The State of United States Soccer

The sport of soccer in the United States is a very complex one right now. It seems that the American population is gaining more interest and perspective into the sport, yet it is still not one of the top tier sports in America. Most Americans would rather watch football, baseball, basketball, and maybe even hockey before they watch soccer. I am not sure whether this is due to the pace of the game, the lack of soccer superstars that stay to play in America, or just the lack of knowledge of the rules of the game.

People in the United States have some of the greatest pride for their country when it comes to competing against the rest of the world, whether it be in the Olympics or the World Cup. These two competitions get the most media coverage and the hype around U.S. soccer soars while these tournaments are going on. But once these two events end, the sport of soccer in the United States takes its spot back on the back burner of American sports, whereas European soccer fans continue to support their teams and are crazier than any American sports fan about their soccer teams. Many of the people in American society, sports fans or not, could not name an American soccer player besides Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, or Tim Howard. Whereas, other sports stars get plenty of hype and media coverage on a daily basis, soccer stars go unnoticed. Many children in the United States start out playing soccer, but seeing baseball, basketball, and football stars on television makes them want to play these sports in hopes of being that athlete that they see some day.The ones that are lucky enough to play on an elite level want to be appreciated for what they do. This fact causes these American born soccer stars to skip playing in the MLS and head for Europe where the money and appreciation for the sport is much better. This causes the MLS to struggle and not get the media coverage needed to improve its standing in a very competitive American sports society.

Part of the lack of interest could be due to the lack of knowledge of the rules of soccer and that the game play seems slow to spectators compared to sports like basketball and American football. If you took a poll about the offsides rule in soccer, many people would not be able to give you a straight answer to what it entails. Soccer seems like a slow game, but the truth is that if you know what is going on it can be one of the most beautiful and fluent games in the world. It takes extreme skill and even more physical ability to play the game. The players have to be able to run long distances, as well as be able to sprint when the game calls for it for 45 minutes for two halves. Being able to do what many of these athletes do with their feet while controlling a ball is mind-blowing. It may not look like much, but if you ever question it, go get a soccer ball and try to replicate what they are doing.

So next time you see soccer on television, whether it be MLS, European, or International soccer, don't change the channel. Give the sport a chance and learn about it. It is very fun to watch and is very addicting once you know what is going on. Let's begin to change the American view on the sport of soccer, and in return we will be able to put the United States closer to the top of the elite teams in the world.