Should US Soccer players play in Europe?

[beds]

hes a midfielder but defensive midfielder

he will have a amazing game and you wont even remember seeing him, all timing

sometimes does funny step overs

[Sovereign]

I think the USA is going to become a footballing superpower in the next 15-20 years, no doubt about it. The standard of players that are coming over from MLS to Europe is getting better all the time, and younger guys like Freddy Adu and Eddie Johnson show a lot of potential. Once the stigma of soccer being for europeans and women wears off, I can see Americans getting into it.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

And we'll all have David Beckham to blame credit for it

[El Kabong]

And we'll all have David Beckham to blame credit for it 

Oh is that why the Royal family hurt Beckham's knee

Pele did wonders for the sport while he played here....it was doing very well here but the MLS unlike the NASL (North American Soccer League) has taken slower more sure steps towards building the sport without taking the huge financial risks.

Take a look at the famous players that suited up for The Cosmos: 
Mordechai Spiegler 1974-77
Carlos Alberto 1977-80, 1982
Franz Beckenbauer 1977-80, 1983
Ramon Mifflin 1977-83,
Vladislav Bogićević 1978-84
Roberto Cabañas 1980-84
Marinho Chagas 1979
Giorgio Chinaglia 1976-83
Rick Davis 1978-84
Andranik Eskandarian 1979-84
Johan Neeskens 1979-84
Pelé 1975-77
Julio César Romero 1980-83
Bobby Smith 1976-79
Yasin Özdenak 1977-79
Johan Cruyff 1979-81

Here's the average attandence by year:
1971 - 4,517
1972 - 4,282
1973 - 5,782
1974 - 3,578
1975 - 10,450
1976 - 18,227
1977 - 34,142
1978 - 47,856
1979 - 46,690
1980 - 42,754
1981 - 34,835
1982 - 28,479
1983 - 27,242
1984 - 12,817

Those are big crowds for stadiums here in the US especially for soccer

Here are the MLS attendence statistics by year:

Regular season/playoffs
1996: 17,406/17,673
1997: 14,619/16,015
1998: 14,312/17,885
1999: 14,282/16,339
2000: 13,756/10,274
2001: 14,961/11,805
2002: 15,821/13,872
2003: 14,899/13,776
2004: 15,559/13,954
2005: 15,108/14,390
2006: 15,504/15,179

MLS Cup Attendance
1996: 34,643
1997: 57,431^
1998: 51,350
1999: 44,910
2000: 39,159
2001: 21,626^
2002: 61,316^
2003: 27,000^
2004: 25,797
2005: 21,193^
2006: 22,427^

It's getting better.....and on an unrelated note, my Liverpool FC away jersey today........NICE!

[X]

This is the list if you only count famous players:

Carlos Alberto 1977-80, 1982
Franz Beckenbauer 1977-80, 1983
Giorgio Chinaglia 1976-83
Johan Neeskens 1979-84
Pelé 1975-77
Johan Cruyff 1979-81

This is the list if you count players in anything approaching their prime:

[El Kabong]

Oh of course you are correct X, I didn't say they were in their prime.


The fact is those past their prime players were able to put asses in seats and create a buzz around the game in America.



What I think should happen is that the very good US players need to go to Europe and play, the younger developing talent needs to stay in the MLS maybe having fans from college grow more interested in the game, and the older players from Europe, South America, and Africa can come to the US and draw more fans to the game.

And eventually the very good US players will stay here and maybe the money will draw in bigger name foreign players in their primes but that IMO is highly doubtful due to the loyalty and history to the older clubs. But eventually the MLS would be able to compete vs the top clubs elsewhere

[beds]

Theres no loyalty in the game anymore

only a handful of players stay loyal now, money talks to loudly

but the us needs to pay more

think a decent american coming the england will be earning say 10'000 a week

i read somewere in the us they earn 150'000 a year

[El Kabong]

It depends....the clubs don't pay much but the sponsors do. More than half of Beckham's money over here will be coming from Nike and Gatorade and stuff like that