World Cup 2026

[Rubashov]

I'd like to hear what people think as to why the USMNT sucks so badly. The recent 4-0 thrashing by Switzerland is just the latest in a decades long string of disappointments, the nadir of which was failure to even manufacture a tie with Trinidad & Tobago (surely, one of the world's least distinguished football/soccer countries) back in 2017 to qualify for the World Cup. The US competes in perhaps the world's weakest football confederations (CONCACAF) but still struggles to qualify each qualification cycle. It can't beat good teams with consistency and consistently loses to marginal teams (e.g., Honduras). For years we heard it's because the men weren't playing in the top European leagues, but now they are, and they still suck. We were better and more competitive when we were MLS-centric.

It's good that the US is hosting the WC this year, giving us an automatic qualification. Otherwise, I think that there are quite good odds we would not qualify.

It's an embarrassment. There's got to be some explanation, perhaps cultural, perhaps talent, perhaps both, or perhaps other factors. But, there's definitely something going on there. Any ideas?

I had hoped and prayed the USMNT would hire Klinsmann, but I though Pochettino might be a nice consolation prize. But apparently not.

I don't mean to highjack this thread. I tried to create my own, but it appears I lack credentials on this site to do so.(Not sure why that's the case.) I'm hoping people here have some views and insights on this, because, frankly, I'm baffled.

If someone else wants to start a separate thread on this, please do.

I actually had the US as a smoky for the tournament, or at least to make a very deep run. Pochettino is an excellent manager, the US squad on paper should be deep, there is a heap of talent, a stack of players are playing and playing well in Europe, The MLS is one of the better leagues outside of Europe, there really is a lot of positives for the US team.

That said they have been terrible, I mean really awful and its hard to work out why. It could be the lack of competitive football, too many friendlies can be an issue, teams can end up with a kind of torpor and get caught out against match hardened teams. The French experienced this heading into the 2002 World Cup, I think at the time they were world and European Champions so had automatic qualifying to both the WC and Euro Championship, Outside of those two tournaments they hadn't played a competitive game in 6 years heading into the 2002 WC and they were properly awful.

 

[Rubashov]

Answer is super easy. For men in the US soccer (football) is like the 4th or 5th most popular sport to play in the US. In pretty much every other country soccer is the #1 most popular sport to play.

Is it 4th or 5th in participation? I believe for kids under 14 its number 1 in Australia, its the only football code that is played nationally. (Rugby is played in NSW and Queensland, AFL everywhere else.) Commercially the A-league is probably 4th or 5th in professional leagues in Australia.

The bottom line is sporting codes are generally competing for a limited pool of athletes, sportsmen are regularly choosing one sport over another, between say cricket or football, AFL or basketball, and so on. Im sure its the same in the US

 

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

I actually had the US as a smoky for the tournament, or at least to make a very deep run. Pochettino is an excellent manager, the US squad on paper should be deep, there is a heap of talent, a stack of players are playing and playing well in Europe, The MLS is one of the better leagues outside of Europe, there really is a lot of positives for the US team.

That said they have been terrible, I mean really awful and its hard to work out why. It could be the lack of competitive football, too many friendlies can be an issue, teams can end up with a kind of torpor and get caught out against match hardened teams. The French experienced this heading into the 2002 World Cup, I think at the time they were world and European Champions so had automatic qualifying to both the WC and Euro Championship, Outside of those two tournaments they hadn't played a competitive game in 6 years heading into the 2002 WC and they were properly awful.

It seems to me that there is some kind of nebulous cultural rot where it comes to the USMNT. I can't specifically identify it, I can't explain it, but the entire endeavor seems to be infused with a deeply embedded losing culture that infects anyone associated with it. I don't expect WC trophies, but I do expect consistently thrashing third-rate footballing countries like Honduras, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, etc., and I do expect not to be thrashed in turn by solid but unremarkable footballing countries like Switzerland.

I used to be really into the USMNT, hanging on every game and outcome, but now I'm to the point where I almost don't care. It's been that bad. I much prefer to watch the USWNT; they put on a better show and are much more fun to root for and actually win.

I miss the days of Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, etc. They at least competed and were fun to watch and root for. The current manifestation of the USMNT is just misery all around.

 

[Rubashov]

It seems to me that there is some kind of nebulous cultural rot where it comes to the USMNT. I can't specifically identify it, I can't explain it, but the entire endeavor seems to be infused with a deeply embedded losing culture that infects anyone associated with it. I don't expect WC trophies, but I do expect consistently thrashing third-rate footballing countries like Honduras, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, etc., and I do expect not to be thrashed in turn by solid but unremarkable footballing countries like Switzerland.

I used to be really into the USMNT, hanging on every game and outcome, but now I'm to the point where I almost don't care. It's been that bad. I much prefer to watch the USWNT; they put on a better show and are much more fun to root for and actually win.

