Overall, I'm optimistic about the US's chances in the upcoming World Cups. The USA has a much better team this time around, for one thing. Eight years ago, I predicted that the USMNT was about one to two generations behind excellence. The rising popularity of soccer in America due to several factors, including parents switching their children away from football due to fears of head injuries, means that there will soon be a large pool of American soccer players who grew up playing soccer from the time they could walk. I'm basing this on the premise that American athletes tend to do very well in other sports, including the Olympics. But with basketball and football pulling away most male athletes from soccer, our national teams don't have the same focus and dedication the other sports do.

The success of the USWNT shows that there is promise in the future of American soccer. Female athletes don't have football pulling them away from soccer, so our women's soccer teams are usually great.

One day, that success will come to America. When it does, the USMNT will be unstoppable. But, it might still be another generation away from now.