I've followed the USMNT for most of my adult life, and it's one of the few ways I will actively express my pride in my nation in the age of Trump.
Reading some of the reasons that people aren't supporting the US makes me role my eyes. Read even a little bit about this team and you'll realize that the team itself represents the BEST of our country.
There are the sons of servicemen who learned the game while the lived overseas.
There are sons of immigrants who moved to the US for a better life.
There are dual nationals who could have played somewhere else, but chose to represent the Stars and Stripes.
There are players who are representing the US in leagues all over the world.
I like this team precisely because they are so much more diverse and open to the international world than some of our other sports. The team is not the presidential administration.
They had a lot of good will if not outright support until Orange Julius had to get involved, make it about him, and put the team in a lose-lose situation.
I was fully behind this team until Trump interfered w the red card decision, had that player reinstated, then crowed about it. Anyone who sees Trump’s long history of threats, intimidation and extortion and still thinks he only asked for a “review” in this case I’m afraid is very naive.
If the team had done the right thing and refused to play Balogun, I would have totally supported them versus Belgium. But they didn’t do that, bc they fear Trump’s reprisal. Just like FIFA fears Trump’s reprisal.
It is pure bullying to demand that the best player can play, no matter that they had a red card. Bullying will never be supported by me, no matter what.
Exactly. That's what Portugal did with Ronaldo, whose red card ban was suspended so he could play in the World Cup. And Ronaldo's red card was for deliberate elbowing, unlike Balogun, who accidentally stepped on a player while vying for the ball.
Just the thought of a winning U. S. team being invited to the White House was enough to make me glad that they didn't get the opportunity. I only hope that the Knicks show enough character to let their Trump-loving owner make the visit by himself.
Gen Xer here who also found joy in rooting against the USA. I no longer have a major rooting interest in the tournament, because previously I was simply rooting for whoever was playing against the USA in a given game. Now that we lost in a humiliating fashion after our embarrassing and corrupt leader put his thumb on the scales, I'll just watch and hope for good games. But it was pretty satisfying seeing us get our asses handed to us by a country with a small fraction of our size and population. We didn't belong on the same pitch with those guys, and in hindsight, anyone who thought we had a shot at winning this thing was rather foolish.
Stranger things have happened. Trump wasn’t supposed to win the 2016. Clinton was way ahead. It was a long shot bet for him, but sometimes the long shot wins.
I expected that the team would lose also. Everything trump touches turns to shit. If somehow the team had won it would still be a loss. It would be a tainted win.
I was rooting for underdogs, including those from underrepresented small countries, like Cape Verde and Curacao. But Belgium is not in that category. It's a strong team, not at all an underdog. Soccer it its national sport, and its team has been at the World Cup more often than the US. Soccer is not as prominent in the US and the US team was expected to lose to Belgium.
My problem with rooting for the US teams in these international competitions this year (this and the winter Olympics) has been the way Trump has inserted himself into everything. As such, I just knew if the US team won the World Cup, Trump would be there hoisting the trophy. Hell, he might have just decided to keep it for himself in the Oval Office (and then have it transferred to his "presidential library" after he left office, or whatever).
If it's something that could end up looking good for Trump, whatever it is, I can't help but root against it. I had this vague feeling before the US men's hockey team won the gold in Italy this year, and all the celebrations with Kash Patel and the phone call with Trump, the way he invited the team to his SOTU speech, etc, it all just put me off.
If Trump was able to not insert himself into things like this, it would be a lot easier to support the US teams. But as it was, I can't help but admit I enjoyed seeing the Belgian team mocking Trump's stupid YMCA dance when they won, and the way their social media team mocked Trump after they crushed the US team yesterday. How can you not root for that?
It took me awhile to get into the World Cup. I was still PO'd by the US Men's gold medal hockey team turning themselves into Trump puppets to get all worked up about another men's national team. Wouldn't you know it, I start really following the men's team and Trump rears his ugly head again. I was not at all surprised the US essentially beat itself. Trump touched them and it was inevitable.
I was behind USA until Trump intervened to get Balogun's suspension revoked. If my own kid was on a sports team and they cheated or knowingly received an unfair advantage, I would be rooting for them to lose as well, because some things are more important than winning.
USMNT could have refused to field Balogun, or Balogun could have himself refused to play. This would have been an inspirational move and I would have supported the team 100%. But it didn't happen.
