The United States and Soccer

HISTORY OF MENS SOCCER IN THE US:

Soccer has a long and complicated relationship with the United States. Soccer has been played in the US for over a century, and the US has been competing in international tournaments since at least the 1930s. However, soccer has often been seen as an "outsider" sport in the US, and has not always been as popular as other sports like football, baseball, and basketball.

The US men’s national soccer team has had success in recent decades, including hosting the World Cup in 1994 and a quarterfinal finish in 2002. This success has helped to fuel increased interest in soccer in the US, and the US now has one of the fastest-growing professional leagues in the world, Major League Soccer.

Overall, soccer has come a long way in the US in recent years, and it is now one of the most popular sports in the country. While there is still work to be done to make soccer as popular as other sports, the US is now slowly adopting soccer, and the future looks bright with one of the youngest rosters at the World Cup.

What were your thoughts on the US team coming into the World Cup?

We discovered that the expectations were extremely low for the USMNT. Several people we talked to expected us to get knocked out of the group stages. Others expected us to reach the round of 16 and felt that our young squad is extremely promising but coaching will let us down.

How do you feel about US soccer in general?

The US Soccer team exceeded expectations in the World Cup and put on an impressive show for the world to see. The team showed a tremendous amount of heart and determination, which is something that all US Soccer fans can be proud of. Although the team was ultimately unable to advance past the round of sixteen, their performance and growth over the past few years is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players, coaches, and staff. Hopefully this World Cup experience will help to inspire the next generation of US Soccer players to reach ever higher levels of success.

Are you still excited to follow the World Cup after the US loss?

We discovered that although some people will lose interest in the World Cup, they will still tune into the really big games to watch and keep up. We discovered that many still felt the outcome will be thrilling.

Alumni, Soccer Agent

"US Soccer is at a pivotal point both on and off the field. On the field, the US is finally proving itself to be competitive with countries that are historically the top nations for soccer. Off the field, the MLS and NWSL expansion plans, homegrown contracts and changing rules for TAM and Designated Player’s are creating space for soccer to grow and become a top 5 revenue sport in the United States."

Student, 4th Year

"In my lifetime I’d say I’ve seen the reputation of the game improve in the US. Growing up, no one really cared about football or the performance of Americans in the game.

Obviously it hasn’t reached the heights it has in Europe and South America. However, under the influence of the USWNT, Pulisic, Brendan Aaronson, and the youthful USMNT, the popularity of the game certainly seems to be growing."

Student, 4th Year

"I believe we invest a HUGE part of our athletic talents to other sports that are higher paying (baseball, basketball, and American football in particular). As the MLS grows, hopefully so will the pay and therefore the reputation and pull. I am almost certain that people like Kyler Murray, who was good enough to be drafted 1st round in two professional sports, could do a job.

Hopefully we perform well in 2026. A great performance that year could make a lot of our young athletes dream of the World Cup and of the beautiful game."

Sample Interviews

Here are two interviews that highlight differing perspectives from UVA students on excitement about the US national team at the World Cup.