USMNT: Why MLS Has Made World Cup Qualifying More Difficult for the USMNT

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: February 8, 2013

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The United States Men’s National Team’s 2-1 loss to Honduras reduced its chances to qualify for the 2014 World Cup by 8.9 percent (per ESPN’s Paul Carr). But don’t blame Jurgen Klinsmann should it fail to qualify—blame MLS.

In only 17 years, MLS succeeded in developing the American player and the American game. But now its impact can be felt throughout the entire region.

Honduras, Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica have a stable of MLS talent at its disposal. All four pose a serious threat to the United States.

The league has provided Caribbean and Central American players with the opportunity to develop in an environment that offers better resources and greater financial stability than their local counterparts.



The result: Better play and tougher competition in the Hexagonal.

That result is at the root of the USMNT's problem.

Parity has been created in a region once dominated by the U.S. and Mexico.

More than a third of Honduras’ starting XI call MLS home: Victor Bernárdez (San Jose Earthquakes), Oscar Boniek García (Houston Dynamo), Mario Martínez (Seattle Sounders) and Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution).

That’s not including Carlo Costly and Roger Espinoza. Both left MLS in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Compare that to the 2010 World Cup team that only had one if its members in MLS. 

So on a day that saw nine European-based players start for the USMNT, it was the foreign MLS talent that shined brightest.

When Boniek Garcia set up Bengtson’s game-winning goal in the 79th minute, that was two MLS players digging a knife into the hearts of American soccer fans everywhere.



Ironically enough, this isn’t the first time the U.S. lost to a team loaded with MLS talent.

Four MLS players started for Jamaica ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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