Uh Oh, I apparently identify as GenZ? I’m with all of them, and not my GenX cohort. Cabo Verde was my team. I really wanted Iran to make it to piss off the iDJT. After that it was Mexico for the same reason.
I was cheering for Iran. And for a good reason. Did you see their lovely note they left after cleaning up the locker room? Class act. You follow some of these teams and how they behave......it's wonderful. I just wish MAGA could learn from these other countries about how to interact and behave with others who are different than you
Honestly it’s pathetic to not support your own National soccer team. What do the players have to with National politics or FIFAS decision . Plus i’m certain many of these people support the woman’s team. I despise potus but please stop making it poison everything you think about our country and people.
It was ruined when Trump touched it. And I pushback against your take that not supporting your national soccer team is "pathetic".
I am an avid sports fan, and I was always hoping the US soccer team would lose. Because Trump and MAGA tried to make it all about them. Again. I was basically born in ice skates. I played hockey as soon as I could walk. I am ashamed of the USA men's teams actions after the win. The win was ruined with Kash Patel and Trump wanting the glory for THEM. And they also only wanted the MEN'S glory. They didn't give a fuck about the women's team. As soon as Kash Patel walked into the locker room Team Captain Auston Matthews should have said "With all due respect leave NOW. You aren't a rostered memeber of this team. You aren't part of our family. You haven't done any of the sacrifice that we have. You don't belong here. Now either you leave or you see just how badly the Tkachuk brothers will fuck you up." But he didn't. The coach didn't say shit. No one did. That is a sacred and hollowed ground. And it was violated by a person who hadn't earned the right. But whatever cuz we won right?
America needs to be humbled. At every turn. Why? Cuz Trump and MAGA have taken everything and tied it back to Trump. I love AMERICA. I despise Trump. But to MAGA the two are one and the same. The USMNT could have released a statement. They could have said something like "hey this isn't the process and we did NOT ask Trump to do this. Trump is a vile piece of shit who is ignorant of US soccer and only did this move to try to earn him good will. Go fuck yourself Trump. This is not your team and we don't want you around. While we celebrate having a player back and want to use him, this was a terrible way to do it." But they didn't. Until Trump/MAGA are gone there will be millions and millions cheering against USA because I would rather America LOSE than be represented by those jackasses
Well said! I totally agree with you about the Men's ice hockey locker room. Patel should have never been allowed in. That debacle totally ruined enjoying the Gold Medal win.
I guess to me it's about decency and decorum. If Trump and Patel were on the sidelines saying "I am here cuz I love this sport and I want America to win and I would be happy if America won" or something to that effect? Great. I love when Americans cheer for other Americans. I would have no issue with that.
But just like Putin these crooks keep inserting themselves into a situation where they are not supposed to be. They refuse to be a spectator. They HAVE to be a participant. They are telling every other spectator "I am better than you, more patriotic than you, and I deserve to do this more than you." It's pathetic to the point of infuriating
This right here. Because we are the bad guys. We are the bullies. We are the posterchildren of hubris. And I root for anything that takes us down a peg, because we've earned it.
I did some hard reflection over the holiday. 250 is awesome. I am so glad the American Experiment continues. I have concerns about our direction, but it's still here.
But then I talk to some friends who hail from other nations. And I kind of get it. I get why we can go so over the top about our exceptionalism. We are babies. In the true sense of the word that we are so young and inexperienced.
Egypt? They have had MORE history BEFORE Jesus than after him. Middle East and around the Mediterranean are similar. A lot of history. Thousands of years. China and Japan, similar. Europe may be a bit spotty BEFORE the Roman Empire conquest, but it is also in the thousands.
What happened in North America 6,000 years ago? I think the last of the glaciers were still moving through. We had on and off exploration from Europe since the 1400's. Before that we had Native Americans. But their history BEFORE settlers is also a bit spotty. Probably cuz we came and didn't do much to help them preserve it. So here we are in a country that is celebrating 250 years on top of only another few hundred years worth of history on the mass of land we call our country.
Other civilizations have lived through plagues, famine, drought, wars, religion changes, name changes, etc. We are so woefully inexperienced to them that we are overcompensating too much. So we beat our drum about being Top even though we have little to no history to fall back on. We double down that we are the best because we are terrified that we are not and this was all luck. I truly think more humility for our country and populace is needed to keep moving forward. The world existed for thousands of years without America and it has existed for hundreds and hundreds of years where America had little to no power. It would not be a stretch to say the world can still exist without us. But how many Americans truly can accept and believe that?
