Would US pro soccer players cut it playing futbol in europe?

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,737
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pro soccer in us is treated slighty above womans basketball.

in europe, some soccer players make more than an entire us soccer team combined.

so can us players hack it in europe?
if so, why r they still here?
 
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Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
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Pro soccer in the US is expanding pretty rapidly. In general, MLS teams can't compete with, say, the English Premier League (yet), but could probably do alright in the Championship League.

Several US players have enjoyed success abroad. Dempsey and Bradley, for example, played in top flight leagues in Europe. They weren't really contenders for starting positions on the elite teams, like Arsenal or Barcelona, but they didn't suck either. They've both come back to the MLS with multi-million dollar contracts.
 
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andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
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who was the goalie for the US World Cup team, i think he is playing for Blackburn in England.
 

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
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Toronto has an MLS team but as far as I can tell, it's not very popular. The stadium is now looking for tax dollars to convert it to a multi-sport venue. Eff that.

Nobody cares about soccer here, which is why it will never be a success. Can't say I blame them. It's a mystery to me why it's so popular overseas. I guess because it's cheap to play, which is why so many kids get into it.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
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I think a few us players play in Europe. Didn't Landon Donovan play in Europe?
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
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Toronto has done poorly for years. Which is why during this last off season, the new owners spent absurd amounts of money for Michael Bradley, Jermain Defoe and other players. They're buying their competitiveness. We'll see how that turns out.

I guess they may not seem popular, but they did sell out of season tickets.
 
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velillen

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2006
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The MLS is a good start for soccer in the US. But it is also limiting it a bunch as well. They try to keep it equal for all but it hasnt really worked IMO. The limiting to 3 "designated players", salary caps, and the actual mls playoff scheme is meh. All you have ot do is finish better than half the other teams and you make the playoffs. I find the who is the best year long to be much more enjoyable as it actually gives meaning ot every game.

Theres some MLS players who could go overseas and do well. But again the MLS makes it hard. The MLS actually owns player contracts, not the individual teams.


But i enjoy it and its actually afford able to go to all the games. 16 bucks or so a seat 18 rows back....way better then the 200+ that would cost for a american football game
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
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They already have. Dempsey and Donavan both played for Tott Spurs/Fulham and Everton.

If playing in the worlds best football league is not enough, not sure what is.

Give it 5-10 more years and US will be football (soccer) superpower. Mark my words.

In the late 90s/early 2000s more kids were playing soccer than baseball in US. That generation is growing up now....league is growing, it's just a matter of time.

Also, clearly soccer interest in US are growing rapidly. I can tell simply by # of televised football programs over the years. I'm able to watch any and ALL English premier league games this year.

Demand is def growing.

MLS is no EPL, La Liga or Bundesliga but they are getting close. US def has a better league than countries like Poland/Sweden etc, so it's just a matter of time.
 

KMFJD

Lifer
Aug 11, 2005
31,037
47,819
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Toronto has an MLS team but as far as I can tell, it's not very popular. The stadium is now looking for tax dollars to convert it to a multi-sport venue. Eff that.

Nobody cares about soccer here, which is why it will never be a success. Can't say I blame them. It's a mystery to me why it's so popular overseas. I guess because it's cheap to play, which is why so many kids get into it.

You remember how it was during the last 2 Olympics when the Canadian Men's hockey team played in the gold medal game or vs the USA? It's the exact same thing for the rest of the world for soccer....It's not popular in Canada because they are really bad at it...
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,155
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...It's a mystery to me why it's so popular overseas. I guess because it's cheap to play, which is why so many kids get into it.

Its not rocket science. People just like the sports they grew up with.

Most sports have totally abstract and frankly ridiculous rules if you look at them dispassionately, but you just take for granted that the sports you are familiar with make more sense.

I'm not a fan of soccer particularly but its definitely got more of a flow to it than a lot of sports and when its played well it can be very entertaining to watch.
 

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
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Of course, also consider the talent pool the U.S. has for soccer players is vastly different than in Europe. In Europe, the talent pool for players is everyone. In the U.S., the talent pool is shrunk by those playing football, basketball, baseball as their primary sport. The pool of talent for those primarily playing soccer is much smaller.

I've always wondered how many athletes that end up playing the other sports would be exceptional soccer players? We'll probably never know because soccer isn't even treated as a second class sport here, more like the U.S.'s sporting world's retarted redheaded stepchild's bastard son.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
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Of course, also consider the talent pool the U.S. has for soccer players is vastly different than in Europe. In Europe, the talent pool for players is everyone. In the U.S., the talent pool is shrunk by those playing football, basketball, baseball as their primary sport. The pool of talent for those primarily playing soccer is much smaller.

I've always wondered how many athletes that end up playing the other sports would be exceptional soccer players? We'll probably never know because soccer isn't even treated as a second class sport here, more like the U.S.'s sporting world's retarted redheaded stepchild's bastard son.
There was an article a while back about how awesome the US team would be if they drew from the football and basketball talent pools. It was such a moronic article. For example, it put forth Ray Lewis as a potential star defensive midfielder. If only he had a different body type and if only he also had a natural aptitude towards kicking instead of tackling and if only he.. Kobe Bryant was put forth as a potential uber forward. Nevermind that there are only a handful of freakishly tall professional soccer players, but all Kobe would have to do would be to practice kicking it around a bit and he'd be awesome.

