Let’s Talk About Soccer
Let’s Talk About Soccer
Joseph DiPietro
We are
about to see a rise in soccer popularity in the United States, and that is a
great thing.
Soccer deserves
a lot more credit than it receives in the U.S. I get it – we have football,
basketball, and baseball and unlike many other countries, our best athletes don’t
play soccer. I also understand when a less-than-casual fan watches the game, it
might not be too exciting, and the sport is riddled with flopping and whining
(the NBA is just as bad). But there is a lot to love about soccer, and there is
a lot to respect about soccer players. Besides, and you heard it here first,
the struggling U.S. Men’s National Team is going to be a heck of a lot better
moving forward.
Let’s talk
about the game first. Soccer is incredible. The finesse of launching balls towards
a teammate’s head is unreal. The way players control the ball, and often an
opponent, while moving at a fast pace is impressive. To do those things for 90
minutes, often a few minutes longer, with only one break requires a high level
of fitness and discipline. Soccer is one of the most fitness-demanding sports,
especially from a cardio perspective, and that comes with a high demand for
mental toughness too. Throw in the discipline required to never use your arms
to impact the ball, and soccer serves as an outstanding sport for mental and physical
discipline and toughness – some of our most valued traits at Odin Development.
Now let’s
talk about the societal impacts. Soccer’s reach is immense. I don’t have statistics
in front of me, but I don’t need them – soccer is the most popular sport in the
world. We may not realize it in America, but the world’s game is not football
or basketball; it is soccer. Millions of young kids around the world have a
favorite soccer player and team that they cheer for, and as long as they have a
ball they can find a way to play the game too. That’s one of my favorite parts
of the sport, because the ability of kids finding joy in the game is so much
more accessible than other sports that require more equipment. I can say the
same about my beloved rugby but I recognize the contact aspect makes that difficult,
so instead I will crown soccer as the king of worldwide youth sports.
Finally,
let’s talk about the future of American soccer. Certainly, the Women’s National
Team has performed outstanding on the international level, winning multiple
championships and tournaments. But the men’s team has fallen quite short of
competing at a high level. I’m not here to talk about income inequality or
anything along those lines, but you have to wonder why the men’s team has struggled
so much. I chalk it up to a combination of soccer not being our number one
sport, and the lack of dedicated academy programs like those in Europe and
South America. Our best athletes don’t typically play soccer, and even the ones
who have potential still go to school and don’t play a sport as a full time
job. Beyond that, our top players have historically competed in Major League
Soccer, which displays a fraction of the talent European leagues maintain. Fortunately,
these practices are dwindling.
Some
outstanding American athletes start playing soccer at a young age and then find
their way into European club academies. These athletes are now becoming
integral players on some of the most competitive teams. Weston McKinnie, Tyler
Adams, Sergino Dest, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Giovanni Reyna, and many
more young Americans are competing in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and the English
Premier League. These kids are good; they are full of energy, skill, and fight,
and I cannot wait to see them all play together on the national stage. While
kids in America can and should still look up to some of the players we highlight
across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, young American kids should start watching
these soccer players in the same way. And don’t be surprised when the USMNT
wins more games than usual over the next few years, because those of us that
watch the sport between World Cups know just how good these young American
players are going to be.
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