Why have America never produced a world class football player ?

[The Trinity.]

I think one of the American posters will confirm it more than myself.

It’s growing. I think in America you need a nationwide superstar or a worldwide superstar to attach to.

Look at the likes of Tom Brady, LeBron, in the States you’ve got Trout, Kershaw, Judge who are massive in Baseball. Golf is Tiger, I think they got it right with Donovan and they milked it and they inspired a generation.

Pulisic etc, so it’s growing, I actually think outside of South America, USA had the most fans of any other team at the World Cup in 2014, so it’s got a very solid core, they just need to expand it.

It’ll be interesting, same as China how well they produce now it’s getting more popular.

I do agree with you. To a point. But american football has been talked up now for ages. Since Pele and George Best played there.
They as they say , are still not quite getting there. Baby steps. One step at a time.
A bit like us since 1995........

 

[riddick]

We have too many other sports. Imagine Lebron James as a footy player. Lad is 6'8", 275lbs. Would make VvD look like a child ffs. It's just that the focus of a lot of players has to be singled out at a young age to really train and take off in that sport.

There are a few players who have multiple sports before going to uni but, once there, they usually pick one and go with it.

Truthfully, I genuinely can't tell you the last time I saw a D1 school playing footy on any channel.

 

[Grinch]

Probably the same as why we don’t produce any baseball players.

Growing up in school they play American Football, Baseball, Basketball as the big three sports, then even Lacrosse is above “soccer”.

For example how many of you growing up dreamed of being a professional snooker player?

In the weird random states they probably don’t know soccer is a thing, just think it’s all about rodeo lol.

That said popularity is growing in last 4-5 years, players like Reyna and Pulisic are coming through.

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Baseball
4. Hockey
5. “Soccer”.

20 years they’ll have a load of talented players I reckon.

As you said perfectly. "Soccer" just isnt on the "popular" sports growing up. With an initiative for safety with american football, I can see loads of parents sending their kids to soccer as the alternative. Also funding. We are just getting around to funding proper stadiums, facilities, and equipment. 10-20 years we should see a turn. MLS is starting to produce talent but will never be considered a main league as long as they have a salary cap and no relegation.

 

[Westend Blue]

Football is one of the few sports where technique reigns supreme over athleiscm no good being athletic if you can't trap a bag of cement.

 

[RAFUH]

Conversely the young girls In the US play a lot of soccer in their schools//college system

Thank Title IX for that. Colleges/High schools have to treat female and male sports equally. To offset American football, schools had to add a lot of other sports for females (like footy) to even it out.

 

[SailorBlue]

They Have!!

 

[RAFUH]

Too busy shooting each other

You joke, but I have a friend living in Texas whose son is on his high schools competitive shooting team - rifles and skeet/trap.

 

[Nymzee]

Because they're terrible at soccer.

 

[Nymzee]

You joke, but I have a friend living in Texas whose son is on his high schools competitive shooting team - rifles and skeet/trap.

They even teach kids how to shoot in school over your spot? Crikey.

 

[Cool_Blue]

You mean other than Joe Max Moore?

 

[RAFUH]

They even teach kids how to shoot in school over your spot? Crikey.

Texas, so...

 

[KaiserEFC]

Loads of countries haven’t, they’re not particularly special in that respect

 

[USABlue]

Probably the same as why we don’t produce any baseball players.

Growing up in school they play American Football, Baseball, Basketball as the big three sports, then even Lacrosse is above “soccer”.

For example how many of you growing up dreamed of being a professional snooker player?

In the weird random states they probably don’t know soccer is a thing, just think it’s all about rodeo lol.

That said popularity is growing in last 4-5 years, players like Reyna and Pulisic are coming through.

1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Baseball
4. Hockey
5. “Soccer”.

20 years they’ll have a load of talented players I reckon.

athletics and golf also bigger than Football (soccer). So I've been told.
in fact I think you can also add boxing. The proverbial hungry kids go for boxing.
Then there's swimming and tennis.
Many sports before football.
I know this is a football forum but the same question could be asked about rugby. You would think that as America are good at the old American football that they could play rugby. But no. They cant.

I really dont think hockey, lacrosse or boxing is more popular here among youths growing up. Loads of American kids play soccer but our youth development system is terrible. Kids are either stuck playing in local rec leagues coached by players on the teams parents who volunteer and they only have a few practices a week. Or they play "select/travel soccer" to get better coaching and more practice but it costs thousands of dollars and can be hours of travel a day just for practice so many potential players are shut out of the system.

Even Zlatan knows our youth system is crap. It's a pay to play model which limits the player pool and our development is terrible and disjointed.

 

[tommye]

You joke, but I have a friend living in Texas whose son is on his high schools competitive shooting team - rifles and skeet/trap.

Vital life skillz them in the good ol' U S of A

 

[The Trinity.]

I really dont think hockey, lacrosse or boxing is more popular here among youths growing up. Loads of American kids play soccer but our youth development system is terrible. Kids are either stuck playing in local rec leagues coached by players on the teams parents who volunteer and they only have a few practices a week. Or they play "select/travel soccer" to get better coaching and more practice but it costs thousands of dollars and can be hours of travel a day just for practice so many potential players are shut out of the system.

Even Zlatan knows our youth system is crap.

I bow to your first hand knowledge.
Just one question.......do college's have soccer scholarships? They do for most sports. Even golf.
Not that that would make much of a difference anyhow. I suppose it's all about what sports people have been brought up with. What your national sport is.
And then having that raw natural talent to then succeed. As noted we in Britain just don't take to baseball....American football....basketball. We are useless.
America will get there.......I think.