First round of 16 World Cup | December 2, 2022
The US soccer players are still fighting for attention at home. Beating Iran was a start and the future looks bright anyway.
It takes a lot for American fans to get excited about their team, like these two ladies do.Photo: Keysteone, EPA, Martin Divisek
The bar in San Diego is packed for the USA vs England group game. The affix against the football stronghold and former colonial power is attracting some attention even in the country of the oval leather. With the 0-0 win, the US boys gain international respect. In the bar, however, no one is impressed. “Two hours for nothing,” grumbles a disappointed visitor. It sums up pretty well why football is struggling in the US. Often – compared to football, basketball or hockey – there are simply not enough spectacular things happening. And for cultivated boredom, the Americans already have baseball.
Hundreds of thousands of soccer moms
Soccer is a very popular leisure activity. In the lower and middle school it is the most played sport of all, the term “soccer mom” who drives her children to soccer is a dictum. As a TV sport, however, it leads a shadowy existence. In addition, the men are still in the shadow of the much more successful women. This is clearly reflected in the distribution of the premiums. Although Fifa pays out many times more prize money at the men’s World Cup, it is divided equally. Curious: The US women have already earned more at this year’s World Cup in Qatar than at their own World Cup title in 2019.
The Americans’ entry into the round of 16 can already be seen as a success, but now the US boys want more.Foto: Keystone, Ashley Landis
The players around Chelsea star Christian Pulisic can only change their shadowy existence through success. The 1-0 win over Iran grabbed the headlines more for political reasons, while a round of 16 win over the Netherlands on Saturday would make headlines for all the right reasons. In the group phase, the Americans impressed with their pace and willingness to run, but were only able to keep up the pace for just under an hour.
Mystery about Dortmund star Reyna
There are question marks about Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna. The former suffered a bruised pelvis when he scored the winning goal against Iran last time out. His mission against the Netherlands is on the brink. The even bigger mystery is 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund’s Reyna. Hyped before the tournament in a Fifa list as the third best player under 23 years of age, the spectacle maker has a difficult time with coach Gregg Berhalter. In the previous three games, he was only used nine minutes. Now his chance could beckon.
The US coach Gregg Berhalter relies primarily on young players. However, the use of his two top players Pulisic and Reyna is questionable.Photo: Keystone, EPA, Abedin Taherkenareh
The future looks rosy anyway: The term “boys” is perfect, because the Americans are the youngest team in Qatar. At the home World Cup in four years, they will be in the spotlight for once. There is also consolation for the disappointed bar visitor in San Diego: There will definitely be at least one goal on Saturday – at the latest in the penalty shoot-out.
