Hey guys, sorry that this post is late. I just got back from Europe and wrote this without wifi. I hope you enjoy this, it is definitely a piece that I feel is important for this country going forward. Also, don't forget to tune in tomorrow as the U.S. plays a huge qualifying game versus Guatemala!
So I've been in Denmark for the last couple of days visiting my family. Growing up, I spend several months throughout my teenage years playing soccer in Denmark. Over the years I've started to think about it more and more. Why are they better at soccer than us?
This question is a tough one to think about. I mean, here in the United States, our athletes are world class. You take a look at the other sports, and no country can even compete. So one says, "well, the top athletes don't play soccer." Well, yeah maybe that is true, but you watch Americans playing versus the international counterparts, and it is never that they are beaten because they were not fit enough, or even too small. In a sport where the greatest player of all time is 5'7 and 148 pounds, that argument is tough to use as to why the United States is not a world class country for soccer.
Denmark, 1992
So, as I spend my time here in Denmark it becomes clear. Now let's get this straight, Denmark is not considered a soccer powerhouse by any means. They have won one European Championship in 1992 and that is it. They didn't even qualify for this summer's European Championships. But, that said, the country loves soccer. Soccer is all that is talked about. Soccer is always on TV. Soccer is a lifestyle for them. Now I think that plays a huge role in the reason that the Europeans are so much better at the game as a whole. You consider the passion, the time, and the societal acceptance and then it starts to make sense. When I was in high school, the times I went to practice in Denmark it was obvious. The kids and the coaches focused less on winning and way more on development. Did they want to win? Yeah, obviously they did, after all it is a sport. But the long term development was significantly more important. I think that if you look at the soccer development here it is drastically different. I get it, this is boring for those who don't play soccer or even follow the slightest bit. Yet this is what sets us apart from the top countries. The development style, which is changing, fails to focus on the skill that goes into soccer. Americans focus on the physical aspect of athletes a lot more than anywhere else. Like I mentioned earlier, Lionel Messi, who is 5'7, would have been overlooked by coaches and scouts in the U.S. Why? Not because he wasn't skilled, but because he wouldn't have been thought as someone who could compete with the best athletes. Rather, you look at how Messi developed, and you can tell that although he is inferior to many in terms of stature, he is beyond superior as to what he can do with the ball.
All in all, I think it is fair to say that the development in the United States MUST change in order to get to where this country can and should be. Although this idea seems extreme, it is already starting to take place. If fans here remain patient and start to develop an environment in which players can strive I truly believe that we could win the World Cup one day.
Here is a video of Messi and his magic with the great announcer Ray Hudson.
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