I miss the days of Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, etc. They at least competed and were fun to watch and root for. The current manifestation of the USMNT is just misery all around.

Honduras and Jamaica aren't that bad, Jamaica has a heap of English born players with Jamaican heritage. I just had a look at the US squad for the last match and its not even a B team its more of a C team.

Pulisic and Reyna are seriously good players, and any team that can have CCV and Trusty paired at the back should not be conceding goals for fun. (I'm pretty sure I saw Noahkai Banks play a couple of games this year and he looked pretty good too)

Its too late in the game to switch mangers but these guys need to start showing a bit of self belief and pride in the jersey.

Like in terms of talent the US is streets ahead of Australia, and should be much more highly regarded but our group plays together and fights for the jersey.



Like this is what it means to the guys.

 

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

Honduras and Jamaica aren't that bad, Jamaica has a heap of English born players with Jamaican heritage. I just had a look at the US squad for the last match and its not even a B team its more of a C team.

Pulisic and Reyna are seriously good players, and any team that can have CCV and Trusty paired at the back should not be conceding goals for fun. (I'm pretty sure I saw Noahkai Banks play a couple of games this year and he looked pretty good too)

Its too late in the game to switch mangers but this guys need to start showing a bit of self belief and pride in the jersey.

Like in terms of talent the US should be much more highly regarded than ours but the group plays together and fights for the jersey.



Like this is what it means to the guys.

I'm not saying they're bad, but they're not the type of teams that worry the likes of Germany, Argentina, England, etc.

If they were celebrities, they'd be showing up on Password, $1,000,000 Pyramid, or other game shows rather than starring in blockbusters or Oscar-worthy films. We should be thrashing these teams. The USMNT seems to frequently play down to their opponents but rarely plays up to them.

 

[Rubashov]

I'm not saying they're bad, but they're not the type of teams that worry the likes of Germany, Argentina, England, etc.

If they were celebrities, they'd be showing up on Password, $1,000,000 Pyramid, or other game shows rather than starring in blockbusters or Oscar-worthy films. We should be thrashing these teams. The USMNT seems to frequently play down to their opponents but rarely plays up to them.

The US has enough talent to worry the top teams if they play well. An Australian team with a whole lot less talent at their disposal than the US team nearly took eventual champion Argentina to extra time in the last World Cup.



17 year old Garang Kuol nearly levelled it all with the last kick of the game. The highlights don't really show how hard we pressed them in the last 30 minutes but we were far from disgraced. Im pretty sure nobody in that squad was playing champions league football. (maybe Aaron Mooy at Celtic) and we maybe had one player in the worlds top 5 leagues but we still pressed the world champions to the end.

 

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

The US has enough talent to worry the top teams if they play well. An Australian team with a whole lot less talent at their disposal than the US team nearly took eventual champion Argentina to extra time in the last World Cup.



17 year old Garang Kuol nearly levelled it all with the last kick of the game. The highlights don't really show how hard we pressed them in the last 30 minutes but we were far from disgraced. Im pretty sure nobody in that squad was playing champions league football. (maybe Aaron Mooy at Celtic) and we maybe had one player in the worlds top 5 leagues but we still pressed the world champions to the end.

Well, on the positive side, the UNMNT finally has decent kits. At least they can lose in style.

 

[Rubashov]

I reckon that looks better

I had one of these as a kid but i think it was a training top not the jersey

it had back and grey stripes on the back and a red front, it was cool as ****.

 

[fishonjazz]

It seems to me that there is some kind of nebulous cultural rot where it comes to the USMNT. I can't specifically identify it, I can't explain it, but the entire endeavor seems to be infused with a deeply embedded losing culture that infects anyone associated with it. I don't expect WC trophies, but I do expect consistently thrashing third-rate footballing countries like Honduras, Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, etc., and I do expect not to be thrashed in turn by solid but unremarkable footballing countries like Switzerland.

I used to be really into the USMNT, hanging on every game and outcome, but now I'm to the point where I almost don't care. It's been that bad. I much prefer to watch the USWNT; they put on a better show and are much more fun to root for and actually win.

I miss the days of Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, etc. They at least competed and were fun to watch and root for. The current manifestation of the USMNT is just misery all around.

Who was the one with the dreadlocks? He had some nice dreads and I was always envious

 

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

Who was the one with the dreadlocks? He had some nice dreads and I was always envious

The was Kyle Beckerman who also played for RSL back when RSL was one of the top franchises in the MLS

 

[Miggs]

“**** off?”

That’s what the Asian Confederation should have said to Australia years ago.

How much did you have to pay off the top representatives?

Again, Australia is NOT an Asian country.. lol..

Are you saying Australia is taking the place of an actual Asian country?

 

[Rubashov]

Are you saying Australia is taking the place of an actual Asian country?

We are part of the Asian Confederation so we are an Asian country. Any other team in the confederation is welcome to beat us on the pitch.

As I've stated Israel competes as part of Europe, is Israel geographically in Europe?