Sports have long been a major part of culture in the United States. However, one sport that has never really caught on to that culture is soccer.
When the FIFA World Cup comes around, Americans are usually very supportive of both the men’s and women’s national team, but there is so much more to be seen with soccer.
The sport as a whole has grown astronomically over the past few years both on and off the field.
The men’s team has taken many leaps since the failure of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
They continue to produce high quality players who play in Europe like Christian Pulisic. Pulisic has been the epitome of the golden generation of players the U.S. is getting. He plays for Chelsea FC in England, and he has been called “the Lebron James of soccer” by some.
While the Lebron James comparison might be over-exaggerated, he still ranks as one of the best players for the men’s national team. Teammates like Weston McKinnie, Gio Reyna, and Tyler Adams make this team have all the firepower needed to compete.
This team is currently in qualification for the next World Cup later this year, and its next game is against Mexico in the Estadio Azteca, a fortress for the Mexico National Team. Should the U.S. qualify, they should be able to give a good account of themselves and continue to prepare for the 2026 World Cup being held on home soil.
The women’s team has also had many leaps off the field that finally highlight the quality of play they produce on the field. The women’s team is incredibly successful, having won four World Cups.
The women’s team has most notably been led by Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. Both have been leaders for this team for many years both on and off the field. Other stars like Rose Lavelle and Julie Ertz have been instrumental in keeping this team at the top.
The biggest issue for the women’s team recently is equal pay. Being paid less than the men’s team for their national team duty has been a pressing issue in recent years, but with the leadership of these women, they have gained what they were after this year.
Rapinoe and Morgan may not be playing for the next World Cup, but they have laid the groundwork for women in the future to continue to grow the game in the U.S.
Here at LSU, the women’s soccer team has made giant leaps as well. They appeared in the NCAA tournament for soccer this past season and set a SEC attendance record against Mississippi State this past season as well. They are currently in season and their schedule can be found on the LSU sports website.
With all these leaps being made, the best part of it all has been the fan growth. Seeing more people follow and support these teams has been an incredible thing. So, if you have never seen a soccer game before, check one of these amazing teams out.
