The USMNT 's strong World Cup start has increased excitement around soccer in the United States.
Two wins have made Mauricio Pochettino's side look sharper, more confident and more credible.
Yet comments from Gareth Bale and Pochettino suggest US soccer still has cultural questions to answer in the long term if the country wants to succeed.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Bale knows elite football pressure better than most players of his generation.
The Welshman won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid before later joining Los Angeles FC in MLS.
That made his comparison between both environments especially revealing, even though he framed it in a positive way.
"At Real Madrid, you lose a game, it is like the end of the world. I remember the first game we lost at LAFC, I was expecting this bombardment of pressure, maybe abuse and articles to be written. But losing is kind of accepted," he told The Athletic (via Madrid Xtra).
Bale added: "Maybe there's not such a big consequence but also it's a different environment. They bounce back straight away and go again. I enjoyed it. It's a bit more family-friendly."
That was clearly praise for a healthier atmosphere. Still, it also highlights the same question Pochettino has raised about sports consequence for those who lose.
No one wants US soccer to become the kind of toxic environment seen elsewhere when teams lose, but defeat should still bring a degree of discomfort.
Pochettino has been far more direct when discussing the issue.
He said American sports "reward losers" because teams can struggle for months without facing relegation or major sporting punishment.
The Argentine coach also argued that playing soccer and competing are different things, and said it took him a year and a half to change that mentality within the USMNT squad.
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