I think that the main reason why the U.S didn’t win this year’s World Cup was arrogance. Mostly there was too little respect for the other teams. I come to that conclusion based on some of the U.S player’s comments like “ we are going to beat them all anyway”” (Mac Millan) and some Wold Cup commercial slogans like “watch history repeat itself.” Basic respect for the opponents is important in any sport!
After beating a lackluster Norway, I think their overconfidence got fuelled even further. But I dunno, because they seemed to have a different attitude towards the German team because the Germans had played really well and physically they could match the Americans.
I think bayern1 has hit on a critical element here. There has been an elitest attitude with the uswnt. The semis in Sweden, when Norway beat USA 1-0, the Norwegians did their snake victory crawl. I've seen many quotes by American players about how offended they were by the victory celebration. The show is all about the Americans, look at me, the idea that other teams dare celebrate a significant win, was scandalous. So, this pedestal, the idea of a special place above other countries had crept into the psyche of the American team. It's the idea that USA is superior. In many ways elite level players need it to succeed. But it does grow into the idea of arrogance. And globally, many americans are looked at as being far to arrognat in many areas. Having humility, and understanding ones place is a grander world.... well, many americans don't believe in it.. So this hubris, can be a gift, and a curse too.
uggh let's try to keep the politics out of it. I'm not American, and often I too feel the pressure of their policies or even just the people but I don't think football is the place for it. I think in part, their arrogance of sorts was quite natural because for a long stretch of a few years, they just seemed absolutely unbeatable. In many ways, all really strong teams have it. Man Utd and Arsenal, in fact are very arrogant. The Italian national team is quite arrogant and so are their clubs to the point where they have little or no sportsmanship. I think after cruising past so many teams and not having actually gone a goal down first in a very long time, they just couldn't rise to the occasion. Take into account also the Italy-USA womens friendly after the Womens World Cup. The Italians scored first, and the USA team struggled the whole match. And Italy didn't even make the WWC.