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Canales Corner: How The USA Became Like Spain - And Vice Versa
Jul 21, 2010 4:51:00 AM
By Andrea Canales
Back in 2008, I envied Spain a little.
In basketball, that is.
Oh, sure, I was rooting for Kobe and Co. to restore some Olympic honor to the USA in the sport invented in this country, but it wasn’t with any gleeful kind of hope. It was more of a resigned burden of previously unfulfilled expectations, and a wincing awareness that all too often, the best talent didn’t equal the best team performing well.
Basically, most Americans knew that the USA should win in basketball, so there was more relief than pure joy when it happened and the Redeem Team claimed the gold. Also, the element of surprise, the ‘Wow, they did it’ factor was practically non-existent.
It wasn’t that way for Spain, and the distinction was evident in the breathless coverage of the Spanish basketball team in the country’s news media outlets in 2008. Pau Gasol was a constant presence in their sports pages, and other stars of the squad were also profiled.
Though the dream was always to win it all, Spanish fans understood that was going to be a tough task versus the powerhouse American squad. Spain’s players claimed their silver medal with justified pride. Their country had progressed to the point where it could challenge the best squads in the world, and their supporters reveled in that advancement.
In soccer, though, things are a bit different.
The Spanish team has been ranked as the world’s best, and was in fact the first and only country ever to achieve that FIFA ranking without having ever won a World Cup.
Yes, to finally achieve that elusive World Cup title this summer was a great feat, but there was never a match on the way to that title in which Spain was not considered by many as the favorite. True, Spain finally threw off the mantle of underachievers, but the tears of captain Iker Casillas after the game ended hinted a bit at the pressure and relief involved when the talent on Spain’s squad finally translated into a title.
Frankly, it’s often more of a thrill to be the underdog, to be the unexpected element, the proverbial upstart.
The USA is in a unique position in the world’s sport. Right now, on their best day, the team is capable of beating any other team - witness their victory over Spain only a year ago. However, the progress of the squad is as variable as answers blowing in the wind - a win is rarely a sure thing with Team USA. They certainly aren’t putting rivals away like the USA basketball team. Yet the soccer resources of the country keep improving, in player development. The US doesn’t have to feel as dependant as, say Uruguay, on making the most of a golden generation of players. As MLS expands and other American players continue to earn transfers abroad, the pipeline is likely to deliver more options in the future.
Sure, there’s a ways to go before the USA is usually the favorite in international competition, especially if the team tests itself regularly against the top tier, but in some ways, that makes for less angst about whether the squad should be winning, and more about which players are stepping up their game and stretching their skills. That sort of assessment is now more important if the USA wants to present a strong challenge to the world in four years.
I recall watching a youth soccer match where one player on the field was noticeably smaller than the rest. I found out from an assistant coach that this kid was ‘playing up’, the term to describe when younger stars were moved into teams composed of older players. I watched the boy fight to keep possession of the ball versus bigger, stronger opponents, and knew that he was gaining valuable lessons from the challenge.
The USA team, since its reemergence on the world scene in 1990, is a bit like that, learning to hold its own against more established teams with longer, more consistent traditions in the sport.
Sure, it’s annoying when people dismiss U.S. soccer, but ultimately, that makes the wins, when they come, all the sweeter. It’s a kick to be the spoiler, so why not enjoy that? It’s better to talk to friends about where everyone was at the moment of the goal versus Algeria than it is to bemoan those who condescendingly scoff at the idea of the USA making an impact in the sport internationally.
These are the things savor along the way to greater accomplishments.
That’s the main reason why I shrug in slight dismay about those Americans who say they’ll care about the World Cup only when the USA wins it.
If and when that happens, it’s too late then to enjoy it. It's really not as much fun when you're supposed to win it.
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America and is trying to remember to update her Twitter account.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
In basketball, that is.
Oh, sure, I was rooting for Kobe and Co. to restore some Olympic honor to the USA in the sport invented in this country, but it wasn’t with any gleeful kind of hope. It was more of a resigned burden of previously unfulfilled expectations, and a wincing awareness that all too often, the best talent didn’t equal the best team performing well.
Basically, most Americans knew that the USA should win in basketball, so there was more relief than pure joy when it happened and the Redeem Team claimed the gold. Also, the element of surprise, the ‘Wow, they did it’ factor was practically non-existent.
It wasn’t that way for Spain, and the distinction was evident in the breathless coverage of the Spanish basketball team in the country’s news media outlets in 2008. Pau Gasol was a constant presence in their sports pages, and other stars of the squad were also profiled.
Though the dream was always to win it all, Spanish fans understood that was going to be a tough task versus the powerhouse American squad. Spain’s players claimed their silver medal with justified pride. Their country had progressed to the point where it could challenge the best squads in the world, and their supporters reveled in that advancement.
In soccer, though, things are a bit different.
The Spanish team has been ranked as the world’s best, and was in fact the first and only country ever to achieve that FIFA ranking without having ever won a World Cup.
Yes, to finally achieve that elusive World Cup title this summer was a great feat, but there was never a match on the way to that title in which Spain was not considered by many as the favorite. True, Spain finally threw off the mantle of underachievers, but the tears of captain Iker Casillas after the game ended hinted a bit at the pressure and relief involved when the talent on Spain’s squad finally translated into a title.
Frankly, it’s often more of a thrill to be the underdog, to be the unexpected element, the proverbial upstart.
The USA is in a unique position in the world’s sport. Right now, on their best day, the team is capable of beating any other team - witness their victory over Spain only a year ago. However, the progress of the squad is as variable as answers blowing in the wind - a win is rarely a sure thing with Team USA. They certainly aren’t putting rivals away like the USA basketball team. Yet the soccer resources of the country keep improving, in player development. The US doesn’t have to feel as dependant as, say Uruguay, on making the most of a golden generation of players. As MLS expands and other American players continue to earn transfers abroad, the pipeline is likely to deliver more options in the future.
Sure, there’s a ways to go before the USA is usually the favorite in international competition, especially if the team tests itself regularly against the top tier, but in some ways, that makes for less angst about whether the squad should be winning, and more about which players are stepping up their game and stretching their skills. That sort of assessment is now more important if the USA wants to present a strong challenge to the world in four years.
I recall watching a youth soccer match where one player on the field was noticeably smaller than the rest. I found out from an assistant coach that this kid was ‘playing up’, the term to describe when younger stars were moved into teams composed of older players. I watched the boy fight to keep possession of the ball versus bigger, stronger opponents, and knew that he was gaining valuable lessons from the challenge.
The USA team, since its reemergence on the world scene in 1990, is a bit like that, learning to hold its own against more established teams with longer, more consistent traditions in the sport.
Sure, it’s annoying when people dismiss U.S. soccer, but ultimately, that makes the wins, when they come, all the sweeter. It’s a kick to be the spoiler, so why not enjoy that? It’s better to talk to friends about where everyone was at the moment of the goal versus Algeria than it is to bemoan those who condescendingly scoff at the idea of the USA making an impact in the sport internationally.
These are the things savor along the way to greater accomplishments.
That’s the main reason why I shrug in slight dismay about those Americans who say they’ll care about the World Cup only when the USA wins it.
If and when that happens, it’s too late then to enjoy it. It's really not as much fun when you're supposed to win it.
Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com North America and is trying to remember to update her Twitter account.
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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