Indeed, in the grand scheme of things, 250 is not a very long time.
What I find maddening is that we are exceptional, we are the global superpower, but we have those who came before us to thank for it. They built it. We are squandering it. We're fat, happy, and comfortable, and it's made us decadent, overconfident, hubristic, and a bit delusional. What we are and what we think we are are two very different things.
We are a country full of people who were born on third base and think they hit a triple. At the same time, we are increasingly a nation where, if you weren't born on third base, you'll never ever get there. But we are enjoying an eminence that was achieved by recent generations that preceded us, and we think we built this, when we didn't build it at all, and we are totally incapable of building what they built. And instead of gratitude and respect for that achievement, instead of honoring and preserving it, we are tearing it down, eyes wide open.
There is no way we today are capable of enduring the mutual sacrifice and hardship of our forebears that got us where we are today.
I wish there was a "love" button for this post. I was debating using the "born on third" metaphor lol. I love that and think you are spot on. I am glad there are others who like to use that term
Too late for that. Trump poisons everything in the US, and pretty much around the world. I don't care at all that you think it is "pathetic."
You said, "I despise potus but please stop making it poison everything you think about our country and people." The US people elected a convicted felon for president. That says everything you need to know about our country and people, and it's terrible.
FIFA has been corrupt going back decades as you probably know. This was more of the same.
I've been rooting for the USMNT since the last time we hosted the World Cup. I mean, I've watched close to every game weren't just friendlies since then. I was cheering for the US, but I didn't really want to see us win it (although I didn't think it would happen anyway, so maybe it would have changed if we had got to the final) for one reason. I didn't want to see Trump give them the trophy. I didn't want to see him take the credit for a tournament he was actively ruining through his policies.
And I didn't want a world that has had Trump foisted on them by our unseriousness and that actually really cares about soccer to be subjected to us winning and Trump crowing about it.
I don't hold Trump's intervention against TeamUSA, though it certainly would have tainted any win. And yes, it most certainly does make us look like bullies, cheaters, and a**holes
My husband enjoys watching soccer, and he seems to choose teams to root for based on favorite players he admires. Same for my nephew. My husband and nephew were each cheering on different non-U.S. teams based on each of their favorite players (and teasing each other about why their favorite player was the best). When team U.S was playing, however, they also rooted for them. I don't think it's all that serious. Just like the Olympics, if you truly enjoy a sport, you appreciate those at the top of their game. The U.S. doesn't always have to be the best at everything.
It isn't just a young people thing. I'm Gen X and have no interest in the World Cup, but once Trump tainted things, I went to actively wanting the U.S. to lose. And they did, in humiliating fashion, which made it even sweeter. And after Trump jinxed the NBA finals, I deeply wanted to see New York humiliate Texas, and it did. I also wanted the U.S. hockey team to lose to Canada since Trump had been bullying Canada, but that unfortunately didn't happen.
You can count me among those Americans who are not proud to be one these days, and I'm proud to say that.
I’m a bit surprised at the commenters who seem intolerant about Americans not supporting their national team, but preferring to support one or more other countries. It’s not a big deal. There’s no test of patriotism that says you have to support your national team. Especially, if you have ancestors from another country, by all means support that team. Or, just pick a small country, or a country you have warm feelings about.
The test of patriotism is what you are willing to do for your country and more importantly its citizens and general population. Will you serve, help, respect, and live peacefully with your fellow citizens? Yes? Then you're a great American. Cheer for whoever. We are a nation of immigrants and that's why it's so fun! You can always have a second team
This was depressing to read. The kids are not all right.
I get, but don’t agree with, Americans supporting their parents country over the US because soccer is our 3rd or 4th (previously 5th) biggest sport, while it is the biggest sport in most countries.
I get, but roll my eyes at, Americans who root for another team over the US, because their favorite players or team is based in that country.
But to not root for the US team because of US politics is senseless and beyond ridiculous. Trump will try to inject himself into everything, but the team is bigger than Trump. As someone mentioned, the team has a lot of second-generation Americans, Americans born abroad, and Americans who live abroad. Our best player in this World Cup, who Trump tried to thumb the scale for, is literally the very definition of an anchor baby.
Look at the Iranian diaspora who absolutely hate the Iranian government. They went to games, booed during the national anthem and then sat down and cheered the Iranian national team.
