Anyone who has been aware of soccer in America may find it ironic the recent rise of the sport. Yes, people have actually got hooked on the sport and it hasn’t been long.
THE USMNT has struggled in the past few years, being a loss to the Trinidad and Tobago in 2017 which made sure that the Stars and Stripes will not pass for the 018 World Cup. This was the first time since the United States failed to qualify the tournament. The Americans also didn’t appear at the Olympics this year.
It is expected that Pulistic will lead his countrymen to amazing things in the 2022 World Cup. This has created a sense of hope, enthusiasm and positivity amongst the youth. The football hungry Americans now want their young players and the experienced ones to show them some drama. A match between Manchester United vs. Real Madrid in Michigan was seen by 109,000 people. The game had a record set for the stadium for a soccer match in the USA. This showcases the hunger Americans have for soccer.
Though these game may not mean a lot in the long term, but for Americans, it is more like a once in a lifetime opportunity to see their favourite players in their own land. It literally becomes a great experience of their life which is likely to stick with them forever.
Though the United States Men’s National Soccer Team didn’t qualify for the Olympics for the third time in a row, it was kind of an embarrassing for Tobago and Trinidad as it slashed their hopes of FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification.
But the slow development has started to pay off. A lot of players are seen playing at the highest levels in EU. Even after average play and poorly failing to quality for the largest tournaments, the USMNT is now being recognized globally.
The United States beat Mexico two times to win two cups this year
Mexico has been the top dog, off lately, but things have for America too. The US beat Mexico and won the Concacaf Gold Cup. Even though the top players were back with their desired European clubs to prepare for their periodic seasons, but still the Gold Cup Squad decked with US B team won the match.
The mens soccer ball match was loved by the fans. The win was celebrated and it continued in the second match of the Concacaf Nation’s League Tournament. The match was one of the most amazing matches played by the US when Christian Pulisic transformed a penalty kick in the eleventh minute. While Ethan Horvath, the backup keeper was called on because of the injury, he saved a penalty in the stoppage time’s fourth minute during the 2nd period of additional time. It was literally one of the most incredible nights that put US men’s soccer balls gaming back on the track.
The best team of USMNT was brought and it came back with too many appreciations and accolades. In reality, a Nation’s League Championship isn’t a big deal to most nations but to the US team, well for sure!
Did soccer in the United States got a boost from women?
Well, the answer is yes! The USWNT won the World Cup four times. The US women’s national soccer team won from Netherlands 2-0, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the final delivered 14,271,000 viewers across streaming services, making it the most watched match in USA. All through the tournament, FOX Sports gathered 1 billion minutes of FIFA Women’s World CUP virtual content seen on FOX platforms.
The popularity is on a spree
7% of Americans marked soccer as their favourite sport and 9% chose baseball. The sport is gaining traction. One of the major reasons why more and more Americans are into watching soccer is because of their rise in the number of broadcasting networks. The ability to see your favourite clubs, tournament and leagues create an urging interest in the game.
Growing among kids
Soccer has been the favourite sport amongst kids for the past few years. The suburban soccer mom who driver her kids to practice has become quite common in the American lifestyle. Kids love to play with their mom’s women’s soccer balls and practice with them. In fact, more American teenagers have started playing soccer than ever fore and the number reached an all-time high in 2019-20, before the pandemic hit the earth. This magnificent bunch of young talent promises better growth and prospective success in the coming years. According to Gallup poll, the love for the sport has tripled in the past 10 years and currently soccer is the third most played sports in the US.
So, with men’s soccer gaining so much interest the demand for soccer balls and training continues to flourish.