a kid who is a great athlete a choice of a sport in the U.S. where they see the "end game" being playing in front of thousands in high school, tens of thousands in college and the pros, becoming nationally known, the chance to get a millionaires salary by age 20, versus one where the only general "mass" interest occurs around World Cup or Olympics time, which one will they lean towards, and their guardians direct them to?

 

[euro]

Dr. Lerth: As far back as I can remember (1970's when the Cosmos drew > 50,000 fans several times for soccer), soccer has been the up and coming sport in the USA. But it never happens. Never! There are many reasons for this, and I believe that soccer will continue to be ignored by most in the USA. I can't tell you how many kids I grew up with who played soccer as children and then completely ignored it in favor of MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL as adults. They now have their own kids who have done the same exact thing! The amount of times as an adult anyone (anyone!) engaged me in a conversation about soccer (family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues) approximates zero.

As to womens soccer, yes the USA is overwhelmingly dominant, but the sport is even more ignored than men's soccer! That is not a healthy sign for a supposed world-wide sport.

Good points BUT disagree on NFL: given the mounting evidence that football is extremely hazardous to player's health (short and long term), I'm going to predict that the NFL will eventually be doomed and disappear. They will be forced to make so many rule changes that the game becomes "unattractive/boring" to watch and becomes a niche product. Some of that slack will undoubtedly be picked up by soccer.

 

[neihn]

The reason is simple - it is football - and should be called 'football' not soccer

 

[imoldernu]

Looking to the future...

Three months ago, Boston University researchers found that 87 percent of all deceased former football players, and 99 percent of former NFL players, exhibited CTE.

 

[Sojourner]

I can't tell you how many kids I grew up with who played soccer as children and then completely ignored it in favor of MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL as adults. They now have their own kids who have done the same exact thing! The amount of times as an adult anyone (anyone!) engaged me in a conversation about soccer (family, friends, neighbors, work colleagues) approximates zero.

While I agree with everything stated here, I find it very odd that in Atlanta (my hometown), our MLS team seems to be very popular and actually had numerous sold-out home games in the huge new Mercedes-Benz stadium this season. With that level of success and popularity, it is quite puzzling that soccer continues to be a 2nd tier sport nationally.

 

[euro]

Looking to the future...

My point exactly. It seems incredible to me that these stats are not enough to stop the action right in its tracks, but I'm convinced people (prospective players) will come to their senses eventually. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate football as a game at all - it just seems that it is too dangerous to be viable.

 

[pablo]

The reason is simple - it is football - and should be called 'football' not soccer

Sorry, but in the US it is either called soccer or non-American football!

 

[jollystomper]

My point exactly. It seems incredible to me that these stats are not enough to stop the action right in its tracks, but I'm convinced people (prospective players) will come to their senses eventually. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate football as a game at all - it just seems that it is too dangerous to be viable.

As long as there is the potential for very good money to be made in it, it will not go away.

You still find a number of former players who state "even knowing what I do today, if I had to do it all over again, I still would". The complaints have been more along the lines of better equipment protection and medical support.

 

[Alan]

I'm always puzzled why American men's soccer fares so poorly on the world stage. Our women's soccer teams wipe the floor with the rest of the world!

It's the usual reason - money.

IIRC when Title 5 was implemented it meant that colleges had to put as much money into women's sports as they did into men's. This resulted a very big increase in scholarships and spending in women's soccer to make up for the shortfall being spent on college male sports teams.

There have been 7 FIFA Women's world championships, starting in 1991, with the US winning 2 out of the first 3 but then didn't win another until 2015. The other winners have been Germany twice, Japan and Norway. Next world cup finals for the women is 2019 and the USA, as well as being the holders, are currently at #1 in the FIFA rankings, ahead of Germany and England.

 

[MBAustin]

That was a really awful match they played last night. They obviously thought they were home free after beating the pants off Panama last week. But you have to actually play every game. And objectively, the USMNT has many more world-experienced players (playing in England or Germany for example) than they've ever had.

