FIFA World Cup 2026

[Phalanx]

Ha! The appeal by Belgium was ruled inadmissible for lack of standing. I thought that might happen, since Belgium was not the 'injured' party. Everyone got to see them trying to put their oar in though. Should add to the fun for tonight's match.

[OregonFan4Life]

Welp, the US got their butts kicked by Belgium, that have to be considered our World Cup nemesis.


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[UOducksTK1]

USA sucks at soccer

[bellsduck]

US looked like the Bad News Bears of soccer tonight.
Defense and goalkeeping were lackluster, slow, and looked they didn't even want to be there. Pulisic was just horrible. If he never puts on a US jersey again, I won't be heartbroken.

[bellsduck]

Argentina vs Spain
Argentina the whole tournament just looks like a team that turns it on and off at their leisure. When they need to put on the pressure and score a goal or two, then that's what they do.
Spain is a good team, but I'm giving the nod to Argentina in the final.

[greenyellow]

You could tell England was going to lose after they went into a defensive shell once they got their only goal. As everyone knows, prevent defense prevents you from winning, especially against the kind of late game offense Argentina throws at opponents.

[Phalanx]

Just watching bits of the last two matches, it's really easy to see why the U.S. can't compete. These last four teams breathe and move like one. They know what each other is going to do way before the do it. It helps to be athletic, but the advantage goes way beyond that. I think getting that good has to be cultural, which is something that will never happen in the U.S.

[UOducksTK1]

Spain’s D is so elite, and teams like France, Argentina, etc have such good attacking offensive players.

Ya usa wont ever compete. 2002 was their best chance an their quarterfinal game against Germany could have easily been 1-1 going into extra time if the handball on the goal line was called

[alxtw]

Just watching bits of the last two matches, it's really easy to see why the U.S. can't compete. These last four teams breathe and move like one. They know what each other is going to do way before the do it. It helps to be athletic, but the advantage goes way beyond that. I think getting that good has to be cultural, which is something that will never happen in the U.S.

It definitely is the culture and history of those countries. Soccer is by far the number 1 sport in those countries and what kids aspire to play professionally when they grow up. Soccer leagues are by far the top grossing sport leagues in many of those countries and its influence is like combining american football, basketball, and baseball all into one sport.

However, as a result of the recent local exposure of the WC in north america, I see more kids will be interested in soccer. Similar to how the dream teams brought basketball exposure to Europe and inspired kids in those countries to be interested basketball. I see the US men's team becoming better and making a quarter finals in the future. But it will take at least another decade or two...

[GrandpaDuck]

Regarding culture, the USA women are the most dominate team in the sport. The difference is in women's athletics in the US, soccer is a big 4 sport and their is no Football. Should soccer rise to that importance with US men it won't take decades for them to be more competitive because soccer players can become elite at a young age. Messi and Renaldo made their National teams at 18 years old for example. The kid on the Spanish team at 16. Spain and England's average player age is 26.

But even though you can make a 16 year old National team member you don't need to start from the crib. As we know from American little league baseball and youth football, dominance pre-pubescent does not necessarily translate to later. 13 and 14 is the incubation period for adult male elite athletes when their post pubescent body shape starts to take hold. There are 6 million boys in the US 12 and under playing Soccer getting the base feel for the game. Getting the ones who develop athletically to stick with soccer is what it will take. It has been happening with the US Women for decades now.