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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s no one’s “fault.”   It’s the culture.  The US simply doesn’t have the pervasive soccer culture that other countries do.   I often wonder how the landscape might look if Soccer were the primary sport in this country, over football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.

Unfortunately, it just isn’t. [/quote]

The US does not have a "pervasive" soccer culture, but it does have millions of people who are passionate about the game.  The problem is that the USSF has failed miserably in its mission to advance soccer in this country, the latest coaching hire being an ample proof of that. [/quote]

Unfortunately, millions of passionate fans doesn't equate to the best available talent choosing to play soccer over the population at large.   The best athletes in this country still choose other sports.  A cultural/social construct.  It's not to say that all the best athletes are in other sports, but disproportionately this is the case.   It's not just about physical brawn either; the same physical attributes that help this population set do well in other sports would help them do well in soccer, including mental processing quickness, reaction time, and superior motor control mapping and skill, to go along with the strength and speed needed to physically perform.  That creme de la creme talent disproportionately goes to other sports in this country.

US Soccer can't fix that problem.  It's cultural. [/quote]

How much of a population do you need to play soccer to be successful?  Croatia has only 4 million in total population and made it to the final of the WC.   Also, do we fail because other nations field more athletic teams and overwhelm us physically (because our best athletes play other sports) or do we fail because we are inferior technically and tactically?  I just don't buy the argument that we fail because our best athletes play other sports.   Usain Bolt is faster than anyone in NFL, MLB, or NBA, but he was not able to make it as a professional soccer player despite several tryouts.  At the same time, Modric, who is not particularly athletic, won the best player award in soccer last year.    [/quote]

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