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U.S. fail to shine on world stageBy CNN's Terry Baddoo SPECIAL REPORT(CNN) -- Making the knockout phase in their first World Cup is a great result for Ghana, but beating the U.S. was surely no more than most unbiased football followers expected. The U.S. had been dreadful against the Czechs and no more than doggedly determined against Italy. Their "big stars" -- Donovan, Beasley and Reyna, did not show up, and they're not big stars anyway in world terms. Face it, the U.S. had an inflated view of their potential gleaned from their ludicrously high position in the ridiculous FIFA world rankings and their spirited run to the quarterfinals in 2002 at a freak World Cup where most of the fancied teams were off-form at the same time -- a situation that will never arise again, I suggest. Don't get me wrong, the U.S. have come on leaps and bounds in the short time that it's been taking the game of soccer seriously, but they're not even close to being the finished article. Most of their players either play for low or middle-ranking clubs in Europe or in the MLS, which is at the level of second-division football in the more established football nations at best. So why would anyone think the Americans have the ability to routinely progress beyond the World Cup group stage? In fact, if they had to qualify in any other location but the CONCACAF region, which is regarded among the weakest in the world, I believe they'd struggle to make the finals at all. Not because they're inherently bad, but because they're only a developing football nation. It takes generations to establish the infrastructure to develop a pool of players able to compete at the top level. And, in football terms, the U.S. is no more than a toddler. The U.S. also lacks the financial clout to attract its best athletes to the game. Why would a talented American kid, (especially from the inner cities where parental support, facilities and equipment may be lacking), gravitate towards soccer when there's far more potential for money, fame and respect from his peers in aspiring to become the next Shaquille O'Neal, Barry Bonds, or Peyton Manning (basketball, baseball and gridiron football stars for those who've never heard of them)? Granted, some Americans may know of a player like David Beckham, but more as tabloid fixture than as a footballers or role model. What's more, he's not American, and that's significant, as the U.S. is perhaps the most patriotic if not jingoistic nation in the world and prefers its own heroes. In fact, not just heroes but winners, which the 2006 World Cup team patently weres not. So where does U.S. soccer go from here? Well, once all the recriminations are over. Once Coach Bruce Arena is either retained or replaced, (and I do think that after an eight-year tenure he's done all he can in the job). Once the bulk of Americans return to cheering their "world champion" teams in sports few other nations play, I believe U.S. soccer can re-group and quietly move forward by doing the same things and adopting the same attitudes it had before the 2002 World Cup. Build from the bottom, show some humility, and accept that on the soccer field the U.S. is nowhere near to the "sleeping giant" that Bruce Arena described in a delusional moment before these finals. You know, FIFA has 204 member nations, and in 17 tournaments spanning 76 years only seven countries have ever won the World Cup. That leaves 197 national teams still dreaming. In other words America, lick your wounds and be patient.
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