The United States is a powerhouse when it comes to most sports. The nation is almost unrivaled in basketball and football, and Americans consistently experience victory in hockey, baseball and most Olympic games. When it comes to the world’s favorite sport, however, the United States is subpar at best.
With the World Cup soon approaching and the U.S. as one of the host countries alongside Canada and Mexico, hopes are high for the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT). Currently ranked 16th globally according to FIFA, the USMNT’s chances of winning the tournament, let alone making it out of the group stage, are slim. Furthermore, in recent friendly fixtures preparing for the tournament, the U.S. suffered embarrassing losses to Belgium (2–5) and Portugal (0–2).
Why does a nation so large, populous, wealthy and athletically dominant consistently lose in international soccer? The answer is simple: For decades, men’s soccer has been secondary to other sports in the U.S., leaving the country behind other nations and still working to catch up. However, recent development efforts have shown clear signs of progress. From 1954 to 1986, the USMNT had never even qualified for the World Cup. Since then, they have qualified on nine of the last ten occasions. The national team has also made it out of the group stage numerous times, but never past the round of 16.
This upward trajectory is largely thanks to the increased participation in “the beautiful game” among the youth. Historically, football has dominated as the main fall sport in the U.S., but because of the extreme toll it takes on a player, both physically and mentally, soccer has gained traction. The U.S. has also adopted the academy system for young soccer players, following the European model. The academy system is intense, making soccer the most important thing in these young players’ lives, but it is effective in producing high-level players.
For years, the excuse for the weak play of the USMNT has been that the U.S.’s best athletes don’t play soccer. But with rising participation and an established academy system driving player development, what argument remains? Still, the process needs time. The expectations of making it past the round of 16 this year are not realistic or fair. In 2018, the team didn’t qualify. That was only two World Cup cycles ago, so while the squad features players competing in Europe’s top five leagues like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Chris Richards and Tyler Adams, even just making it out of the group stage should be viewed as a successful tournament.
“Why does a nation so large, populous, wealthy and athletically dominant consistently lose in international soccer?”
In the years to come, expectations should rise, and the U.S. will be able to meet them. At the academy level, which includes high school-aged players, U.S. teams like Philadelphia Union and Real Salt Lake have recorded wins against major European clubs. It’s only a matter of time for these results to translate onto the big stage in competitions like the World Cup. In 2026, however, you can’t expect that much from the Men’s National Team.
The U.S. women, on the other hand, are the most successful country of all time with four World Cup victories. Without having to compete with football for youth participation, soccer has been the biggest sport among girls in the nation for years. The high participation and intense competition for women’s soccer should be viewed as the blueprint for the men’s game. While it will be difficult for the men’s team to match the international achievements of the women’s team, they should still experience success in the future.
This summer, the U.S. is slotted in a favorable group. Their competition is Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, which are ranked 40th, 27th and 22nd, respectively. This relatively less competitive group should propel the U.S. into the knockout rounds. The USMNT could go undefeated in the group, finishing 2–0–1. After the group stage, the tournament gets extremely difficult. A round of 16 victory is possible for the U.S. but not expected. A single victory in the knockout rounds would signal a successful tournament for the United States. Anything more is playing with house money.