Oh and by the way, we are not a powerhouse. We are underdogs and a mid-major team at best. Argentina, Spain, and England are the powerhouses. Before and after Trump’s intervention, the number one team that everyone has criticized for favoritism is Argentina with Messi.
I agree with you. By rooting against the US team, fans have made this entirely about Trump. I didn't see any Portuguese fans rooting against Portugal because Ronaldo had his red card ban suspended for the World Cup.
100% on the Ronaldo example and Portuguese fans supporting him. FIFA deferring the red card is not unprecedented.
Unlike Ronaldo, I get the argument that apolitical leader injected himself into this. It’s that’s wrong another case of him trying to ruin something great.
But were talk about FIFA where 1 or 2 World Cups might’ve involved Mussolini directly influencing the refs, a World Cup where the Argentine Junta threatened the Peruvian players to lose, countless scandals involving national teams, governments, both democratic and authoritarian, and shady referring during its whole existence.
None of it is good, but the only thing unprecedented about what Trump did was he did it so openly.
The players did not ask Trump to intervene. His interference was offensive and corrupt, as usual. But we should not punish the players for his behavior.
The people that FIFA's corruption turns off are potential fans, not current fans. The corruption and folding to powerful interests leaves a bad taste in people's mouths, so to speak. There are too many other options for entertainment to stay with one that has a negative connotation.
I’m not going to say I was rooting against the US men’s team in their game against Belgium but it really just felt like the game had Trumps shadow all over it. Sport is about respecting rules and referees decisions no matter if you think the calls were right or not.
It's fun to root for the underdog...the Cinderella team. It's all just nothing important regardless of how the kids want to frame that way...no sign that these kids are going to leave the US en masse and leave us without a base of taxpayers.
Ronaldo had the exact same deal and no one the US was upset or complained. Not one peep. He got a red card in a qualifying game and a 3 game ban. He only served the ban on one qualifying game. The ban was suspended for the World Cup. Was this corruption? Who knows? But it's possible the same deal would have been dealt Balogun, independent of our corrupt orange leader. But of course Trump's interference makes the whole thing look shady and desperate.
As for Gen Z, the list of reasons are puzzling. The exception is rooting for underdogs, which almost everyone I know does, but that does not preclude rooting for the US. I did both easily.
Not rooting for the US because you don't like Donald Trump is absurd. Donald Trump is not the US. Rooting for a team because you have friends that live in that country? I guess some in Gen Z have no friends in the US. Not rooting for the US because we haven't publicized our team enough (apparently especially on Twitter--good gravy) and because foreigners are coming here to support their team? Huh? There has been tons of publicity about the US team and thousands of US citizens in the stands supporting them. Not rooting for the US because of a missed opportunity like what happened at the Knicks win? Well, the Knicks won, that's inspiring, but that came at the end of the competition. I bet if the US had won the World Cup, there would be something very similar to the reaction to the Knicks win. Moreover, no one is going to take out their anger with Trump on the Knicks, who do not represent the US. The comparison makes no sense.
Finally, it's likely that the Gen Z members cited in this article are not at all representative of Gen Z and have little to say about the attitudes of Gen Z generally. Based on national representative we know that Gen Z is is less interested in sports than other generational cohorts (Lewis & Wang, 2021; Morning Consult, 2022; YouGov, 2023). They just aren't interested and a sizeable number are actually anti-sports (Lewis & Wang, 2021).
Maybe. But that doesn't really seem compatible with the generational differences. The biggest sports fans from the poll are Millennials, who are only slightly older than Gen Z and have very similar access to entertainment options; but Millennials have a rate of sport fanaticism 50% higher than Baby Boomers or Gen X (Lewis & Wang, 2021). In addition, Gen Z was very similar to the 3 other generations in interest in other forms of entertainment.
I've followed the USMNT for most of my adult life, and it's one of the few ways I will actively express my pride in my nation in the age of Trump.
Reading some of the reasons that people aren't supporting the US makes me role my eyes. Read even a little bit about this team and you'll realize that the team itself represents the BEST of our country.
There are the sons of servicemen who learned the game while the lived overseas.
There are sons of immigrants who moved to the US for a better life.
There are dual nationals who could have played somewhere else, but chose to represent the Stars and Stripes.
There are players who are representing the US in leagues all over the world.
I like this team precisely because they are so much more diverse and open to the international world than some of our other sports. The team is not the presidential administration.
They had a lot of good will if not outright support until Orange Julius had to get involved, make it about him, and put the team in a lose-lose situation.
