The Evolution of Football In The United States

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“In 1990, Team USA made a major breakthrough, qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Twenty-four years later, the Americans have become a CONCACAF power and have qualified for seven consecutive World Cups, an impressive achievement for any nation.” according to Forbes, solidifying proof of the evolution of soccer in the United States. The US have closed the gap of international success amongst international powerhouses and are a force to reckon with. Due to recent growth in United States Soccer, international teams should not underestimate or trivialize its development.

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The overall success of United States soccer, both men’s and women’s, can be found through increased opportunities for players, the importance of the US Women’s National Team, and the overall cost of soccer in America.

Alexi Lalas, retired United States Men’s National Team player, in response to the US failing to qualify for World Cup 2018 Russia, said, “So, what are you guys going to do? Are you going to continue to be a bunch of soft, underperforming, tattooed millionaires? You are a soccer generation that has been given everything; you are a soccer generation who is on the verge of squandering everything.

” (The Guardian). United States Men’s soccer and the opportunities given are only increasing, yet the results are not there. “In 1921 the country’s first pro soccer competition of note, the American Soccer League (ASL), was formed” sparking the popularity of soccer in the United States.” (McDuling). With popularity increasing, more clubs and development programs were established, the revenue began to climb.

Unfortunately, this was short lived due to the downfall of the ASL and “soccer basically fell off the map in the US for the next four decades.” (McDuling). For years to follow, several leagues were established, but deemed unsuccessful due to lack of interest, foreign players, and empty stadiums (McDuling). It took, debatably the greatest player of all time, Pelé, native of Brazil and three time World Cup winner, for soccer to regain relevance in the US (McDuling). According to McDuling, in 1975, Pelé came out of retirement to sign a huge contract with the New York Cosmos in the newly developed North American Soccer League (NASL).

Attraction to the sport of soccer exponentially increased and Pelé was the front face of the NASL. After a couple years, and with Pelé’s final retirement in 1977, just as leagues prior, in 1984 the NASL folded (McDuling). Following the NASL collapse, FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, took initiative and had the US host the 1994 World Cup. Participating countries battling to become champions gave the US a great taste of the sport of soccer. This World Cup was broadcasted nationally thus sparking the most influential kickstart to soccer in the US to date. Shortly after, Major League Soccer (MLS), was created and is still thriving today.

Upon reflecting about his first encounter with the US and soccer, Trinidad native, Coach Dwight Findley, said, “Soccer has changed greatly since my first time coming to the US. The MLS was not as vibrant when I first moved here so that has been a big change.” Findley, owner of Superb Soccer in Wilmington, further explained that, “Nowadays, younger players have an opportunity to look up to many more local soccer heroes in the US. There are more people seeming to really enjoy the game.” These American heroes and the popularity shift can be attributed to the US Women’s National Team and the success they have brought.

The kickoff of the first inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in China 1991 was a big deal and a positive jump for American soccer. The US went on to win the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in China. Due to lack of coverage and broadcasting, little to none credit was given to this 1991 women’s team (Wire). It was not until the 1999 World Cup United States where the US beat China in penalties after drawing 0-0 in regulation time that the US Women’s Team began to receive recognition and publicity. Brandi Chastain, a player on the US Women’s National Team, changed US soccer for the better. After scoring the final penalty kick and winning the 1999 World Cup, Chastain immediately took her shirt off. began to whirl it around while screaming joyously (Gee).

She then dropped to her knees for a second, screamed, flexed, stood back up, and began to celebrate with all her teammates (Gee). Not only was this huge for women’s soccer around the world, but also an eye opening experience; Chastain took her shirt off on national television. Up until this time, this was something only a man did. According to Gee of BBC World Service, “For Chastain, it opened people's eyes to women's football. ‘Women's soccer was not anonymous anymore - people were talking about it,’ she says.” Chastain did not regret anything, accepted some people would not take it well, and was happy for the victory and what this means to women’s soccer for the future (Gee). When reflecting on what she had just done, Chastain said, 'I had no idea that would be my reaction - it was truly genuine and it was insane and it was a relief and it was joy and it was gratitude all wrapped into one.'

Little girls and women all around the US and world saw this happen on TV, or later in magazines, and were inspired. If she could do this on national TV, why couldn’t they? Chastain’s responses had only helped spark the interest of the American public with responses as such: 'There’s something primal about sport that doesn't exist anywhere else - when you have a moment like scoring a winning goal in the World Cup championship, you are allowed to release this feeling, this emotion, this response that is not elicited anywhere else.' (Gee). When a heightened sense of awareness and publicity, comes the money factor.

In 2014 US Youth Soccer released a statement stating, “US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in the country, has reported a 9 percent increase in its membership over the past year — a figure the association believes is indicative of the growing interest in soccer across the United States.” Wherever the interest is, the money and investments will follow - profit is always being looked to be made. With the overall interest boost, the amount of money invested in the sport increased significantly.

Despite an increase in revenue, effects of such are not always beneficial to the general public. People and families of all incomes can be found in every single country across the world. Exploiting this, Rick Eckstein stated in his blog, “For the past six years I have been researching and writing about the commercialized youth sports industry, including a youth soccer system that excludes low-income and non suburban families from participating at the same rate as higher-income families.” Participants in youth soccer, both recreational and competitive, with incomes below $25,000 only account for a mere 13% of the youth soccer population (Eckstein). These numbers have to be higher in order to be more inclusive and to discover more talent.

The greater the population pool to pull from, the higher the chances are to find and produce high level players. Even with the growth over the years, the US national teams still miss out on a potential talent pool with excluding a fourth of the population. In order to see continual growth and sustainability, within both programs, it starts from including athletes from all socioeconomic statuses. In order to do this more scholarship programs and affordable opportunities must be created. How can a nation reach its maximum potential without including the entire population that wants to have a soccer ball at their feet?