We dive deep into the strange, fragmented, often unbelievable history of American men’s soccer with acclaimed journalist and author Leander Schaerlaeckens, whose new book, "The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts," chronicles the U.S. Men’s National Team’s long, improbable march from global irrelevance to the doorstep of the 2026 World Cup.
For generations, men’s soccer in America existed as a sporting afterthought: half-forgotten World Cup appearances, unstable leagues, empty stadiums, and a federation that often seemed to be inventing itself on the fly. Schaerlaeckens traces the USMNT’s bizarre and deeply American journey from the collapse of the old North American Soccer League and the ill-fated “Team America” experiment, through the make-or-break 1994 World Cup, to today’s globally connected generation starring players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.
Along the way, we discuss the structural challenges that long held American soccer back — from pay-to-play youth systems to cultural indifference — and why the sport’s growth in the United States has been anything but linear. The conversation also dives into iconic personalities, locker-room dysfunction, the rise of MLS academies, and the looming tension surrounding the hyper-commercialized 2026 World Cup.
