Yah I don't think so, creative sports require creative cultures.
You need unstructured informal play to really consistently produce the kind of creative athletes ideal for soccer.
Why can't China produce non 7 foot basketball players despite their massive population and resources?
Basketball from what I understand is the most popular sport there, you'd think they'd be able to produce more than like a Slovenia?
They can't because of their sports culture.
No unstructured play, long hours in extremely regimented practices. early professionalization.
Kid's get the love of the game beaten out of them earlier in China.
I think you have a similar thing going with soccer in the US, kids play organized soccer
but not much un structured, in formal play.
because of that I think US will always underperform relative to its resources.
I see your point but I don't think it is that simple.
A lot of unorganized play would be a symptom of popularity of the game. Areas with high African, and Caribbean immigrants, and there is space, you see unorganized play.
Having passionate kids is great, what ultimately matter is having a ton of passionate kids, to increase the probability you find stars.
I grew up in a country with a ton of unorganized play. Everyday at lunch we played pick-up games of soccer. If we didn't have a ball, or they banned us for having one because we broke a window, we would use a plastic bottle filled with stones. Most neighborhoods that could accommodate a field to play soccer, had one. There were a few soccer clubs that maybe practice once a week. I was a member of one. But our general infrastructure was in shambles.
And every summer, some kids from a French soccer academy used to come to the island, go around different clubs and neighborhood teams, and smoke all of us.
Looking at Slovenian basketball, pro clubs scout youth leagues for talent, and try to get them into academies early.
Infrastructure matters to turn passion into top tier talent. America's setup seems to be hurting their prospects in soccer. On top of the talent pool being small.
Cheap organized options for older kids are often non existent, limited, and places they are cost prohibitive. I don't think solving this issue will guarantee US dominance in soccer, but it seems logical or me it might help increase the probability they fine a star.
Overall I think it is a tough thing to solve because it relies on a feedback loop forming.
in waiting but this still a beast of a player
