The development of soccer in the United States did not just run through a minor pothole last October when the U.S. men’s national team did not qualify for the World Cup, it veered off the side of the road.
Repairing such damage is impossible because the program cannot get back what it will lose by not being in the World Cup this summer; the impact is impossible to measure. Certainly, young national team players like Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams will lose what could have been invaluable experience at the highest level of international soccer. Beyond that, though, adolescents who may have tuned in and been inspired by the action of the national team, will perhaps now never be compelled to pick up a ball.