The United States Men’s National Soccer Team is gearing up to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 11 of its 16 stadiums in the US. While soccer has experienced a decline in popularity in recent years, with the team failing to qualify for the tournament in 2018 and struggling in the Copa América group stage last year, Team USA legend Landon Donovan believes that soccer is “secure” in the country.
Donovan, who scored one of the most famous goals in US soccer history against Algeria, says that the global stars attending the World Cup will be enough to grow the sport. He believes that if the team can have an iconic moment or two, it will catapult soccer through the roof in the US.
CEO of the NYNJ Host Committee, Alex Lasry, shares similar sentiments, stating that even if the tournament doesn’t go as planned, it will still have a significant impact on the country’s soccer scene. Fellow USMNT alum Alexi Lalas takes a more cautious approach, saying that the team must be ready to seize the opportunity and leave a lasting impression.
As the team prepares for the high-pressure World Cup, they face both pressure from fans and expectations from previous generations of American soccer players. While there are no guarantees of success, Donovan’s words echo through the years: “If it ends up being not what we’re hoping, I don’t think that’s going to dampen what the World Cup means to the United States.”
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/with-world-cup-exactly-1-year-out-usmnt-legends-say-pressure-turned-up-notch