News: Bruce Arena says the United States will be in a position to win the World Cup by 2026

That would be interesting if they go to Libertadores and they use their B team...

 

Can't join when you're not invited.

 

I think a lot of us older guys are enjoying any media coverage about any soccer. Not to long ago there was zero coverage for zero leagues.

Like it or not EPL is a global brand and league, and NBC currently has a 6 year $166 million TV deal with the EPL. Ends in 2022

ESPN pays about $45 million per year for MLS and FOX pays about $30 million per year, while Univision pays about $15million per year. For a total of $90 million per year. Ends in 2022

EPL costs more for a reason. To me the more people that watch soccer the better. Even if they start watching the EPL... some of the people that start with the EPL will become fans of MLS too. This is how I started out.

USNT fan first... then EPL fan (because of US players playing in the EPL)... and now a MLS fan.

 

Sigh, still think that Bruce made a prediction that is impossible to foresee. That said, bit by bit the pieces seem to be gathering. EPB and Sargent seem to have Pulisic level possibilities. As in could play in a top ten team. If those two pan out and maybe add in a similar talent in midfield and goal then you have a spine that can really take you places in 2026.

 

2026 team.

GK: Horvath (30), Hamid (35), Garces (25)
Defenders: Xuxuh (24), Yedlin (32), Palmer-Brown (29), Carter-Vickers (28), Miazga (30), Brooks(33), Goslin(26), Bello (24)
Midfielders: Durkin(26), Adams(27), McKennie (27), Acosta(30), Carleton(25), Pulisic (27), Pomykal(26), Reyna(23)
Forwards: Wright (28), Sargent (26), de la Fuente(24)

Horvath
Xuxuh-EPB-CCV-Bello
Pulisic-McKennie-Acosta-Carleton
Wright-Sargent

I think that team might win the WC. We aren't there yet, but 2022 we should make improvements, and 2026 we should have a chance to win the WC.

 

The issue is not having EPL on tv, the issue is the news being all EPL and ignoring MLS...

 

He's probably noticing that in 2002 we were one bad call away from probably making the semi's, and in 2010 we were a bad starting lineup (and complete exhaustion) away from playing Uruguay for a right to make the semi's and in 2014 we were a borderline sitter blown by wondo away from making the quarters and playing France for the rights to go to the semi's.

Are we a legit top 8 team in the world? Nope. Top 16? Not right now. But, all it takes is a good draw and some breaks to end up in a position to be a game or two away from the final. In 2002 we were a bad call/non-call away from a very winnable game to make a final, in 2010 and 2014 we were essentially a break or two away from again making the quarters. It is telling, as many have said before, that we've gone from a team that got rolled in 1990, and somehow made it out of the group in '94, before getting no breaks and being rolled in '98, to a team that has advanced in 3 of the past 4 cycles, could have done so in 4 of 4 if not for a blown call, and largely been blown calls or legit opportunities away from making it deep into the tournaments in probably 3 of 4 cycles.

That's why I don't really agree with you. In 1994 Bulgaria and Sweden shocked the world in making a run to the semi's, in 1998 it was Croatia shocking the world, in 2002 it was South Korea, in 2006 (Euro hosted) Portugal was a bit of a surprise team and France was as well (because of the Brazil matchup) although both were powers (Portugal nearly winning the Euro's in '00 and '04 before finally doing it in '16 which a vastly inferior side to boot), and France while not it's '98/'00 self, was still solid), in 2010 Ghana was a particularly heinous, though genius, handball away from the final four, losing out to yet another surprise team Uruguay, making the final four, and in '14 Costa Rica lost out on making the semifinals because of PENALTIES (one would have thought their superiority in goal might have gotten them there, as well as Dutch inconsistency on penalties, but nope).

Over the past six cups, only one has kind of been free of surprises in the final four, hosts just about always advance (and tend to get cake draws), and of course a quick perusal of the US performance over the past four cups reveals a squad that has been as excruciatingly close to making it to the quarters or semi's as they were of being bounced in group play.

Winning it, is a stretch, but if we've been this close repeatedly, anythings possible, I think more reasonable is the idea that with breaks, and continued improvement, we are more than capable of making a run to the final four, but again, it would take plenty of breaks going our away, plenty of luck, a good draw, health, and continued strong development to take advantage of that kind of luck and those kinds of breaks.

 

I have to respectfully disagree with you. We have NEVER been close...

We have never been to the final....we have never been to the semi final....heck we have reached the quarter final only once in our history.

Do you know what being "close repeatedly" mean? Take a good look at Atletico Madrid under Simeone in the CL...that's being close..that is consistency...

You're basing all your hopes on good calls, favorable opponents, bouncing of the balls, and maybe perfect weather in order to win. That's not how you consistently put yourself in a position to win games/cups. Sure, on some days you get s**** calls or bounces, but you should be more than good enough to overcome them, and win. That's what going to make you a champion.

 

Last World Cup, we beat a strong Ghana team on a set piece, tie Portugal without Coentrao and Pepe, with Ronaldo injured, Germany was already qualified.

