World Cup 2026

[Pakuni]

https://x.com/thesammahmood_/status/2074434672201785728?s=12

shout out tarragona/shoothoops

That would have been spot on two or three World Cups ago. I'm not so sure that's the case today.
The large majority of USMNT players didn't go to college, and most of those who did were there for 1-2 years.

There are structural problems in how we develop soccer talent. I just don't think that problem is "too many future pros are focused on college." There's been a pretty notable shift away from that over the last decade.

[The Sultan]

That would have been spot on two or three World Cups ago. I'm not so sure that's the case today.
The large majority of USMNT players didn't go to college, and most of those who did were there for 1-2 years.

There are structural problems in how we develop soccer talent. I just don't think that problem is "too many future pros are focused on college." There's been a pretty notable shift away from that over the last decade.

I don't think that's the point. I think the point is that a model that is set up primarily to get soccer players a college scholarship is not a great model for the development of the USMNT.

[panda]

That would have been spot on two or three World Cups ago. I'm not so sure that's the case today.
The large majority of USMNT players didn't go to college, and most of those who did were there for 1-2 years.

There are structural problems in how we develop soccer talent. I just don't think that problem is "too many future pros are focused on college." There's been a pretty notable shift away from that over the last decade.

7 of the 26 players on the WC roster played college soccer. That's crazy.

A large percentage of high achieving young American players play at a low level of competition compared to their peers who are playing professionally with men. If a higher yield of those players play pro right away, this will increase depth and increase the level of play domestically. It won't happen overnight, but getting rid of the college soccer path and matching what the rest of the world does is absolutely part of the puzzle.

[Pakuni]

7 of the 26 players on the WC roster played college soccer. That's crazy.

Actually 8, but only half of them spent more than two years in college. Two of those four are goalies, and another (Ream) is by far the oldest.
It's not a common development path any more for high-level American players.

A large percentage of high achieving young American players play at a low level of competition compared to their peers who are playing professionally with men. If a higher yield of those players play pro right away, this will increase depth and increase the level of play domestically. It won't happen overnight, but getting rid of the college soccer path and matching what the rest of the world does is absolutely part of the puzzle.

I don't really disagree, but good luck convincing fringe players (or their parents) to abandon opportunities to attend Stanford, UCLA, Harvard or Virginia so they can go play in a European academy where less than 1% of participants make it to the professional ranks. Most are going to find a degree from a top school more appealing than a puncher's chance at 10 years in League Two.

[Pakuni]

I don't think that's the point. I think the point is that a model that is set up primarily to get soccer players a college scholarship is not a great model for the development of the USMNT.

That's true, but ignores the reality that most future USMNT players abandon that model at a young age.
If you want to say that the system does a poor job of early identification of players who should develop outside that model, I agree! But the problem isn't that our best players are spending their key developmental years in college or on a college-focused track. Most of our best players are being yanked off that track in their early teens.

[panda]

That's true, but ignores the reality that most future USMNT players abandon that model at a young age.
If you want to say that the system does a poor job of early identification of players who should develop outside that model, I agree! But the problem isn't that our best players are spending their key developmental years in college or on a college-focused track. Most of our best players are being yanked off that track in their early teens.

Very theoretical - but what happens if our b and c level players start playing professionally right away rather than toiling in college? I think that only improves the depth of the program and may even allow for easier identification of players who may have been missed earlier on.

[JWags85]

Actually 8, but only half of them spent more than two years in college. Two of those four are goalies, and another (Ream) is by far the oldest.
It's not a common development path any more for high-level players.

I don't really disagree, but good luck convincing fringe players (or their parents) to abandon opportunities to attend Stanford, UCLA, Harvard or Virginia so they can go play in an academy where less than 1% of participants make it to the professional ranks.

I actually agree with both of you and the nuance between it is actually part of where the issue is.  The US has gotten better (it was a low bar) and identifying some top players and getting them into the MLS academy to Europe pipeline (sometimes with a MLS stint in their late teens).  But the rest of the system, outside of the top 1% percentage elite players is still focused on that college pipeline.  So what that does is eliminates late bloomers or good but not great players that develop a bit later.

There are a LOT of European players in D1/D2/D3 soccer programs in the US.  Nearly all of them were part of an academy program back in the UK/Europe, washed out as potential pros for their EPL/Championship/League One academy, and pivoted to playing college soccer in the US for the scholarship/education.  Which is backwards from the US where its all driving for D1 soccer and if you're truly otherworldly exceptional, maybe you get plucked out and placed on the academy to pro path.

The US has gotten to a place where it can produce a few top level European league talent guys each year.  The system still needs to develop where it can produce further waves of guys that can push them and so there is depth instead of relying on guys making leaps in their 20s when they finally have gotten good enough to step up a level.

[jesmu84]

https://x.com/thesammahmood_/status/2074434672201785728?s=12

shout out tarragona/shoothoops

We probably spend more money on youth soccer than almost any country in the world, yet the technical output does not match the investment.

Replace "youth soccer" with "healthcare" and there seems to be a theme going on here...