I was fully behind this team until Trump interfered w the red card decision, had that player reinstated, then crowed about it. Anyone who sees Trump’s long history of threats, intimidation and extortion and still thinks he only asked for a “review” in this case I’m afraid is very naive.
If the team had done the right thing and refused to play Balogun, I would have totally supported them versus Belgium. But they didn’t do that, bc they fear Trump’s reprisal. Just like FIFA fears Trump’s reprisal.
I can guarantee you that every other team on the planet would play their best player if they were available - no matter the situation.
Then every team would be ok w cheating to win. If that’s who they want to be, they can go ahead and be that. I just don’t support it.
You don't watch a lot of soccer, do you?
My opinion on whether or not Trump should have interfered w player status on the U.S. men’s soccer team is unrelated to how much soccer I watch.
It is pure bullying to demand that the best player can play, no matter that they had a red card. Bullying will never be supported by me, no matter what.
Exactly. That's what Portugal did with Ronaldo, whose red card ban was suspended so he could play in the World Cup. And Ronaldo's red card was for deliberate elbowing, unlike Balogun, who accidentally stepped on a player while vying for the ball.
It would probably be best to just award the world cut trophy to whoever the strongest country is. It would save a lot of time that way.
which makes it so much more infuriating that the narcissist-in-chief tainted what should have been a purely wonderful experience for them.
Just the thought of a winning U. S. team being invited to the White House was enough to make me glad that they didn't get the opportunity. I only hope that the Knicks show enough character to let their Trump-loving owner make the visit by himself.
Gen Xer here who also found joy in rooting against the USA. I no longer have a major rooting interest in the tournament, because previously I was simply rooting for whoever was playing against the USA in a given game. Now that we lost in a humiliating fashion after our embarrassing and corrupt leader put his thumb on the scales, I'll just watch and hope for good games. But it was pretty satisfying seeing us get our asses handed to us by a country with a small fraction of our size and population. We didn't belong on the same pitch with those guys, and in hindsight, anyone who thought we had a shot at winning this thing was rather foolish.
Stranger things have happened. Trump wasn’t supposed to win the 2016. Clinton was way ahead. It was a long shot bet for him, but sometimes the long shot wins.
I expected that the team would lose also. Everything trump touches turns to shit. If somehow the team had won it would still be a loss. It would be a tainted win.
I was rooting for underdogs, including those from underrepresented small countries, like Cape Verde and Curacao. But Belgium is not in that category. It's a strong team, not at all an underdog. Soccer it its national sport, and its team has been at the World Cup more often than the US. Soccer is not as prominent in the US and the US team was expected to lose to Belgium.
My problem with rooting for the US teams in these international competitions this year (this and the winter Olympics) has been the way Trump has inserted himself into everything. As such, I just knew if the US team won the World Cup, Trump would be there hoisting the trophy. Hell, he might have just decided to keep it for himself in the Oval Office (and then have it transferred to his "presidential library" after he left office, or whatever).
If it's something that could end up looking good for Trump, whatever it is, I can't help but root against it. I had this vague feeling before the US men's hockey team won the gold in Italy this year, and all the celebrations with Kash Patel and the phone call with Trump, the way he invited the team to his SOTU speech, etc, it all just put me off.
If Trump was able to not insert himself into things like this, it would be a lot easier to support the US teams. But as it was, I can't help but admit I enjoyed seeing the Belgian team mocking Trump's stupid YMCA dance when they won, and the way their social media team mocked Trump after they crushed the US team yesterday. How can you not root for that?
The way the US men's hockey team laughed when Trump was degrading the women's team made me not want to watch any hockey. I won't be forgetting that.
It took me awhile to get into the World Cup. I was still PO'd by the US Men's gold medal hockey team turning themselves into Trump puppets to get all worked up about another men's national team. Wouldn't you know it, I start really following the men's team and Trump rears his ugly head again. I was not at all surprised the US essentially beat itself. Trump touched them and it was inevitable.
I was behind USA until Trump intervened to get Balogun's suspension revoked. If my own kid was on a sports team and they cheated or knowingly received an unfair advantage, I would be rooting for them to lose as well, because some things are more important than winning.
USMNT could have refused to field Balogun, or Balogun could have himself refused to play. This would have been an inspirational move and I would have supported the team 100%. But it didn't happen.
Well said.
