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USMNT World Cup failure: United States soccer had this coming

By Colton Wesley

COUVA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - OCTOBER 10: A contrast of emotions as captain Michael Bradley (C) of the United States mens national team reacts as Trinidad and Tobago pull of a win during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Trinidad and Tobago at the Ato Boldon Stadium on October 10, 2017 in Couva, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
COUVA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - OCTOBER 10: A contrast of emotions as captain Michael Bradley (C) of the United States mens national team reacts as Trinidad and Tobago pull of a win during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Trinidad and Tobago at the Ato Boldon Stadium on October 10, 2017 in Couva, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – JANUARY 13: A view of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft logo during the 2011 MLS SuperDraft on January 13, 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Ned Dishman/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – JANUARY 13: A view of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft logo during the 2011 MLS SuperDraft on January 13, 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Ned Dishman/Getty Images) /

4. MLS’s business model is bad for American international soccer

Most European leagues are pretty much a laissez-faire open market, dominated by a handful of big clubs, usually anywhere from two to six of them, with a couple of upstarts and mid-majors that occasionally make runs. MLS, on the other hand, controls its player market extremely closely and in the most convoluted fashion possible in an attempt to create parity, which maximizes revenue. It also puts so many restrictions on international players entering the US that MLS’ international players are mostly old stars well past their prime.

Parity is fine in the NFL and NBA because international competition either barely exists or isn’t usually that competitive. Parity is awful in MLS because it means that these players rarely get to play on the same team.

(Of course, parity also means more competitive teams and more revenue from teams that would otherwise be ignored. There seems to be a trend here regarding MLS, namely, that it values financial gain [or perhaps just solvency according to some] above making a better product, improving the national team or making soccer better in the United States)

Three USMNT members play for Sporting Kansas City, two play for Toronto FC and the other 12 in MLS play for 12 different clubs.

In Spain and Germany, most international players play in their domestic leagues, like MLS players do. 16 members of the Spanish national team play in La Liga. 13 German national team members play in their home league, the Bundesliga.

However, several members of those national teams play for the same clubs within those leagues, especially Real Madrid and Barcelona, which each boast a few Spanish national members, and Bayern Munich, who have six German national team members in the club. These opportunities to play on the same club team are extremely helpful for international teammates.

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