College soccer, the U.S. national men's and women's teams, and the FIFA World Cup.

Autor/in	Reiche, Danyel
Titel	College soccer, the U.S. national men's and women's teams, and the FIFA World Cup. Gefälligkeitsübersetzung: College-Fußball, die US-amerikanischen Nationalmannschaften der Männer und Frauen sowie die FIFA-Weltmeisterschaft.
Quelle	In: Soccer and society, 27 (2026) 4/5, S. 1134-1156 PDF als Volltext Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; gedruckt; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1466-0970; 1743-9590
DOI	10.1080/14660970.2026.2640514
Schlagwörter	Bildung; Begabung; Talentförderung; Geschlechtsdifferenzierung; Geschichte (Histor); Berufssport; Fußball; Sport; Sportveranstaltung; Weltmeisterschaft; Berufslaufbahn; Karriere; Collegesport; Internationalität; Entwicklung; Nachwuchsförderung; Perspektive; FIFA; Fußballmannschaft; Sportler; USA
Abstract	The FIFA World Cup 2026 sheds light on the unique American combination of sport and education, which deviates from the globally common club model. The article argues that the United States is moving towards international standards when it comes to top talent development for men's soccer. At the World Cup in 1990, the entire U.S. squad had a history as college players. At the 2022 World Cup, less than one-third had played in college. A majority attended an MLS academy or pursued opportunities abroad. However, while the importance of college soccer for the national men's team is diminishing, it remains constantly high for the women's national team. Reasons for those gender differences, such as lower salaries for female soccer players, are explained. Finally, the benefits of college soccer, such as higher earning opportunities after graduation, as well as criticisms such as its unique rules and short four-month schedule, are discussed. (Autor).
Erfasst von	Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft, Bonn
Update	2026/4