Uh Oh, I apparently identify as GenZ? I’m with all of them, and not my GenX cohort. Cabo Verde was my team. I really wanted Iran to make it to piss off the iDJT. After that it was Mexico for the same reason.
I was cheering for Iran. And for a good reason. Did you see their lovely note they left after cleaning up the locker room? Class act. You follow some of these teams and how they behave......it's wonderful. I just wish MAGA could learn from these other countries about how to interact and behave with others who are different than you
Honestly it’s pathetic to not support your own National soccer team. What do the players have to with National politics or FIFAS decision . Plus i’m certain many of these people support the woman’s team. I despise potus but please stop making it poison everything you think about our country and people.
The team wasn't poisoned until Trump poisoned it.
It was ruined when Trump touched it. And I pushback against your take that not supporting your national soccer team is "pathetic".
I am an avid sports fan, and I was always hoping the US soccer team would lose. Because Trump and MAGA tried to make it all about them. Again. I was basically born in ice skates. I played hockey as soon as I could walk. I am ashamed of the USA men's teams actions after the win. The win was ruined with Kash Patel and Trump wanting the glory for THEM. And they also only wanted the MEN'S glory. They didn't give a fuck about the women's team. As soon as Kash Patel walked into the locker room Team Captain Auston Matthews should have said "With all due respect leave NOW. You aren't a rostered memeber of this team. You aren't part of our family. You haven't done any of the sacrifice that we have. You don't belong here. Now either you leave or you see just how badly the Tkachuk brothers will fuck you up." But he didn't. The coach didn't say shit. No one did. That is a sacred and hollowed ground. And it was violated by a person who hadn't earned the right. But whatever cuz we won right?
America needs to be humbled. At every turn. Why? Cuz Trump and MAGA have taken everything and tied it back to Trump. I love AMERICA. I despise Trump. But to MAGA the two are one and the same. The USMNT could have released a statement. They could have said something like "hey this isn't the process and we did NOT ask Trump to do this. Trump is a vile piece of shit who is ignorant of US soccer and only did this move to try to earn him good will. Go fuck yourself Trump. This is not your team and we don't want you around. While we celebrate having a player back and want to use him, this was a terrible way to do it." But they didn't. Until Trump/MAGA are gone there will be millions and millions cheering against USA because I would rather America LOSE than be represented by those jackasses
Well said! I totally agree with you about the Men's ice hockey locker room. Patel should have never been allowed in. That debacle totally ruined enjoying the Gold Medal win.
I guess to me it's about decency and decorum. If Trump and Patel were on the sidelines saying "I am here cuz I love this sport and I want America to win and I would be happy if America won" or something to that effect? Great. I love when Americans cheer for other Americans. I would have no issue with that.
But just like Putin these crooks keep inserting themselves into a situation where they are not supposed to be. They refuse to be a spectator. They HAVE to be a participant. They are telling every other spectator "I am better than you, more patriotic than you, and I deserve to do this more than you." It's pathetic to the point of infuriating
"America needs to be humbled. At every turn."
This right here. Because we are the bad guys. We are the bullies. We are the posterchildren of hubris. And I root for anything that takes us down a peg, because we've earned it.
I did some hard reflection over the holiday. 250 is awesome. I am so glad the American Experiment continues. I have concerns about our direction, but it's still here.
But then I talk to some friends who hail from other nations. And I kind of get it. I get why we can go so over the top about our exceptionalism. We are babies. In the true sense of the word that we are so young and inexperienced.
Egypt? They have had MORE history BEFORE Jesus than after him. Middle East and around the Mediterranean are similar. A lot of history. Thousands of years. China and Japan, similar. Europe may be a bit spotty BEFORE the Roman Empire conquest, but it is also in the thousands.
What happened in North America 6,000 years ago? I think the last of the glaciers were still moving through. We had on and off exploration from Europe since the 1400's. Before that we had Native Americans. But their history BEFORE settlers is also a bit spotty. Probably cuz we came and didn't do much to help them preserve it. So here we are in a country that is celebrating 250 years on top of only another few hundred years worth of history on the mass of land we call our country.
Other civilizations have lived through plagues, famine, drought, wars, religion changes, name changes, etc. We are so woefully inexperienced to them that we are overcompensating too much. So we beat our drum about being Top even though we have little to no history to fall back on. We double down that we are the best because we are terrified that we are not and this was all luck. I truly think more humility for our country and populace is needed to keep moving forward. The world existed for thousands of years without America and it has existed for hundreds and hundreds of years where America had little to no power. It would not be a stretch to say the world can still exist without us. But how many Americans truly can accept and believe that?
