‘The US is still not a top soccer country’

Henry Winter’s World Cup Diary, Day 24

Sign up for the World Cup

Kansas City
The guy in the Weston McKennie shirt let out a loud scream, there were a few cries of frustration around the tables, and the USA 94 “I was there” man finished his beer and got up to leave. As the final whistle blew on the USMNT’s World Cup dream with a crushing defeat against Belgium in Seattle, locals in a Kansas City bar went about their lives. Defeat didn’t seem so painful.

Flying back from rainy Mexico City to hot, humid KC with a brief change and acclimatization in Dallas felt like I was going to a different soccer world. Mexico is obsessed with football. Their loss in England was deeply felt by the Mexican people, even to their soul, to the marrow of their bones. A quick glance down a few rows in one area near where England were celebrating brought images of a woman on her knees crying, another bereaved supporter being comforted and a supporter just sitting there as if outraged by the trauma of another failed World Cup campaign.

These people love football and this latest loss was very painful. Their incredible performance in defeat, to the delight of England fans as seen on social media, did not hide their heartache. Mexicans care a lot El Tri.

The next night, back at my KC bar, the place quickly emptied in confirmation of the US defeat. Maybe it wasn’t as important to them as the Mexicans or they didn’t want to be associated with the shame. There was no investigation, it just disappeared in the night. Perhaps all the humiliating chaos of the Folarin Balogun reprieve fiasco dampened their joy. This was just one summary of the defeat response. It may have hit harder elsewhere. But the US is still not a top soccer country.

On the field, the USMNT looks like it’s still learning the game. It’s out of shape in Seattle. Their defense was poor and sloppy against Belgium, a good but not great team. Mistake after mistake, poor concentration, slow reaction, bad decision making, gong walkabout keeper. “We have to learn,” said Mauricio Pochettino. His side looked like a real team earlier in the tournament, starting with wins over Paraguay and Australia. But against the most important opposition, the US could not handle the Belgian machine or pressure. They are still a developing nation. MLS is still growing, the national team needs a better talent ID, and during the evening with several people who work in sports in the United States, they easily agree that something should be done about making training more accessible to the masses, and less wealthy communities. One of those in our group indicated that he pays $5,000 a year for his daughter’s training and membership. Until this is funded, and the talent stream broadened and deepened, the US will remain among those in the running.

⚽ ⚽

Mexico City
It’s amazing the people you meet in England. Waiting at the gate for the flight to Dallas and on to Kansas City, I met Chris Riggott, a former Derby County and Middlesbrough defender (where he partnered with Gareth Southgate). He has played 10 seasons in the Premier League and, even at the age of 45, looks worthy of inclusion. He settled in Nevada in 2013 and is now the director of MLS NEXT at Albion SC Las Vegas, working to develop the next generation of American talent. Also in the gate group was Gareth Ainsworth, the Gillingham coach back in pre-season training. He got a ticket behind the goal where the England players were celebrating and was still talking about the Azteca experience. I also met a healthy David Bentley, who scored the first goal at the new Wembley.

We talked again after which a colleague kindly reminded me of a piece I wrote saying that Sven-Goran Eriksson should build around David Bentley and not David Beckham. Luckily, Sven didn’t listen. Unfortunately, the internet never forgets.

⚽ ⚽

Speaking of Sven, I was leaving the media shuttle bus on my way back from Azteca and I passed a famous Swedish journalist on the way. He was making his trip from Mexico City so I didn’t want to disturb his train – or carriage – with a thought about England’s progress under Thomas Tuchel. “It all started with Sven,” I said as I passed. Eriksson’s legacy with England – three quarter-finals – has always been debated. But one thing he always campaigned for, and pushed forward with the clubs, was the need for a winter break. It is no coincidence that two of England’s best players out there, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, both compete in leagues with a great understanding of player welfare and a lot of work and have a winter break.

Check out Henry Winter’s entire World Cup Diary here