Not being pessimistic, just being realistic.

Look at the attitud of most people here;

Making excuses for the media forcing EPL and ignoring MLS, thinking participating in Libertadores is irrelevant...

You think we are going to win a World Cup with that mentality?

MLS is almost never in the American news... the more we ignore these things, the more time will take us to truly have a legit shot.

 

I was talking about the news. There was zero coverage in the recent past, including zero news coverage. The money and eyeballs are with the EPL. MLS has come a long way... But the mass market interest is not there yet. Sports news programs know this or they would show more MLS and less EPL.

If you want to blame someone for this blame the FIFA video game franchise.

Here is an example, I coach a rec league U8 team, and I gave the kids a homework assignment to watch at least 10 minutes of a real soccer game on TV. About 5 kids said they could watch FIFA video game version, I don't think they knew any real leagues exits besides the FIFA video game. I have actually never played, but I bet most of the best players and leagues are Euro teams.

 

Or you could have asked them to watch an MLS game, what MLS team they like, what MLS player they like...

 

I live in a state with no MLS team, most of them probably don't know what MLS is. As a rec league coach it's not my job to sell MLS... It's to promote the enjoyment of soccer. At this age I don't care what game or league they watch... Just watching any professional game will help them understand the game better.

 

I see nothing wrong with promoting MLS, is our duty as Americans...

 

You are missing the point. I am trying to teach and coach the kids to enjoy the game. If I was to promote any league it would be the NPSL. There are a few cities nearby with teams, but I don't care what league or team these kids watch... Just watching a game, any game, helps them understand the game better.

Also half the team never watched a game on TV but they know the euro leagues and teams by name because of the FIFA video game. I don't tell them to watch the EPL but they already know about the EPL with never even watching a game.

 

That's Hilarious...

 

FIFA, the video game: a major vehicle for soccer’s popularization in the United States

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/...1080/17430437.2016.1158473&journalCode=fcss20

 

MLS is now a national duty? That is most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It isn't American soccer, but a business. It is a business that over sells and under delivers. It is an entity that openly fought with the head of the USMNT, belittled the accomplishments of the USMNT, and made clear that their business was more important than the USMNT. They've fought to maintain their "monopoly" on the sport in the US which only slows the improvements of the sport in this country.

The quality of play is incredibly uneven, the tactics commonly used are at a very low level, and the refereeing is horrible leading to an over dependence on physical players and styles. I've "promoted" MLS before and don't think it has done a thing to help the their popularity and the game in general. I've taken people to games, but they have been down right boring for someone who enjoys the game, lee alone trying to turn someone on to the sport. I've heard 10 year old kids ask why the players can't pass the ball.

As a guy who thinks Yedlin was wasting time in a second division, I don't know how you can't realize how low the quality of play can be in MLS. New castle was a second division team, but DY had to fight for his position in 16/17, yet was a 90 min player in MLS in 2013. Apparently, these classifications don't mean a thing.

I'll support anything that helps grow the sport in the US, but think MLS has actually needs less promoting and continue to focus more on improving the product on the field. Bringing back to the thread title, if we are anywhere close by 2026, then there will be very few players on that team that don't have significant experience outside MLS.

 

EA FIFA is going to do for soccer in the USA what 1080* did for snowboarding: the actual numbers of professional players won't change, but everybody will be using the right lingo.

 

I wouldn't put it past Bruce to say something like he said just to get reporters to stop asking a stupid question. Doesn't hurt him in the slightest when it doesn't happen. He'll be retired more than likely.

These players all appear to have bright futures ahead of them. Most should have good to great careers in front of them and I'd imagine that a couple will be real stars on the World stage. But, win a World Cup?? I dunno.

Spain, Aregentina, Brazil, Germany, France and Italy could all likely put together 2 or 3 lists of players like this. All of those players will have better opportunities to play at the highest level because they have better access to teams that play at the highest levels.

I'd be very happy with witnessing us reach another quarterfinal, or dare say a semifinal in that time.

None of this even gets into the psychology of playing in matches of this magnitude. To my eye, we are much further from winning a WC than this and it's entirely OK. I hope to live to see it happen and would love for Bruce's prediction to surprise even him.

 

They know about EPL because our media has it everywhere... that makes my argument stronger...

 

Well, if you tell the kids MLS suck, they are obviously not going to watch it.

Yes, it's better for them to go to an NPSL game or a college game or sundays League game.

People like you are the reason why we suck at soccer, you trash MLS any time you have a chance.

That is not how you build a World champion culture.

 

Newcastle were a 2nd div club with 1st div players and wages. In terms of the coaches and players, Yedlin was on Prem team.

 

Most 8 year olds don't watch sports news shows. Unless you consider video games a media outlet.

 

Are are you calling me a second division poster? I find it hard to believe that people like me are holding back the sport in this country.

Isn't it MLS' job to appeal to soccer fans and kids? I'm not going from elementary school to elementary school to convince these kids to not be fans of MLS.

I think us soccer and MLS soccer would be much better off if we if we stopped making believe like we are further along than we are and dealt with the issues we have.