Indeed, in the grand scheme of things, 250 is not a very long time.
What I find maddening is that we are exceptional, we are the global superpower, but we have those who came before us to thank for it. They built it. We are squandering it. We're fat, happy, and comfortable, and it's made us decadent, overconfident, hubristic, and a bit delusional. What we are and what we think we are are two very different things.
We are a country full of people who were born on third base and think they hit a triple. At the same time, we are increasingly a nation where, if you weren't born on third base, you'll never ever get there. But we are enjoying an eminence that was achieved by recent generations that preceded us, and we think we built this, when we didn't build it at all, and we are totally incapable of building what they built. And instead of gratitude and respect for that achievement, instead of honoring and preserving it, we are tearing it down, eyes wide open.
There is no way we today are capable of enduring the mutual sacrifice and hardship of our forebears that got us where we are today.
I wish there was a "love" button for this post. I was debating using the "born on third" metaphor lol. I love that and think you are spot on. I am glad there are others who like to use that term
Ditto everything you just said!
Too late for that. Trump poisons everything in the US, and pretty much around the world. I don't care at all that you think it is "pathetic."
You said, "I despise potus but please stop making it poison everything you think about our country and people." The US people elected a convicted felon for president. That says everything you need to know about our country and people, and it's terrible.
FIFA has been corrupt going back decades as you probably know. This was more of the same.
I've been rooting for the USMNT since the last time we hosted the World Cup. I mean, I've watched close to every game weren't just friendlies since then. I was cheering for the US, but I didn't really want to see us win it (although I didn't think it would happen anyway, so maybe it would have changed if we had got to the final) for one reason. I didn't want to see Trump give them the trophy. I didn't want to see him take the credit for a tournament he was actively ruining through his policies.
And I didn't want a world that has had Trump foisted on them by our unseriousness and that actually really cares about soccer to be subjected to us winning and Trump crowing about it.
I don't hold Trump's intervention against TeamUSA, though it certainly would have tainted any win. And yes, it most certainly does make us look like bullies, cheaters, and a**holes
It wouldn’t have tainted the win if Balogun stayed invisible, but we still won due to Tillman’s goal and defense.
My husband enjoys watching soccer, and he seems to choose teams to root for based on favorite players he admires. Same for my nephew. My husband and nephew were each cheering on different non-U.S. teams based on each of their favorite players (and teasing each other about why their favorite player was the best). When team U.S was playing, however, they also rooted for them. I don't think it's all that serious. Just like the Olympics, if you truly enjoy a sport, you appreciate those at the top of their game. The U.S. doesn't always have to be the best at everything.
It isn't just a young people thing. I'm Gen X and have no interest in the World Cup, but once Trump tainted things, I went to actively wanting the U.S. to lose. And they did, in humiliating fashion, which made it even sweeter. And after Trump jinxed the NBA finals, I deeply wanted to see New York humiliate Texas, and it did. I also wanted the U.S. hockey team to lose to Canada since Trump had been bullying Canada, but that unfortunately didn't happen.
You can count me among those Americans who are not proud to be one these days, and I'm proud to say that.
I’m a bit surprised at the commenters who seem intolerant about Americans not supporting their national team, but preferring to support one or more other countries. It’s not a big deal. There’s no test of patriotism that says you have to support your national team. Especially, if you have ancestors from another country, by all means support that team. Or, just pick a small country, or a country you have warm feelings about.
The test of patriotism is what you are willing to do for your country and more importantly its citizens and general population. Will you serve, help, respect, and live peacefully with your fellow citizens? Yes? Then you're a great American. Cheer for whoever. We are a nation of immigrants and that's why it's so fun! You can always have a second team
This was depressing to read. The kids are not all right.
I get, but don’t agree with, Americans supporting their parents country over the US because soccer is our 3rd or 4th (previously 5th) biggest sport, while it is the biggest sport in most countries.
I get, but roll my eyes at, Americans who root for another team over the US, because their favorite players or team is based in that country.
But to not root for the US team because of US politics is senseless and beyond ridiculous. Trump will try to inject himself into everything, but the team is bigger than Trump. As someone mentioned, the team has a lot of second-generation Americans, Americans born abroad, and Americans who live abroad. Our best player in this World Cup, who Trump tried to thumb the scale for, is literally the very definition of an anchor baby.
