Once FIFA gave away that fake peace prize, the dye was cast. This was the most karmic event ever.
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But hey participation trophies, an I right?
Reality check. Yes, US Men’s Soccer has improved.
But sad to say, US Soccer ranked #17 has been exposed again tonight. We still have a way to go to be among the elite. We had a nice run this WC but we really hadn’t beaten anyone considered top level; #41 Paraguay, #27 Australia, #64 Bosnia all ranked well below us. Lost to #21 Turkey ranked closest below us albeit with mostly our subs. We were completely outclassed by the first team ranked well above us in #9 Belgium. This game should have been at least 6-1. Belgium was bigger, faster, with more precise passing and finishing. We looked and played scared. We kept turning the ball over and over again. They were first to headers and loose balls. You cannot make one clownish mistake much less three against a team of this caliber that lead to goals. We need to develop bigger, faster, more skilled players at the youth level to eventually reach the senior squad. The good news is that we have the resources to scout and develop better players at the youth level.
Still proud of our boys. Go USA!
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I mean, they also scored twice in like 10 minutes to tie the game against Senegal. I could buy a narrative that they figured something out in that moment.
They also beat us 5-2 two months ago. How much can form really change a difference like that?
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At least we can still dominate WOMEN’S soccer.
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True that. The US women didn’t win the last WC but won the two before that and are still among the favorites to win it.
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The best talent in the US plays in the NFL, NBA, MLB. If the best talent focused their passion and effort and talent into soccer, the US would dominate.
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I was thinking something. Does Belgium even really compete at other sports semi high?
England has Rugby and Cricket
France is pretty high in Mens Basketball
Scandinavian countries and all the countries near the Baltics are good at Hockey same with Czechs Germans
Even non Euro
Australia has Rugby and their own football
Argentina is in the Ruby Quad nations
If it makes anyone feel better, China has more than 3X our population and totally sucks at this sport.
Same for India.
This sport seems to be more about the CULTURE of the sport in each country than anything else, including population.
Our soccer culture simply equal to that of the top soccer nations, or at least, not as a men’s sport.
i mean, while we’re throwing out countries that should ostensibly be better at this, mexico has a population double the size of argentina or spain or england and is absolutely rabid about the sport and yet still hasn’t made it past the round of 16 in my lifetime. (including a loss to the usa!)
Pathetic performance. We are rightfully getting dunked on by the world for our performance and our idiot politicians getting involved.
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Our performance tonight was half hearted. It was almost like the guys didn’t want to win. Just such poor effort from about half the team.
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Yeah, but tequila tho.
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Eh. I’ve never seen the rest of the world root for the USA in anything. If not this, they’d have found another reason to make us the villains. Sometimes it’s justified, sometimes not, but we could lose in extra time to North Korea in the Final and they’d still dance on our graves. Their feelings are not super important to me.
I imagine this must be what it feels like to be a Longhorn.
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Consider this
Norway has a population that is likely smaller than the Houston metro area.
They could win it all.
Culture.
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It gets boring quick. That is why I put him on ignore, and suggest everyone else do the same.
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US legitimately did not get a single 50/50 call in the knockout rounds.
In the Belgium match, that could be a result of visible passivity.
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We have more people living in Texas than all of Belgium but they can find 11 guys to play at a top 10 level.
Heard that the last 30 years lol.
Most of the best players didn’t go through pay to play like in the USA.
They have dedicated youth systems to identify talent early on instead of letting AAU pricing them out.
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Again…CULTURE!!!
We may never have the same soccer culture on the men’s side as those other countries.
Consider this. At most high schools, if you are the football or boys basketball team captain, you are generally a big man on campus. At some “baseball first” high schools like Bellaire or Brenham, the same may be true of the baseball team captain. But the boys soccer captain? Not so much.
Unless and until that changes…we may never advance into the global Top Ten, despite our population advantage.
It’s a whole different situation on the girls’ side though. It seems to me that the girls soccer captain at most high schools is an “in crowd” or “it” girl; and may even be on the cheer squad in the Fall before soccer starts up. Totally different.
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