The Art & Science of Why the U.S. Men's Soccer Team Lost Out in 2024 Copa America

From a distance, here’s my take on why we lost out.? Before I start, I must admit that I’ve listened to many soccer pundits on TV, YouTube, and the like describe their take on why it happened.? Here, I was inspired by their rhetoric to write this post since there was really nothing new about their collective responses.? As always, they defaulted to an argument where they blame either the coach or the players as individuals and/or the team – or both. Perhaps a deeper dive is warranted to get to the root cause.

As someone who spent many years working to develop leaders and teams, I must say this is hard work – and it takes time.? This is especially true when it comes to team development!? Yet, there seems to be little, if any, acknowledgement of this fact when it comes to the rhetoric.? ??

I am also someone who grew up with the game of soccer, so I can relate to the sport in a way that hopefully adds some credibility.? As a young boy growing up in the Rochester (NY) area in the early 1950s I was able to watch many ethnic teams compete every Sunday.? Looking back, it was a unique experience watching local clubs like the Italian Americans, German Americans, and others compete as if they were playing in a World Cup.? My father even played then for the Rochester Sports Club and played in one U.S. Open Cup competition.? I vividly remember going to places like Edgerton Park to watch games. What struck me at that time was how passionate the players and their fans were, who had moved from their respective homelands and taken up residence in the Rochester area (after the end of the second World War).? That included my father who came to the United States from Wales in 1947.

Today, people in the countries represented in 2024 Copa America – including their respective players/teams – remain as passionate about soccer as they did when I was a boy growing up in the 1950s.? Soccer is deeply ingrained in their cultures. Some have even argued that they are more passionate about soccer than religion.? That is not for me to say.? But it is a part of their national character. As such, the ‘beautiful game’ brings hope to people living in these countries, demonstrating that achievement (winning) is possible against all odds when people come together to work as a team.? That ingredient, I would argue, is missing in U.S. Men’s Soccer.? Yes, soccer has grown tremendously in the United States.? But that growth does not necessarily translate into the level of individual/team passion needed to win 2024 Copa America (or World Cups).?

Passion – like motivation – is an energy that once seen or experienced, is perhaps the ultimate intangible in helping individuals and teams (and organizations) achieve results.? It leads directly to commitment!? It may be hard to describe – and replicate, but we all know it when we see it.? If we believe that passion serves as a key differentiator in producing a winning U.S. Men’s Soccer team, I find it frustrating when people generalize and talk about passion as if were a commodity.? A player’s passion is internally generated and highly personal.? Period.? And whether players’ passion translates into the team’s passion is another challenging question.? It depends on the coaches’ qualifications, the team’s operating framework, team norms, team protocols and processes, and the like…all contributing factors that influence team passion (and development).??

Soccer must become mainstream in this country like it is in many countries outside of the United States to ignite the level of player passion needed to win a cup. Unfortunately, that will take time.? And it may not happen! Why?? There may be too many competing sports in the United States to enable soccer to become ingrained in our multicultural country. ?And don’t forget, we are fighting against history.? That is, we live in a country that has promoted individual values (achievement) over team values.? With values directly linked to behaviors, it will be challenging to expect things to change overnight.? I hope I’m wrong.

It needs to be said again that team development in organizations is hard work, and it takes time.? I believe the same holds true for developing sports teams, like soccer, that need to effectively collaborate to win.? Initially, the process calls for developing and leveraging a collaborative mindset to support a team’s ability to effectively apply their skillset(s) – both individually and as a team.? Mindset development is critical – and it trumps skillset when it comes to winning!? Here, I’m reminded of Portland Timber’s coach, Phil Neville, in his post-game pressers, who likes to describe success in soccer as 80% mental and 20% tactical.

Developing a collaborative mindset requires individual and team discipline to a apply team principles, along with essential competencies aligned with these principles. Principles like Focus On Team – Not Position, Seek-Out Skillful and Adaptable Players, and Coach Teams to Respond to Changing Conditions On Their Own, are just three out of several principles that must be in play for the team to demonstrate a collaborative mindset.? Essential competencies like Drive/Energy, Functional/Technical Expertise, Results Orientation, Team Player and Team Management are five out of a series of competencies that individuals/teams must learn and apply to demonstrate a collaborative skillset.

Okay, so where does that leave us?? All of this may sound like a lot to take in at one time. Perhaps. The good news is that team development can be learned!? However, it takes players who can pass the ‘passion test’ and coaches who understand and apply the art & science of team development to ultimately achieve winning results.? And of course, it takes fan interest and support.

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Winsor Jenkins (www.winsorjenkins.com) is the author of the books, The Collaborator: Discover Soccer as a Metaphor for Global Business Leadership and Game of Teams: Discover How to Become a Collaborative Leader.? His books are available of AMAZON.