USMNT Postscript

Belgium 4, USA 1

That kind of sucked.

And was also totally expected, given our nation’s history in the World Cup.

It was certainly one of the biggest examples of Ball Don’t Lie, karmic paybacks I can recall in sports.[1] Don’t need to say much more about that aspect of the game.

I’m also not going to spend much time on the horrific performance by the Americans’ back line, which we knew was an issue coming into the tournament and was responsible for the team’s weakest moments over the past month. I texted the guy who coached L’s soccer teams with me for several years and we agreed that the four sassy girls that anchored our defense eight years ago were more organized and communicated better than the US did last night.

Nope, rather the thing that struck me most as the Belgians methodically ripped apart the US was how much our opening game against Paraguay set unrealistic expectations for the rest of the tournament, making an understandable loss to Belgium feel like a surprise.[2]

After the US housed Paraguay 3–1 on June 12, we thought this team was destined for greatness. Quarterfinals at least, maybe even semifinals. Paraguay only gave up one goal in the run of play over their next four games, which made it seem like the US had done something historic in that opening round.

That was a legit offensive outburst, no diminishing it.

However what we missed was that Paraguay revamped both their formation and strategy after the US game to cover what had been exposed; we did not play against the same team that took out Germany and battled France deep into the game.

That Paraguay game also gave future opponents ideas on how to slow the US down. Australia did a little bit; the US was fully in control of that game but were much more contained. Türkiye definitely slowed the US attack, primarily by being physical.

Belgium flat beat us last night. They controlled possession, forced mistakes by the US defense, and lured our offense into attacking their defense where they wanted to be attacked rather than in their weak spots. Only another gorgeous Malik Tillman free kick gave the US any hope.

An embarrassing 4–1 loss feels like an unjust end. This US team was better than I expected them to be before the tournament began. They gave us a fun month. Yet once again we lost to a European power, even one that is past its prime, and it seems like our correct place in the soccer world. US fans had hoped playing at home would give the team a boost to get over this perpetual obstacle.

This wasn’t the right combination of talent to get over that hump, though. We have a few world class players, but no true game changers. We’ve been on this treadmill since the 1994 World Cup, thinking a nation our size can crank out high level players if we just put enough planning, money, and attention into the project.

Once again we will kick the can four years down the road and hope the next class of young players that cycles in can be difference makers. However, we may be destined to always remain in this same place: good enough to win a weak group and then maybe one knockout game (in the expanded tournament), but doomed to always come up short when we face a top 10–15 team.

Thirty years ago I really cared about where US soccer was headed. I monitored the young players in the system, tracked where our senior team players were signing in Europe, watched random games in weird summer tournaments. I remember talking all kinds of shit on haters on America Online soccer message boards after the US beat a pretty good Nigeria squad in the 1995 US Cup. Or staying up late that same summer to follow the score via Headline News as the US upset Argentina 3–0.

I don’t have near that level of interest in the national team anymore. I hope they do well, and support them. But these 30+ years of the same thing have dulled my enthusiasm and I’m more waiting for the inevitable fall than hoping for the occasional success. Does that make me the soccer equivalent of a Browns fan? That’s too much. Vikings fan?

In a weird way, many of the intentions of the early 1990s US soccer establishment have been met. The MLS gets decent crowds and is firmly established in the world hierarchy as a second-tier league. Soccer of all kinds is on TV all the time now. Go walk around anywhere where pre-teen kids are and you’ll see countless ones wearing soccer jerseys. Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mbappe, and stars from all the biggest English teams are represented. Haaland jerseys will be the next wave.

In 1994 ABC and ESPN were trying to explain the rules of the game to us, and why we should care about Roberto Baggio and Hristo Stoichkov were. Your average American was probably surprised that Pelé wasn’t still on Brazil’s squad. Now Messi is doing ads for Home Depot, and David Beckham has temporarily taken Peyton Manning’s place as the Former Athlete Who Appears In Too Many Commercials.[3] Go into any clothing retailer and there is some kind of USA Soccer or World Cup gear available.

And let’s not forget the women’s national team’s success and popularity in their World Cup years.

Soccer has indeed exploded in the US. Our men’s national team just hasn’t kept up with that wave. Maybe Spain/Portugal/Morocco 2030 will be the year they break through…