So Iceland is in, and USA and Netherlands are out. It'll be a long 4 years.

 

[Texas Proud]

I wonder about some posts....

Soccer is the most played sports in America... (cannot find the article I read... another I found says third, but that says favorite, not number who play)...

One of the problems is that there are some strong choices that we have that other countries do not... and they are more integrated and have a longer history.... this is also a reason why our sports cannot make a foothold over there... just no interest...

I will throw out another thought.... your team will be in a league... but there are other cups to play for... so even if you are down the tables in the league there is a chance that you can win a cup and be 'champion'... here it is only the league you are in and only one champion....

Last, our teams are not well paid and we do not have the good players... so the product is second tier compared to some overseas leagues... I watch the Premier league on TV, but do not watch MLS...

 

[Alan]

That was a really awful match they played last night. They obviously thought they were home free after beating the pants off Panama last week. But you have to actually play every game. And objectively, the USMNT has many more world-experienced players (playing in England or Germany for example) than they've ever had.

So Iceland is in, and USA and Netherlands are out. It'll be a long 4 years.

Very poor showing indeed by the men last night particularly since Trinidad & Tobago we’re bottom of the group with no chance of progressing.

Iceland are the smallest country ever to make it to the World Cup finals. 2 years ago they not only made it into the Euro finals they also got out of their group to the knockout round where they came up against England and won.

 

[Texas Proud]

I am really surprised how bad the team is now.... there is no excuse... these guys are paid a lot of money to play for the national team compared to the salary of the women... and the women actually fill up stadiums when they play, not so much the men...

I actually like watching the women more as they seem to put more effort into the game... the men seem to stay in place and play a position game where the women play an attacking game...

 

[braumeister]

IN many of these smaller countries (such as the ones my parents came from), soccer is the ONLY choice beginning at that age, and something that is played year round, not just a "season". There are not others trying to recruit the best players into more "popular" sports because in many cases there are not other popular sports.

Agree completely. Speaking from personal experience, if you live in a country where your team has a good shot at the World Cup semifinals, you see a level of enthusiasm far beyond anything we can experience in the US, including the Super Bowl and the World Series.

 

[candrew]

If there is an upside to the USMNT's failure to qualify it may be that there will finally be a reckoning with several long term systemic problems within the U.S. soccer federation.

As a retired soccer referee, formerly with U.S. soccer, it became evident to not only me, but also others involved in the sport that for the past 30+ years the federation was doing a lousy job of developing talent. This has been especially evident at the youth level where "pay for play" has ignored talented youth players from typically poor urban backgrounds for the sole reason that their families could not afford to enroll their kids in pricey club programs (player fees in top youth clubs can easily exceed $10K/year). Achieving "results" in youth club programs (i.e. winning state cups) took precedence over the development of individual players' technical skills. Rather than encouraging creativity and flair among individual players and allowing them to develop a passion for play, clubs focused on team systems of play designed for "winning". It has only been within the past few years that U.S. soccer has gone to smaller sided games on smaller pitches for players under age 14. This approach encourages more touching of the ball more frequently by more players during a match and is consistent with youth programs in Europe and South America. The fact that it has taken this long to make a relatively minor, yet glaringly necessary change speaks to the larger problem with U.S. soccer - a desire to maintain the status quo.

Major League Soccer also bears some responsibility. U.S. Soccer and MLS are supposed to exist together for betterment of the game. Yet when former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann was rightfully critical of his USMNT players for coming back to MLS from top European clubs, MLS chose to publicly criticize Klinsmann for his approach.

MLS and federation president Sunil Gulati have emphasized the commercial aspect of soccer in the U.S. at the expense of player development. This epic failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup was a long time coming. Sunil Galati should do what any other self-respecting federation president would in another soccer country had their national team performed so deplorably. Resign. The same goes for Bruce Arena. In their remarks after the game, both of these men felt that the USMNT's largest issue in failing to qualify had to do with on field performance. Those are statements borne out of arrogance.