The continued fallout from Christian Pulisic’s decision not to join the USMNT this summer has exposed the incestuousness of elite soccer in the United StatesThe United States men’s national team need a number of things. Some wins, after losing three straight games from March’s Concacaf Nations League through Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Turkey. A bit of momentum or indeed excitement for next year’s World Cup on home soil. A clear identity, or at least a rediscovery of the kind of grit that once made this team competitive. A goalscorer.The one thing the Americans do not need is another episode of parent-driven drama. But that’s what they have.Leander Schaerlaeckens is at work on a book about the United States men’s national soccer team, out in 2026. He teaches at Marist University. Continue reading...