With the World Cup festivities in full swing in Atlanta, social media has been a hotbed of tourists experiencing America culture for the very first time in the most entertaining way possible.
The US Women's National Team is the most successful team in Women's World Cup history after bringing championships back to the US in 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019, but the men's team has been unable to compete in the same way on the world stage. Their best ever finish came way back in 1930 where they reached the semifinals in Uruguay and finished 3rd based on overall tournament records.
The best finish for the men's team in the modern World Cup era was reaching the quarterfinals in 2002, where they were narrowly eliminated in a 1-0 decision to Germany.
Over the years, the men's team has been led by eight primary head coaches and this year's USMNT squad is led by a veteran Argentinian head coach in Mauricio Pochettino, who is making waves in social media after recent comments taking an aim at American sports culture.
His comments came after being asked about what type of fútbol the US plays, and he didn't mince words.
"Their culture is playful. They want to play. We told them 'Guys, playing soccer is one thing, competing is another.' They're two completely different sports," he told El Pais in comments that have since been translated from Spanish.
"They grow up in a culture of playing. Why? If you start in MLS and you haven't won a game in three months and you're at the bottom, what's the consequence if there's no promotion or relegation, no international competition?"
Then came the real zinger.
"American sports reward losers. But soccer is different: if you reward those who don't win...if you don't have goals, you don't fight. If I lose, what happens? Nothing. They just fire the coach. Also, the American player is disciplined, but with a sense of complacency that isn't good in soccer. It took us a year and a half to change that mentality."
While his comments have received a fair amount of pushback, it comes as the NBA has come under scrutiny for teams intentionally tanking games to give themselves a better chance at a high draft pick in the NBA lottery system, and in the NFL the teams with the worst records draft highest and the same goes for the NHL and MLB as well as Major League Soccer.
If he thinks that's "rewarding losers," I'd like to be there when someone tells coach Pochettino about everyone getting a trophy and medal in youth sports, or the gaudy rings being handed out for travel basketball and summer baseball leagues.
Of course, soccer in Europe words differently. The lowest team in the league standings is relegated to a lower league, and not with a high draft pick. To return to their previous league, they would have to show an improved record.
Pochettino previously led iconic soccer organizations overseas like Tottenham Hotspur (leading them to the 2019 Champions League Final), Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea where he developed a reputation as a tactician that has become known worldwide and now looks to bring that experience to a young but talented group of Americans.
His record leading the USMNT currently sits at 1-0 after leading the team to a dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opening group stage match at SoFi Stadium back on June 12th. The four goals marked the first time in USMNT history that the team has scored four goals in a single world cup match.
They will take on Australia in their second group stage match on Friday.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.