2026 World Cup thread

[Inky_Wretch]

3. Our most athletically talented kids tend to be diverted into sports which are more traditionally popular in the United States.

In a nation this large, we have enough to go around.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Where do other countries find their Messis, Kanes and Ronaldo's, though? I don't know anything about their backgrounds, but I doubt they were suddenly plucked from obscurity. I don't think scouts for Brazil's national and club teams are scouring pick up games in the favelas for talent. All of those guys had to be put in some sort of high end club program at a young age, right?

An Argentinian agent had spotted Messi playing for a team in his hometown and suggested him to the director of scouting for Barcelona FC when Messi was 13. He was signed shortly thereafter and began getting paid.

Kane was playing for a local team (free) and spotted by Tottenham at 11. They put him into their free academy and then signed him at 16.

Ronaldo was playing for his hometown team when a Sporting Lisbon scout saw him. He joined their free youth academy at 12.

None of them had to pay to play for some of the best youth soccer programs on the planet.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

An Argentinian agent had spotted Messi playing for a team in his hometown and suggested him to the director of scouting for Barcelona FC when Messi was 13. He was signed shortly thereafter and began getting paid.

Kane was playing for a local team (free) and spotted by Tottenham at 11. They put him into their free academy and then signed him at 16.

Ronaldo was playing for his hometown team when a Sporting Lisbon scout saw him. He joined their free youth academy at 12.

None of them had to pay to play for some of the best youth soccer programs on the planet.

Don't get me wrong. The youth sports cultures in other nations are sketchy as all get out. But there, the parents' biggest concerns are making sure nobody takes advantage of their child (some agents sign kids to deals where they get a cut of their lifetime earnings - on and off the field), not figuring out how to pay to join a team.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Some 2034 WC news. Might be pushed into 2035 to miss Ramadan.

https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/19/world-cup-2026/saudi-2034-schedule-2035-01004717

 

[Cosmo]

Take Joao Pedro, for instance. Was playing on youth teams in Brazil, Watford's scouting department finds him (actually, probably more Udinese since they're under the same ownership), and he ends up playing in the Championship as an 18-year-old, and he's in the PL with Brighton within three years.

American parents believe a college soccer scholarship is the pinnacle, when in reality, college soccer is pretty much worthless in the scheme of becoming an elite player on the world stage.

 

[MTM]

I'm kinda glad it's over though. If I see one more "European tries biscuits and gravy for the first time" Youtube video I'm gonna punch my monitor.

I'm kinda glad it's over because now there will be no more lame soccer-themed TV commercials from local car dealers and ambulance chasers.

One of the LA accident attorneys had an ad where it ended with him sliding on his knees as if he just scored a goal. So cringe, as the kids say.

 

[Spartan Squad]

2. Our kids don't play enough pickup games and/or short-sided games like indoor or futsal. Those situations are where you really learn skills and develop a first touch. Most importantly, it's where their creativity begins to develop and improve.

2(a) our kids who do play pick up games tend to be Hispanic and the good ones (who get priced out of travel teams and have connections in other countries) will head to places like Mexico to get trained up. The ones who can’t or don’t want to move out of the US, just mess around in local parks and never get found.

 

[HanSenSE]

2(a) our kids who do play pick up games tend to be Hispanic and the good ones (who get priced out of travel teams and have connections in other countries) will head to places like Mexico to get trained up. The ones who can’t or don’t want to move out of the US, just mess around in local parks and never get found.

I wonder if, in this era of play dates and overprotective parents, pickup games even take place any more? Or do they only play in organized settings, like rec leagues?

 

[UPChip]

Honestly, a big factor everyone always overlooks in this scenario is one of the simplest ones. None of the countries we're chasing have slowed down. You're chasing a target that is, for the most part, still moving.

 

[Spartan Squad]

I wonder if, in this era of play dates and overprotective parents, pickup games even take place any more? Or do they only play in organized settings, like rec leagues?

Depends on the families. But at my son’s school there’s a large Hispanic community. It’s a dual immersion school, so very few white kids. At their open house night, a group of young 20 somethings or younger who volunteer at the school had a pick up game going. A lot of my kiddos in my Title 1 middle school I taught at would plan their own get to the park and kick a ball day. I’m sure if you drive around the right neighborhoods, you’ll see kids in the park or streets playing a game.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Honestly, a big factor everyone always overlooks in this scenario is one of the simplest ones. None of the countries we're chasing have slowed down. You're chasing a target that is, for the most part, still moving.

I don’t think the US needs to worry about other countries meeting us half way. We have a regulator on our engine and the other countries don’t. Get that regulator off and the US could close the gap. Then if enough diamond in the roughs are found who can steer USMT better, the US can get pretty damn close. As it stands, Americans will forever have the regulator insisting it’s better for the engine and USMT will be nothing more than an also ran, never doing any better than competing with and occasionally Mexico or lower tier teams in other confederations.

 

[HanSenSE]

Depends on the families. But at my son’s school there’s a large Hispanic community. It’s a dual immersion school, so very few white kids. At their open house night, a group of young 20 somethings or younger who volunteer at the school had a pick up game going. A lot of my kiddos in my Title 1 middle school I taught at would plan their own get to the park and kick a ball day. I’m sure if you drive around the right neighborhoods, you’ll see kids in the park or streets playing a game.

That's exactly how someone explained Watsonville's success to me when I covered both teams during NorCals. The kids play all year.

 

[SixToe]

I wonder if, in this era of play dates and overprotective parents, pickup games even take place any more? Or do they only play in organized settings, like rec leagues?

I know several young couples, ages 27-40, who would cringe and immediately say "Of course not!" if you asked whether their children can go play in the yard by themselves or if they roam free for hours, like at a park with friends. By children I mean ages 8-13.

