U S M N T

Maybe our guys did better when they played high school and college soccer and were discovered through ODP? This team is no better than the one that lost to Trinidad and Tobago 2 years ago. We're so far behind Mexico and now even Canada.

It's a good thing we are considered a host and automatically get an allocated spot in the 2026 WC 

it’ll make the MLS owners richer. That’s what it’s all about, right?

I've heard it referred to as the US Men's "Nothing" Team 😁😁😁

I can't speak to the Men's Noting Team, but in the youth Nat'l Team ranks, I know of at least 3 families that have decided not to accept the invitation to join the Nat'l Team camps.  They pointed to the politics, lack of innovation, sub-par training and the time away from their club teams and in their mind the colossal waste of time and the preparation involved.  One family who previously had an older kid called up to the Nat'l Team (8 years difference) chose not to accept for their younger kid because of the way their older one was treated.  They didn't elaborate so not sure what the "treatment" was that turned them off.  Shoot, look at how they handled Robinson, knowing that he plays a vital role for AU especially in the season of the playoffs...

All good points, but me thinks slick urban shud not be in discussion

The US has a major problem and it's now affecting the national team. I've seen it slowly evolve over the last 10 years and then it happened over night.

It can be summed up in one very short Twellman sentence...Overplaying is not a style.

I'm not sure how it happened (actually I do...its been pushed down from the federation since the inception of DA....I know I was involved for a long time) but every coach thinks if they're not teaching "possession-style, play-from-the-back-through-the-lines" every single time they have the ball then they are never gonna develop effective soccer players. Really?

If a team high presses your team and your response is to play through the lines every time then expect to get beat every time. What do they say about crazy.. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

How about teaching players to adapt, not be predictable robots. Teach them to recognize tendencies in opponents and adjust accordingly. Sometimes the best pass is a 50 yard pass (most coaches nowadays would cringe if one of their players attempted a David-Beckham-esque pass because, god-forbid, the player had their head up and recognized space, or a threat, or an imbalance somewhere on the field and tried to take advantage.

This country has gone backwards. We need to stop trying to be Spain, or Brazil or the next fad.

I'm sure all of Canada is laughing at us today saying the US did EXACTLY what we thought they were going to do. SMH

We need a voting button for “Hall of Fame Post”.

So true on every level!

very interesting take --- it is interesting that we all expect us to be better, when the reality is we just aren't very good!
crazy thing was when you watch the game, Canada isn't very good either!!

DA is the answer...said with sarcasm. I've been on here before making the claim that DA is not working. We are digressing in our soccer and I keep hearing DA praises. If it's the answer then the wrong players are being selected or the coaches are failing. In either instance, it's time to reevaluate or next time we lose to a country no one even has heard of.

I'm laughing inside. Everyone, relies on everyone else to do their work. Top D1 College Coaches relies on the DA coaches to choose their players so they can choose from the DA teams, and the cycle will always continue. Present tryouts, the coaches all want to know where you played last year, if they hear DA/ ECNL their eyes widen and the cycle continues.

Take the same kids going to the YNT camps every year when we all know their are some serious ballers that never play DA / ECNL or never get noticed outside of the 404.

I remember when my son's coach at the time, who is the main YNT TC coach in Atlanta told him that the most talented Atlanta player at his age was a specific kid(who was talented, but not great) had the best skills he has ever seen, but in real world games, got dominated by many players when they played because of his lack of work rate, speed and size. When my son laughed at him and said "really", coach said he may be the best ever from Atlanta and it wasn't Bello or Carleton. The kid has always been DA and never sees the field except in mop up duty or an occasional start for only a half.

And then we remember, yes our guru coaches today, played college ball and some pro, likely for the silverbacks, which we can all smile and trust them to lead us into Glory.

I've always said that the US scouting network is either made up of lazy scouts, inept scouts, underpaid scouts or is just plain non-existent.  Everywhere else in the world, you have an actual network of scouts that are identified, connected and trained to be the eyes and ears of a particular team(pro) or Nat'l Infrastructure.  This is especially needed in a country the size of the US.  I find it abhorrent that in a country of over 300+ inhabitants, we can't find 11 talented souls willing to give their all and be coached into doing better than what we're currently presenting as representatives for the country? Take the games this weekend between AU and CF. At these games, you'll see scouts because in their mind, these two teams have some of the best talent around (&%*#$@#).  What about pick up games in non-suburban settings?  What about immigrant communities for European, African, South American and Asian communities where soccer is taught before kids can even walk?  I think we are at an  existential crisis and something major and drastic has to occur to change things around.  How and by whom is beyond my pay-grade, but let's not forget WC 2026 is now less than 7 years to go.  In the world of soccer, that is not a long time away.

Scouts (boys side) are instructed “what” events to attend and “who” specifically to scout at each event by US Soccer. Most often these kids are MLS DA players and at an MLS DA game. The current system works on the premise that club coaches will identify their best players and lobby an MLS DA team on behalf of the player. Some of these kids will end up on an MLS DA team. The kids of interest on the MLS DA Teams are then scouted.