Look at the Iranian diaspora who absolutely hate the Iranian government. They went to games, booed during the national anthem and then sat down and cheered the Iranian national team.
Oh and by the way, we are not a powerhouse. We are underdogs and a mid-major team at best. Argentina, Spain, and England are the powerhouses. Before and after Trump’s intervention, the number one team that everyone has criticized for favoritism is Argentina with Messi.
I agree with you. By rooting against the US team, fans have made this entirely about Trump. I didn't see any Portuguese fans rooting against Portugal because Ronaldo had his red card ban suspended for the World Cup.
100% on the Ronaldo example and Portuguese fans supporting him. FIFA deferring the red card is not unprecedented.
Unlike Ronaldo, I get the argument that apolitical leader injected himself into this. It’s that’s wrong another case of him trying to ruin something great.
But were talk about FIFA where 1 or 2 World Cups might’ve involved Mussolini directly influencing the refs, a World Cup where the Argentine Junta threatened the Peruvian players to lose, countless scandals involving national teams, governments, both democratic and authoritarian, and shady referring during its whole existence.
None of it is good, but the only thing unprecedented about what Trump did was he did it so openly.
The players did not ask Trump to intervene. His interference was offensive and corrupt, as usual. But we should not punish the players for his behavior.
Absolutely. Players, teams, fans, (hopefully) the US Soccer Federation: nobody asked Trump to get involved.
The people that FIFA's corruption turns off are potential fans, not current fans. The corruption and folding to powerful interests leaves a bad taste in people's mouths, so to speak. There are too many other options for entertainment to stay with one that has a negative connotation.
Something to remember is FIFA has been deeply corrupt for 50+ years. This is par for the course for the organization.
I’m not going to say I was rooting against the US men’s team in their game against Belgium but it really just felt like the game had Trumps shadow all over it. Sport is about respecting rules and referees decisions no matter if you think the calls were right or not.
It's fun to root for the underdog...the Cinderella team. It's all just nothing important regardless of how the kids want to frame that way...no sign that these kids are going to leave the US en masse and leave us without a base of taxpayers.
TBF, USMNT were the underdogs v Belgium (and would have been v anyone else still alive in the tournament).
Ronaldo had the exact same deal and no one the US was upset or complained. Not one peep. He got a red card in a qualifying game and a 3 game ban. He only served the ban on one qualifying game. The ban was suspended for the World Cup. Was this corruption? Who knows? But it's possible the same deal would have been dealt Balogun, independent of our corrupt orange leader. But of course Trump's interference makes the whole thing look shady and desperate.
As for Gen Z, the list of reasons are puzzling. The exception is rooting for underdogs, which almost everyone I know does, but that does not preclude rooting for the US. I did both easily.
Not rooting for the US because you don't like Donald Trump is absurd. Donald Trump is not the US. Rooting for a team because you have friends that live in that country? I guess some in Gen Z have no friends in the US. Not rooting for the US because we haven't publicized our team enough (apparently especially on Twitter--good gravy) and because foreigners are coming here to support their team? Huh? There has been tons of publicity about the US team and thousands of US citizens in the stands supporting them. Not rooting for the US because of a missed opportunity like what happened at the Knicks win? Well, the Knicks won, that's inspiring, but that came at the end of the competition. I bet if the US had won the World Cup, there would be something very similar to the reaction to the Knicks win. Moreover, no one is going to take out their anger with Trump on the Knicks, who do not represent the US. The comparison makes no sense.
Finally, it's likely that the Gen Z members cited in this article are not at all representative of Gen Z and have little to say about the attitudes of Gen Z generally. Based on national representative we know that Gen Z is is less interested in sports than other generational cohorts (Lewis & Wang, 2021; Morning Consult, 2022; YouGov, 2023). They just aren't interested and a sizeable number are actually anti-sports (Lewis & Wang, 2021).
I would argue that Gen Z is less interested in sports because there are so many other entertainment options today.
Even more reason that FIFA should clean up their act. If they don't want to enforce the rules for everyone then don't have rules.
Maybe. But that doesn't really seem compatible with the generational differences. The biggest sports fans from the poll are Millennials, who are only slightly older than Gen Z and have very similar access to entertainment options; but Millennials have a rate of sport fanaticism 50% higher than Baby Boomers or Gen X (Lewis & Wang, 2021). In addition, Gen Z was very similar to the 3 other generations in interest in other forms of entertainment.