Why is U.S. so good in women's soccer, but not in men's?

5 reasons why USWNT is so good

Sunday couldnā€™t have been a more fitting visual of soccerā€™s status in the United States. It spoke once again to how extraordinary the womenā€™s national team isĀ and how ordinary the menā€™s squad is.

The womenā€™s team once again captivated the country by winning its fourth World Cup title with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands.

Celebrities around the country tweeted their congratulations,Ā and the American women celebrated that they have now won 50% of all World Cups played (the recent tournament in France was the eighth ever).

Given the opportunity to build on what the women did and possibly make it the greatest day ever for U.S. soccer, the menā€™s team couldnā€™t deliver when they took the field a few hours later, falling 1-0 to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.

Granted, the Gold Cup is more of a regional showcase of countries from North America, Central America and the CaribbeanĀ and doesnā€™t feature the intensity of a World Cup.

But it still was an appropriate symbol of why so many are demandingĀ the athletes on the womenā€™s team get equal pay to their male counterparts in a current lawsuit the women have against the U.S. Soccer Federation.

So, why is the U.S. so dominantĀ at the worldā€™s most popular sport on the womenā€™s sideĀ but so dormant in menā€™s competitions?

Here are fiveĀ reasons why.

Title IX

The landmark ruling in 1972, which outlawed discrimination based on sex under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, gave unprecedented opportunities to female athletes in the U.S.

College athletic programs have to allot an equal number of scholarships between female and male sports, and having womenā€™s soccer programs with large rosters helps balance out the inequality that can be created with the number of football scholarships given out to men.

It has also made sure there are equal opportunities at the high school and youth level.Ā 

Ignorance of other countries

Germany banned womenā€™s soccer from 1955 to 1970. England did so from 1921 to 1971, while Brazil also banned womenā€™s soccer from 1941 to 1981.

All claimed soccer was not a womenā€™s sport, and even when those bans were lifted, funding for womenā€™s national programs in those and other countries wasĀ limited.

In fairness, that is starting to change big time.

Countries around the world that treat menā€™s soccer like itā€™s a religion are starting to see the value in having a great womenā€™s program. France, England and the Netherlands had record TV ratings and an unprecedented amount of coverage for their games against the U.S. in the World Cup, andĀ the funding and attention is expected to increase going forward.Ā 

College soccer as development method

In the U.S., the primary way to develop soccer players is to have them go through youth and high school programs, then make their way to play in college before moving on to a professional career and the national team, if those players are good enough.Ā 

That has worked better for women than men on a global level, mainly because the model in Europe is way different.

Prominent professional soccer clubs in Europe identify players as early as when they are teenagers, bring them into their organization and begin the process of developing them for years.

Thatā€™s been how Europeā€™s done it for years with male players, but it hasnā€™t been the case as traditionally with women, mainly due to a lack of funding and there not being as much interest.

But as pointed out in an ESPN article, that is rapidly changing and interest in the womenā€™s game is skyrocketing across Europe, which could quickly alter the balance of power.

Previous success to inspire

Ā 

The U.S. women winning the 1999 World Cup it hosted was a watershed moment for female athletics in the country. The team was not only featured on the cover of sports magazines after the triumph, but also news magazines Time and Newsweek.

Winning the last two World Cups has only added to that lore and inspired even more younger athletes, both female and male, to get into the sport.

The menā€™s team hasnā€™t come close to having an iconic moment like the women have.Ā 

Soccer is a better athletic option for females

Ultimately, even with all the other factors, this is the main advantage the U.S. has when it comes to womenā€™s soccer.

Aspiring male athletes can dream about becoming wealthy playing football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf or being a race car driver.

Soccer seems to beĀ way down the list for male athletes in the U.S., but that isn't the case for female athletes.

Besides basketball and volleyball, soccer is the most popular sport for girls, with the U.S. having 1.7 million registered female players during FIFAā€™s worldwide count in 2006 (the U.S. federation doesnā€™t offer gender breakdowns of itsĀ registered players).

Unlike basketball and volleyball, there are more opportunities to compete and make a good living playing soccer on American soil, whether itā€™s for the national team or the National Womenā€™s Soccer League.Ā 


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