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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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5. American players aren’t going to where the best soccer is: Europe

While the best international teams in Europe also keep their players in their domestic leagues, the domestic leagues in Europe have developed into the best in the game. Nine of the last ten World Club Cups have been won by European clubs, five by Spain (Barcelona or Real Madrid), two by Italy (Inter and A.C. Milan) and one apiece by England (Manchester United) and Germany (Bayern Munich).

In the USMNTs latest 25-man roster, eight players play overseas. Eight. That means a third of the USMNT roster is playing against international competition at all, and three of them are only playing in Mexico. 17 American USMNT members play in MLS.

When European players stay home, they play the best competition in the world in their domestic competitions and in the UEFA Champions League, and anyone who doesn’t play in their home league plays in top-flight world-class European competition, usually England, Italy or France. On the other hand when Klinsmann told young American players that they should go and play in Europe, MLS threw a fit.

Europe is simply where the best soccer in the world has been for a long time. To keep players in the United States, where the infrastructure to develop international talent simply doesn’t exist right now, is a terrible way to build a national team that can compete, despite the fact that that’s what Arena seems to want to do. Build the infrastructure first, then encourage players to stay home.

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