A lesson for VT football can be learned from the USMNT
Don’t believe you deserve to win because everyone says you should win.
45 Replies
I think most would consider Belgium the favorite.
No. 8 in the world vs. No. 17 in the world, and we haven't beaten a European team in like 127 years. Belgium beat us 5-2 back in March.
I went into the game thinking we had about a 30% chance to win. We needed to not make critical errors to have a chance. Obviously we didn't do that.
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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Hope you bet heavily on Belgium and made a bundle.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
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Usually the markets are in line with each other. But in some cases there are emotional, uninformed bettors moving the line irrationally.
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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TRUTH - we had a 30% chance before the goalie started thinking out of the box...
(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
Well, I don't think they are very smart then.
We are a much-improved team. I thought before the WC started we had about a 10% chance to beat Belgium. Then I saw us play, and we were much better than I thought, so I raised my chances to about 30%. But they were always the pretty clear favorite...if you throw out a lot of the happy feels/WC is in America type of stuff, which I'm guessing is what drove a lot of the predictions/bets.
** Edited by Chris Coleman at 7/7/2026, 3:08:41 PM
** Edited by Chris Coleman at 7/7/2026, 3:08:58 PM
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
3w
Just because everyone around you says you’ll win doesn’t mean you will. The CJF hype is leading to this type of environment.
As for US soccer, while improved, they are still second tier on the world stage. They got b-smacked by a much better team who showed up with a plan to b-smack them. The passive play in the box leading to the first two goals and the bad news bears impersonation that gave up the third reminded me of some the worst moments I had coaching youth soccer. I can hear myself telling my players at half “Attack and control the ball! Don’t wait for it to come to you!” That’s basic stuff and the US team can’t execute it against good teams. Oh well.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
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bandwagon
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(In response to this post by VTHokie2000)
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easy money for them. After all the house always wins.
(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
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They're just angling for the vig
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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It looks like the US team is very young and small. They lost most of their 1 on 1 battles with the older, stronger players.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
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last night. The European leagues do a much better job of developing the players than MLS/US Soccer Pyramid. Even though majority of the players on the current roster play for a club overseas, the US doesn't have a great development system in place to get the next batch of players ready for future World Cups.
(In response to this post by VT ChemE 1986)
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for his country and probably too old to start for his club. Now if he had the skill level of a Pepe or Rio Ferdinand, then it would be an entirely different story.
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
We aren't very young, no. Not by soccer standards.
Our entire midfield is Premier League or Bundesliga players. Premier League is the best league in the world, and the strongest and most physical, and the Bundesliga is really good, too. And those guys are experienced. We've got a ton of experience, overall. Our left back plays in the Premier League. Our right back plays in Spain, a really good league. Richards is Premier League. Etc.
Defensively, Belgium was by far the best team we've played, and they were always going to make it difficult for us to score. What we had to do to stay in the game was not make critical errors, and obviously we didn't do that. Main thing we lack is depth in defense (Ream is too old to be starting, but we don't have any other choice) and a top goal keeper. If we are better at those two spots, last night's game probably would have gone to extra time.
** Edited by Chris Coleman at 7/7/2026, 12:16:00 PM
(In response to this post by VT ChemE 1986)
3w
If we have a team of youthful players that aren't good enough internationally to break into the top 8, then there's the solid chance that in 4 years, they still won't be good enough to brake into the top 4. Sometimes, having youth simply means you have a long time in the future to be "not that good." If the youth is super talented (and ours isn't) then you have the chance to be much better in 4 years.
** Edited by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie at 7/7/2026, 2:50:31 PM
(In response to this post by Chris Coleman)
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(In response to this post by HoakieBS)
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the US would need 2 generational players playing in the same time period to even have a shot. It's easier to do it on the women's side but millions of (non-US) boys are playing soccer/futbol from 4 yr olds up dreaming about one day playing for their national team.
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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Russia-Great MMA fighters, Boxers, UFC, Dagestan and all the rest. Their best athletes go into mixed martial arts early on. South America and Africa and Europe? Their best athletes are going into soccer early on, not American football and they pursue soccer even more than basketball. As for the USA? Our best are going into basketball and football early on and in the northern 50 percent of the USA, our best athletes often choose hockey over soccer if not good enough in hoops and football, so in summary, COMPARED to the Europeans, Africans, and Central and South Americans, our best athletes often choose something other than soccer unlike the countries and locations named above
Imagine our Michael Jordans, Lebron's, Randy Moss, John Stockton's, Patrick Mahomes (all great athletes) doing everything possible from age 5 to make it in big-time soccer. That's how it is for these other countries.
(In response to this post by VT757to276)
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a variety of sports, not just soccer. The difference is that there is a youth development system there, which we don't. We have traveling soccer, which is a pay for play. Talented kids whose parents can't afford that have no chance. MLS clubs aren't going out there building academies for the U-10 onwards.
Soccer in the US is a middle class suburban sport.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
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ice hockey at an early age. I'm not sure if the majority are truly pursuing MMA/boxing over ice hockey vs. it appears that way because not as many are leaving the KHL to go play in the NHL. Also, it worth mentioning that in parts of Europe, African (i.e. South Africa and Namibia), Australia, and New Zealand that good percentage of the best athletes opt to pursue a create in rugby (league and/or union) and cricket rather than soccer. Most Americans don't realize how big those sports are in other parts of the world because they aren't really played here in the US.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)
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Truthahn
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(In response to this post by VT757to276)
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dribbling a football.
(In response to this post by VT757to276)
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2 Sweet sixteens in their history.
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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Truthahn
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We lost to Dayton or we would have been in the final four.
(In response to this post by ChrisLords)
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(In response to this post by ChrisLords)
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Truthahn
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Lost to Germany with a suspect hand ball call. Too bad Trump was not around to overturn that one (LOL).
USMNT also played Brazil in the 2009 confederations cup final, a eight team tournament of confederation champions played the year before the world cup. Too bad but they don't do it anymore. It was hosted by the world cup host nation as a early, smaller, trial run tune up event for the real thing a year later. That would have been great to host last year in the US, as a world cup appetizer event.
Two other moments that the USMNT was probably better than this time. I can think of two more as well, but this is a VT board so two is enough.
(In response to this post by VTHokie2000)
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comparison to VT men's basketball.
(In response to this post by Truthahn)
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soccer nation, but the people chose to go in a different direction. Instead of being a blue blood in soccer, we are a blue blood in other sports.
(In response to this post by HoakieBS)
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VT wasn’t favored and being hyped in their sweet 16 game but how many times has the football team been the bell of the ball only to get taken advantage of in the coat room and left with the check for dinner? Countless.
(In response to this post by ChrisLords)
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** Edited by marcbvtgm at 7/7/2026, 9:08:27 AM
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
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Prior to the striker being reinstated, a draw had the highest probability.
(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
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(In response to this post by marcbvtgm)
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** Edited by marcbvtgm at 7/8/2026, 7:20:02 PM
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
3w
There was hype for sure, but from true soccer fans that are knowledgeable that follow the sport closely and giving an objective take? Belgium was better than us going into that game and true fans knew it. We had hype and hope, but those 2 don't make you favorites.
** Edited by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie at 7/7/2026, 9:02:11 AM
(In response to this post by Hokiefied)
3w
Hope CJF is paying attention as the hype of his hire is building expectations.
(In response to this post by Hate2SeeItEnd Hokie)