When David Beckham joined the L.A. Galaxy in January 2007, soccer enthusiasts believed his arrival would be the catalyst for a renewed American interest in the sport. They also expected other aging superstars to follow Beckham to the United States to participate in the supposed renaissance of Major League Soccer.
Two and a half years later, the Beckham experiment has proven to be a major-league failure. He has been less than awe-inspiring on the field (he’s scored just six goals in 36 appearances for the Galaxy) and his questionable dedication after playing on loan with AC Milan has alienated fans and teammates alike. As for the influx of international talent into America’s top league, it never came. The biggest post-Beckham signing was the Seattle Sounders’ acquisition of Freddie Ljungberg earlier this year. Raise your hand if you’re a casual soccer fan and have ever heard of him.
Despite the lackluster impact Beckham has had on the MLS, the primary goal of his move to U.S. soil—to make soccer matter to the American sports fan—has been accomplished. Of course, neither Beckham nor the pipeline of European talent once expected to follow him westward has had anything to do with that success. No, the source of soccer’s budding popularity in a country whose favorite kind of football is played on a gridiron, not a pitch, lies in a different trend of emigration: that of American players to top European clubs.
The U.S. men’s soccer team had its best performance ever in an international competition this summer, nearly beating Brazil in the Confederation’s Cup final after dispatching the top-ranked team in the world, Spain, one round earlier. They’ve experienced setbacks since then, including two losses to chief rival Mexico in the last month, but the current squad still appears to be one of the world’s most improved ahead of next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
Of course, the most obvious reason for the U.S.’s recent rise to prominence lies in the progress of its players—the majority of whom have left the MLS in favor of higher salaries and stronger competition in Europe’s top leagues. Of the eighteen players who suited up against Mexico on August 12, only five play for MLS teams.
Among the highest-profile U.S. players abroad is D.C. native Oguchi Onyewu, a center back whose performance in the Confederation’s Cup merited a summer move to AC Milan, Beckham’s current suitor and one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
Players like Onyewu who travel overseas to compete with the best in the world have done more to increase Americans’ interest in soccer than any imports playing in their own backyard. D.C. United draws about 20,000 spectators at an average game; when Onyewu and AC Milan played English superpower Chelsea in Baltimore, over 71,000 people turned out.
The next challenge for Onyewu and the contingent of U.S. transplants playing abroad is to start receiving regular playing time, which isn’t always a given considering the depth of talent on most European clubs. With the experience these ex-pats will gain playing and practicing against better competition, expect the national side to continue its course of improvement and to be a trendy dark horse heading into South Africa’s World Cup next summer. A strong performance there would surely propel American interest in the sport to an unprecedented level—something the David Beckham experiment has yet to accomplish.
Let Walker take you overseas at wloetscher@georgetownvoice.com.
This quote is one of the problems with MLS
“neither Beckham nor the pipeline of European talent once expected to follow him”
America needs to get out of this mentality. What “pipeline” of European talent?” South America? Africa?
There is no “pipeline of European talent!” They shop elsewhere, trotting the globe for players that are both a bargain, and extremely talented.
What academy did Messi come out of? Manchester’s? How about Ronaldinho, Kaka, Drogba Eto’o, Shevchenko, Tevez, Robinho, Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguerro, Andrei Arshavin?
There are some greats from Europe, Rooney, Ribery, C. Ronaldo (the other great Ronaldo is Brazilian), Miro Close, Raul, Torres, etc., but the great European clubs will continue to shop elsewhere and pound us with their great buys.
The European clubs seem to have given up on developing their own talent through their academies, and appear to have taken a Wal-Mart frequent shopper approach to teambuilding. One that U.S. sides can neither afford to, nor should follow.
I would much sooner see a Boca Juniors, River Plate, or even LDU Quito style system here, rather than the “buyer beware and budget be damned” tomfoolery I see over there. Many of those teams are now, and will be going bankrupt, and good riddance of bad management!
If we must shop for some “star power” – which I can certainly understand as a fan, why not look for the likes of Salvador Cabanas from Club America? Christian Gimenez from Pachuca, Blas Perez from Pachuca (and who may have been a relative bargain when he played for Cucuta in Columbia), or Humberto Suazo from Monterrey (formerly of legendary Chilean side “Colo Colo”)?
What about paying guys like Altidore and Donovan to stay HERE and PLAY! Not sit the bench on the roster of some also-ran mid-table schlock of a team in England, Spain or worse yet – Portugal!
When I hear things about European football, usually I presume that people are talking about one of three leagues – EPL, La Liga, or Bundesliga. The rest stink – Including Italian! They have two, maybe three good sides there, and Champion’s league results appear to be bringing even that into question!
Stay in our own hemisphere. European spending is out of our league!