One of the biggest eye rolling articles I have ever read...
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
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It's not an unreasonable assertion. As mentioned, the talent pool of people who could be gifted soccer players is cut down by all the more lucrative pro sports the US enjoys currently. I'd guess a number of running backs, receivers and tight ends could have been great soccer players, without needing entirely different body types. Same with a number of baseball and hockey players, etc... I probably wouldn't think most linemen or pro basketball players possess the right body type to cut it in soccer.

The premise isn't off base that if the country's best athletes had grown up playing soccer and wanting to be pro soccer players, the US team would be an international powerhouse.
 

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
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I firmly believe the U.S. could have easily been the dominant power in soccer if the U.S. had embraced the sport as much as we have embraced football, basketball and baseball. But, given our economic prosperity compared to most other countries, it's not surprising the U.S. developed a host of sports other countries didn't.

It costs vastly more to play football, for instance, than soccer. All you need is a ball and a couple of net/goals for soccer, something even the poorest countries seem able to afford. But I doubt the poorer countries could foot the cost of baseball or basketball or football. Forget hockey......waaaay to expensive for any but the most wealthy of countries to afford.
 

Squeetard

Senior member
Nov 13, 2004
815
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....It's not popular in Canada because they are really bad at it...

It's not popular in Canada because they are all a bunch of prima donna cry babies who act like they have been shot, pepper sprayed and tasered every time someone comes within 3 feet of them.
 

yuchai

Senior member
Aug 24, 2004
980
2
76
Some US players have successfully broke into the first team of quality teams in Europe, as was mentioned by others.

Going abroad isn't always the best option even if you can, especially if it means that you're there to mostly warm the bench.
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
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They already have. Dempsey and Donavan both played for Tott Spurs/Fulham and Everton.

If playing in the worlds best football league is not enough, not sure what is.

Give it 5-10 more years and US will be football (soccer) superpower. Mark my words.

In the late 90s/early 2000s more kids were playing soccer than baseball in US. That generation is growing up now....league is growing, it's just a matter of time.

Also, clearly soccer interest in US are growing rapidly. I can tell simply by # of televised football programs over the years. I'm able to watch any and ALL English premier league games this year.

Demand is def growing.

MLS is no EPL, La Liga or Bundesliga but they are getting close. US def has a better league than countries like Poland/Sweden etc, so it's just a matter of time.

Good post though demand is growing in some markets the smaller markets will take a long time. It will take a Micheal Jordan-pele type american player to go big time.
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
The World Cup helps. Gives a jolt of popularity every 4 years. If we even get out of group this year, that would be amazing. Hosting another World Cup would be awesome...too bad FIFA is so fucking corrupt and gave 2022 to Qatar.
 

KMFJD

Lifer
Aug 11, 2005
31,037
47,819
136
It's not popular in Canada because they are all a bunch of prima donna cry babies who act like they have been shot, pepper sprayed and tasered every time someone comes within 3 feet of them.

Canadians are all a bunch of prima donna cry babies who act like they have been shot, pepper sprayed and tasered every time someone comes within 3 feet of them? Enough about the Leafs....
 

cyclohexane

Platinum Member
Feb 12, 2005
2,837
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They already have. Dempsey and Donavan both played for Tott Spurs/Fulham and Everton.

If playing in the worlds best football league is not enough, not sure what is.

Give it 5-10 more years and US will be football (soccer) superpower. Mark my words.

In the late 90s/early 2000s more kids were playing soccer than baseball in US. That generation is growing up now....league is growing, it's just a matter of time.

Also, clearly soccer interest in US are growing rapidly. I can tell simply by # of televised football programs over the years. I'm able to watch any and ALL English premier league games this year.

Demand is def growing.

MLS is no EPL, La Liga or Bundesliga but they are getting close. US def has a better league than countries like Poland/Sweden etc, so it's just a matter of time.

What are you smoking? The US will never be a soccer powerhouse. Sure, kids play soccer - up until middle school. Then if they are athletic at all, they go for football or basketball. A soccer game is too damn long, with few stoppages for tv commercials. Americans don't have the attention span for that.
 

Dman8777

Senior member
Mar 28, 2011
426
8
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Soccer has no corporate support in the US because sports there are about ad money. There aren't pauses every 2 minutes for a commercial break in a soccer game.
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
10
0
I firmly believe the U.S. could have easily been the dominant power in soccer if the U.S. had embraced the sport as much as we have embraced football, basketball and baseball. But, given our economic prosperity compared to most other countries, it's not surprising the U.S. developed a host of sports other countries didn't.

It costs vastly more to play football, for instance, than soccer. All you need is a ball and a couple of net/goals for soccer, something even the poorest countries seem able to afford. But I doubt the poorer countries could foot the cost of baseball or basketball or football. Forget hockey......waaaay to expensive for any but the most wealthy of countries to afford.

Corps/business HATE soccer, no commercial breaks/sponsorship is limited.

That is probably a bigger factor than anything else.

Clearly public loves soccer as many more kids are playing soccer > baseball.