How to fix soccer in the US

Another World Cup, another disappointing performance from the US Men’s team. One more flame-out in the quarterfinals, this time against Belgium on July 6th. If the American side had been any more flat, the match would have been stopped, so that medical staff could check the players for a pulse.

In the previous game, against Bosnia Herzegovina, a disqualifying red card was given to US striker Folarin Balogun, for raking his cleats on the shin of an opponent—an infraction which somehow went unnoticed when committed by gloriously protected aging star Lionel Messi. As such, Balogun would be ineligible for the quarterfinal.

Supposedly, upon the intercession of President Trump, Balogun was allowed to play against Belgium. Not that it mattered. Nor did the highly touted “Captain America” Christian Pulisic do much in the entire tournament.

An easy conspiracy theory would hold that there is a secret international agreement whereby the US will always suck at soccer, thereby allowing other countries to permanently dominate the sport. Still, it is difficult to explain how a country of 340 million people—chock full of immigrants—is not able to field a soccer team.

Conventional wisdom argues that successful countries have fewer competing sports, and have also developed a strong academy system, which recruits and trains players from a young age. But that reasoning can’t account for the lack of consistent success for countries like Italy and the Netherlands, both of which have infamously not even qualified for the World Cup at times.

Moreover, it does nothing to account for the relative lack of success of England, who won the tournament once—in 1966. And, the English INVENTED the game, for Heaven’s sake. Well, at least they have the world’s best league—the Premier League— featuring plenty of international players.

Consider a favorite of American fans in this World Cup, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, whose club team is Manchester City. This 6-foot 5-inch star, currently one of the best players in the world, will immediately remind American sports fans of a pro football tight end. Hold that thought.

Major League baseball in the earliest days of the 20th century was much more of a mind game, with low scoring contests, squeeze play strategies, and stolen bases sufficient to eke out a 2-1 victory. And, Ty Cobb was the master of these tactics. But then, along came a fat kid from Baltimore, George Herman (“Babe”) Ruth, who singlehandedly transformed baseball into a much more exciting slugfest. Purists—including Cobb—would protest that this new form of baseball was not what the game was supposed to be, but that sort of sentiment was overrun by what the fans wanted.

You could draw a parallel to the current version of NBA basketball, featuring essentially no defense or “traveling” fouls, in favor of endless scoring. Likewise, the current NFL features specialists, gigantic linemen, and complicated plays—in contrast to the “smash-mouth/lunch bucket” squads of the past. The point is, that sports evolve, based on what the fans want.

American football has a unique gladiator quality, and assures instant elevated social status for all high school boys who make the team. No scholastic or pro soccer team comes close.

However, American football is brutal, and few pro players emerge from their careers unscathed. From the fan’s perspective, the TV version has become essentially unwatchable with its constant commercials, and insertion of DEI female commentators, not to mention over-analysis of the games by broadcasters. As such, a window may be opening for quality American soccer.

To take advantage of this opportunity, though, our approach to the sport will have to change. Historically, recruiting for the US Men’s team has been atrocious. Up until perhaps 15 years ago, such “recruiting” was limited to preppy mostly east coast college programs, with a player profile based on the “soccer body,” meaning small and quick—all the better to wind through the defense onto a sure goal. Defensive players were slightly bigger.

More recently, the profile changed to favor players of a mixed background, whereby the boy would have spent some time in Europe to hone his skills in that “superior” environment. Such an approach gave us the likes of Balogun and Pulisic, but the team was still little better than mediocre. Meanwhile, generationally gifted athletes were going to the NBA and NFL.

Here’s a thought: Search instead for the tight end types like Haaland, speedster wide receivers and defensive backs, and rangy tall kids who might head to the NBA to instead become goalies. You can promise them long careers with few injuries, and good money.

At the same time, upgrade the currently pathetic MLS with the financial resources to attract the world’s best international talent, to eventually build out something rivaling the Premier League. With these bigger, stronger, faster teams, create a brand of soccer that is a bit more smash-mouth, and a bit less cutie-pie little guy spinning around the hapless defenders. Leading to more scoring, and more fan engagement.

Finally, eliminate flopping by only calling truly egregious fouls, and make the stadium clock official, by allowing the referee to stop it, as now occurs in football. The current mystery of when the half and game ends is truly asinine; never mind the ridiculously arbitrary addition of stoppage time at the end of regulation periods.

In short, make the players better, make the rules better, and make the game better.