United States fate in World football\soccer

[Unholyground]

Yes, you have improved a hell of a lot the last few years, your team has quality players, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jozi Altiodre etc, you only have to pick 11 players and with the size of your country that should be no problem in the long run.

The more interest that soccer develops in the states the better, Look at the last WC, USA had one of the highest followings in south africa. USA are a very decent team now-a-days. imo.

I think people in the US should be more worried about where the Country is going economically than arbitrary things like sports.

[Oakshan]

I think you'll always struggle so long as other sports are so dominant at secondary school and university level, especially handegg. The English team should be a prime example these days that you need a good youth development program or you fade into insignificance and dreams of what once was.

Really? handegg? Have you read the history of American football and how it used to be played in the beginning - http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_did_..._get_its_name? Back in the day they kicked it a lot more.

Do you actually know why we call it soccer? Yea, I'll link that as well - http://soccerlens.com/why-do-america...t-soccer/3360/.

Contrary to what the media and others want you to believe, the word “soccer” is not an American creation. Or, “They (rest of the world) call it football, and we (North Americans) call it soccer.”

Derivation of the word

The word was derived from Association Football, which was the original term given to the game in the 1860s at the elite schools that spawned the sport in England. The abbreviation “Assoccer”, which became “soccer,” was used by the British upper classes of that period. When the sport was embraced by the less fortunate, the name of “soccer” was passed down. But most commoners used the word “football” to describe their new game.

Yea, I'm always shaking my head when an English person calls it handegg for this reason...



Post was edited for a reason, see the forum rules and refrain from continuing this sidetrack - Fengore.

[Machomaije]

No, America will never be among the best. MLS is one of the worst leagues i've ever watched, its completely SHIT. slow and boring. Only good thing in MLS is David Beckham.

[Verain]

Immigration is adding South/Central Americans to our population, and they bring their love of soccer with them. Since the sport is pretty compelling, you'll probably see more Americans care about it in the future, and if it becomes even half as popular as football, then yea, the US will be all over your world cupszzzz!

And it could happen before then too. It's just an issue of how passionate the populace is.

[draynay]

arbitrary things like sports.

wrong forum bud

[Amsden]

like table tennis being called ping pong, you mean?

my thoughts on the OP is, who cares?
i voted no btw, as its nice to see the all swaggering, all conquering, "GO!! USA!!" bs that country constantly churns out, finally being put in their place & not being of any interest to the vast population of the world of football.

Put in our place? The USA could win the world cup and most of us would even realize it till the 10:00 news came on. Hard to be put in our place over something we don't even care about.

[Bigbazz]

If america wanted to be good at football then they could. Example for you.

Wales has a population of around 3million, that is less than the population of the city of london. But we have one of the best rugby teams in the world, consistantly around the top 5 and able to make the world cup finals. Why? Because Rugby is our national sport, it is the biggest sport in the country and the one pushed in schools from a young age.

Now imagine if america had that same thing with football (european football), with their 300 million population. The fact is that america aren't particularely good because on the whole they don't really care for football.

[Tweekx]

The above front page of the New York times would disagree with that last statement.

I'm also going to warn everyone, keep it civil. Refrain from nation bashing or comments posted purely to provocate and start a flame war. This has been a pretty good discussion, and I'd prefer to not have to lock it.

That is the New York Post, it is essentially a tabloid, they write some of the stupidest stuff ever so I'd take anything in there with a grain of salt.

I agree that the US probably won't have a super competitive team until it becomes more popular in the states, which I don't think will happen until advertisers feel they can make as much money with soccer as they do with the other sports. Though I would assume most kids do play soccer in the US, though not competitively. At least here in NY every year from elementary school to high school your gym class will have a unit on soccer in the Fall, and possibly Spring. So its not really a foreign sport, but I think its like a previous poster mentioned, its viewed more as a sport you play in school and thats it.

[Deleted]

To say never is pretty harsh.

But no.. I can't see that happening in a very very long time. Wierd though since you have such an amazing female soccer team

[Shalt]

Heres an Hour long documentary about the USA 1994 World Cup by the way, for any one who is interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5KKu1_TIRM