From the outside looking in, it's very easy to become rather indignant with the United States of America. There's a disdain for their lack of devotion toward football which in recent years has become something of a self perpetuating myth. Having not even been consciously aware of their hosting of the world cup in 1994, for me it dates back to 2002. A country gets to the quarter finals and collectively doesn't care. It made no sense. Times have most certainly changed.
For one, there is much more of a realistic chance of success. As much as the last eight represented something in 2002, they were never going to go all the way. It's hard to get a nation whose identity is based around winning to buy into a sport they have little chance in. That's not to say that they had a shot but the gap has most certainly closed. In 2009 they beat Spain in the Confederations Cup and that was followed up by a strong showing in the world cup. To borrow a word from their own media department, now that they believe, we are most definitely into a new phase in American development.
One of the saddest things about their rise is that it's coincided with an absolute nadir in English football terms. Watching them unshackled by fear and unbound by the limitations in terms of player personnel, it's rather sad - given the relationship between our two nations - how far right now we are behind them based on what was on display in Brazil. I'm not at all convinced that Jurgen Klinsmann is even that good a manager, but he certainly has brought the best out of them and it goes to show what team spirit can do.
Another second round game, another underdog vanquished in noble fashion. Had the US found a second goal in extra time last night, it would have perhaps been a watershed moment regardless of the eventual outcome. To come back from two goals down in extra time, it's simply not heard of. Yet they dug in, got one back early and really made you think it could happen. Football fans know that it's not defeat but the hope that kills you. Now America knows it too.
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