The USA Is A Soccer Country

Last Sunday, I watched two games on TV. First, Liverpool’s preseason friendly at Preston North End. Second, the Club World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Clearly, the stakes behind each game were as far apart as the ocean between England and the USA; equally, what each game represented. One stood for the history, traditions, and spirit of the game. The other is a brave new world that football is being dragged into, like it or not.

READ MORE: Our Number 20: Diogo Jota by John Carl Bolido
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A Clash Of Presentations

The game at Preston was the first Liverpool had played since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva. The game was deeply emotional for players and fans. The memories of Diogo and André were handled with utmost respect by both clubs. The tribute evoked a profound sense of empathy and connection among everyone present. It may have only been a preseason friendly in front of 21,000 fans, but it was a game that showed what football represents to the communities in which both clubs are based. Football means that much. Neither Diogo nor André played for or had any connection to Preston. Yet, they could still reach out and empathize with a fellow club and their supporters. A powerful emotional bond was instantly created at Preston’s Deepdale Stadium.

Similar could be said of the 81,000 who were on hand to celebrate Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain. It was a good game with a great atmosphere. However, much of what occurred off the playing field was not of a comparable spirit and certainly not in good taste. Post-game, the Athletic declared, “Gianni Infantino has won”, referring to the fact that his vanity project has been established and will return again in the coming years. The final, therefore, can be viewed through two prisms. One is the so-called Americanization of the sport. The other is through the political undercurrents that were on display both before and after the match.

An Inability To Read The Room

The Americanization of football, a term referring to the adoption of American sports culture and practices, is well established. When I left the UK in the early 1980s, English football was a different place. There were no extended pre-match warm-ups, teams entered the field together, and team huddles were not yet a common sight, as we see now every week. The colleges where I coached already had all of these game rituals in place. They are viewed as positive additions to the occasion in the Premier League. However, what we saw on Sunday was the more extreme routines that are part and parcel of American professional sports. The pre-match and halftime shows intruded on the game’s timing, and for the majority of football/soccer fans, were unwelcome. Who was behind it? It could only be Gianni Infantino, not an American.

Returning to the 1970s, when the NASL was attempting to create an audience for the sport on American shores, the rules were explained in broadcasts, and the league introduced rule changes they believed would help nurture American soccer fans. In 2025, this is no longer necessary. A significant percentage of the population has played and follows the game. There is considerable television coverage for American fans to enjoy, and they do not want commercials interrupting the game’s flow. Ditto, some of the other unnecessary embellishments. Soccer has established a place in the USA, Gianni, so why the overkill? Excessive commercialization is not what American fans want; it’s a concerning trend for the game’s future. Do we really need to commercialization of football to this extent?

AMERICAN SCOUSER TAKES ANFIELD

Secondly, the overt political undercurrents that accompanied the match. Has FIFA ever played the national anthem of the host nation other than when that country was in the final? Why the military show on the field? It had no relevance to the occasion and should not be repeated in 12 months when the World Cup Final will be contested in the same stadium.

Post-match, what occurred was just as bad, if not worse. The aforementioned Athletic article wrote: “The symbolism of this Club World Cup – gold and gaudy – is Trumpian. The language he has used, calling the 32 teams at the tournament the best in the world when everyone knows that is not the case, is Trumpian. The replica of the trophy and the medal he (Infantino) gifted Trump were cringingly ingratiating”.

The Guardian reports that after staying on stage to be front and centre of Chelsea’s trophy celebration to associate with “winners”, he boasts that the original trophy will be on display in the Oval Office. Chelsea has a copy. During the first half, when the cameras turned to him, he appeared to be sleeping.

Why would FIFA want to be associated with someone who brings with him a string of controversies, the latest being his connections to a notorious paedophile? That FIFA has set up an office in one of his tasteless Towers in New York does not provide hope for next year’s World Cup. Was the reaction of the crowd noted by Infantino as he walked onto the field?

“The USA World Cup” Preview

Sadly, the policies of the current US administration threaten to harm next year’s proceedings. Only last month, my South American girlfriend was denied entry into the country. She is just an ordinary person who has been here before several times. The international audience for 2026 is expected to be significantly larger than the one we had at the CWC, with many more travelling. This association with a controversial figure is a disappointing turn for FIFA, and it’s a sentiment that many football fans share across the globe. As football fans, we should expect better from the governing body of the game we love.

SHOP THE AMERICAN SCOUSER COLLECTION TODAY

Furthermore, Infantino’s over-the-top rhetoric about the tournament’s great success echoes his new mentor and best friend. Infantino has established the tournament, but many issues need to be addressed before another edition of the CWC. It was neither plain sailing nor the great triumph he is claiming.

Returning to Preston, we could see that even in this era of big bucks, the soul of the game hasn’t died. As we transition to the inevitable era of Elite football, can its spirit and soul be preserved, or will it only reside at the lower levels? It will be challenging under FIFA’s present leadership. We can only hope that some of those in power will be pushing against the excesses we saw in New Jersey. Will Infantino be like his mentor and best friend, reject input? American soccer fans don’t want it, and neither do football fans worldwide.

YNWA