I hate to threadjack (but it prob will), but as a young teen before I could drive I'd be gone all day on my bike. Friend's houses, swimming pool, riding around, park to play football or whatever with friends. I lived in a small town but even so, bad stuff can happen.

 

[dixiehack]

Depends on the families. But at my son’s school there’s a large Hispanic community. It’s a dual immersion school, so very few white kids. At their open house night, a group of young 20 somethings or younger who volunteer at the school had a pick up game going. A lot of my kiddos in my Title 1 middle school I taught at would plan their own get to the park and kick a ball day. I’m sure if you drive around the right neighborhoods, you’ll see kids in the park or streets playing a game.

There is a Seventh Day Adventist church nearby that attracts a good number of Hispanic members. All it did was put a couple of goals up on the grass field next to the parking lot and it leads to several pickup games.

 

[Neutral Corner]

In a nation this large, we have enough to go around.

We should, sure. And when youth, high school, and college soccer pulls even a third as many of the elite athletic talents as football, baseball, and basketball, it will start to show. In the meantime, an elite athletic talent still tends to look elsewhere.

The number in this nation are vast, and eventually that day will probably come. This World Cup may be the start of some kids looking that way. We're just not close to it yet.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

I know several young couples, ages 27-40, who would cringe and immediately say "Of course not!" if you asked whether their children can go play in the yard by themselves or if they roam free for hours, like at a park with friends. By children I mean ages 8-13.

I hate to threadjack (but it prob will), but as a young teen before I could drive I'd be gone all day on my bike. Friend's houses, swimming pool, riding around, park to play football or whatever with friends. I lived in a small town but even so, bad stuff can happen.

I have an employee at work who only works part time because she has a daughter at home. She’s 12.

 

[UPChip]

I don’t think the US needs to worry about other countries meeting us half way. We have a regulator on our engine and the other countries don’t. Get that regulator off and the US could close the gap. Then if enough diamond in the roughs are found who can steer USMT better, the US can get pretty damn close. As it stands, Americans will forever have the regulator insisting it’s better for the engine and USMT will be nothing more than an also ran, never doing any better than competing with and occasionally Mexico or lower tier teams in other confederations.

True. I just think a lot of people view the fate of the USMNT as something entirely within their control, when it's actually quite far from that.

After all, Pele somewhat infamously declared in 1977 that an African team would win a World Cup by the end of the century. And though I think if you were to pit present-day Morocco (or even present-day Ghana or Cape Verde) against 1994 Brazil that the present-day team would do quite well. But present-day Brazil and France and such would probably wipe the floor with their historical counterparts.

There's no doubt that American soccer culture started several laps down. I'm not sure you could say they're on the 'lead lap' as of yet, but on the other hand, here is the entire list of countries that have qualified for the last 16 in each of the last two World Cups: USA, Brazil, England, France, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. I think a lot of people think the USMNT is the Central Michigan of world football, when in reality they're more like an N.C. State.

 

[Bubbler]

I'm kinda glad it's over because now there will be no more lame soccer-themed TV commercials from local car dealers and ambulance chasers.

One of the LA accident attorneys had an ad where it ended with him sliding on his knees as if he just scored a goal. So cringe, as the kids say.

Never forget.



It's blindingly obvious why, but I do think it's funny that this spot, which attempted to bury itself into the cerebral cortex of every breathing person in the United States for at least a month leading up to and during the World Cup, disappeared off the face of the Earth probably about a nanosecond after the end of the Belgium match.

No, Mike Eruzione, I don't believe in miracles and never did. I would love to re-shoot that ad and just have everyone in the bar, including Mike Eruzione, pile on the ****head who thought the USA would win the World Cup. It also wouldn't hurt to see the chick on top of the bus making out with some dude just slap him sometime around the moment Belgium scored its third. And replace the Elvis cover of "Impossible Dream" with "I'm So Bored With The USA" by the Clash.

Also, I would think the commercial viability of Christian Pulisic took on plenty of water at about the same time all of the above, fact and fantasy, took place.

 

[UNCGrad]

True. I just think a lot of people view the fate of the USMNT as something entirely within their control, when it's actually quite far from that.

After all, Pele somewhat infamously declared in 1977 that an African team would win a World Cup by the end of the century. And though I think if you were to pit present-day Morocco (or even present-day Ghana or Cape Verde) against 1994 Brazil that the present-day team would do quite well. But present-day Brazil and France and such would probably wipe the floor with their historical counterparts.

There's no doubt that American soccer culture started several laps down. I'm not sure you could say they're on the 'lead lap' as of yet, but on the other hand, here is the entire list of countries that have qualified for the last 16 in each of the last two World Cups: USA, Brazil, England, France, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. I think a lot of people think the USMNT is the Central Michigan of world football, when in reality they're more like an N.C. State.

Get in here, @Sam Mills 51...

 

[UPChip]

True. I just think a lot of people view the fate of the USMNT as something entirely within their control, when it's actually quite far from that.

After all, Pele somewhat infamously declared in 1977 that an African team would win a World Cup by the end of the century. And though I think if you were to pit present-day Morocco (or even present-day Ghana or Cape Verde) against 1994 Brazil that the present-day team would do quite well. But present-day Brazil and France and such would probably wipe the floor with their historical counterparts.

There's no doubt that American soccer culture started several laps down. I'm not sure you could say they're on the 'lead lap' as of yet, but on the other hand, here is the entire list of countries that have qualified for the last 16 in each of the last two World Cups: USA, Brazil, England, France, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. I think a lot of people think the USMNT is the Central Michigan of world football, when in reality they're more like an N.C. State.

Whoops, skipped Argentina. Please, no death threats.