The USMNT and the World Cup: What We Gained and What We Lost.

In our highly polemical culture, we sometimes lose our ability to see that within the two sides of any issue is truth. Take for instance, the controversy regarding the USMNT and its exit from the round of 16, again. Some have already begun to ask for Jurgen Klinsmann’s head on a platter and point directly at his decision to leave Landon Donovan off the team as the primary reason the US did not move farther through the competition, at least to the quarterfinals.

Rather than approach this challenge with an empathetic eye, a desire to read between the lines, those opposed in the media reply with their own hyperbole and meaningless rhetoric. The response is always in kind and so the circle continues.

Why? I ask myself, “Why can’t we just see that there is truth on both sides of the issue and look for a solution based on that?” Because that is not our culture and it is not the way mainstream media make their dollars. Controversy sells and the more outspoken a person can be on an issue, the more attention they draw, the more attention the media will give them.

That being said, I choose to go against the current and provide you with this earnest effort to be objective on the subject. What happened to the USMNT? Should they have gone farther in the World Cup? And if so, who is to blame?

First off, every one needs to take a deep breath. Those of us that have followed football/soccer for any amount of time, know how close the US came to realizing a dream that is 80 years old: to play in the semis, or even the finals of the World Cup. Yes, I said, “the finals.”

Absurd hyperbole you say? Nope. Ever since the game between the Netherlands and Spain, this World Cup has been up for grabs. Sure, we didn’t know it then, but early exits by Spain, Italy, England, Portugal, and Uruguay, made it clear that the entire tournament was in the hands of the whimsical gods of Mount Olympus.

The US had a chance. Anyone who disagrees need only look at Costa Rica. I don’t think anyone would argue that Los Ticos could win the quarterfinals, and with a little luck, even the semis.

“But the US is not Costa Rica!”

No. They are better. Besides having a better team, they have a better coach, better facilities, better everything; still, they are the ones going home and Costa Rica is playing in the quarterfinals. Why?

Here’s where things get dicey and yet, they really shouldn’t. OF COURSE KLINSMANN IS TO BLAME. There, I said it. Again, take a deep breath and continue reading. 

He is the COACH, you know, the one in charge? Of course he gets the blame. It was his team, his tactics, his strategy, and ultimately, it all failed.

There can be no doubt that the US let a golden opportunity slip through its fingers. We could and probably should have beat Belgium, and then who knows what happens next?

“What about Messi and Argentina?” What about them? Is there anyone who thinks that Argentina as a team is playing at the top of their game? That even with Messi, the Albiceleste has some glaring weaknesses? The point is that there are no real favorites in this World Cup anymore and the US, no matter how slight, had a chance.

That’s not to say that the US team and its coach should be ashamed or in any way feel like failures. They played with integrity, grit, and heart. They played, without sounding corny, just like the Americans always have, with passion.

The reason the US lost was not because of the players, the venue, the heat, the injuries, or any other external influence that all teams who play are subject to. The real reason is Jurgen Klinsmann. But so what? Is he the first US coach to lose a game he should have won? No. Is he the first to squander such an opportunity? No. Will his experience make him a better coach for the future? Absolutely.

And that should be our focus moving forward, what have we gained, not what have we lost.

What we have gained is international respect for American football. Which, by the way, has as much or more to do with the fans than the team. The fact that so many Americans made the trip to Brazil and acted with dignity and respect spoke volumes to an international community that has grown weary of the stereotypical American chest thumping.

Getty Images.

Like their team, American fans arrived in Brazil optimistic but humble, qualities that mimic their Latin American hosts. Instead of false bravado, the world saw intense commitment and the American work ethic at its highest levels.

For these reasons and others, the international football community has finally embraced the Americans as one of their own; a great achievement by any measure.

Americans should therefore feel disappointment but not defeat. We may have lost an important opportunity but in that loss we have gained even more. We have shown that we as a nation take pride in our football program, and are ready to achieve at the next level.

That’s the simple truth of both arguments, and surely it’s enough to build on as we look to 2018.