Is it just me or should the United States be better at soccer?
With a population of over 300 million and with a large percentage of immigrants from countries where football is king, it is my belief there should be more talent in America.
When Team USA lost to Panama and then had to battle long and hard to beat Guadeloupe in the Gold Cup, I thought it was time for a reality check. To be defeated by a team ranked 67 in the world and then barely beat another not even officially affiliated with CONCACAF, the regional football body that covers North and Central America and the Caribbean, is surely not good enough.
Back in 1998, after a dismal World Cup campaign, the U.S. Soccer federation created ＂Project 2010＂, a blueprint to make the national team a legitimate football force by that year. Resources were allocated to produce talented players and give them a structure in which to excel.
Fast forward to 2011, and it is fair to say the project has failed. Team USA made the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2002 during that period, but since then, they have failed to make their mark on the world stage. Advancing to the round of 16 at the last tournament in South Africa last year wasn＇t exactly what they had in mind….

 

CNN’s Pedro Pinto is a CNN sports anchor based in London, covering sport around the world. For more go to www.cnn.com/worldsport

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