Miami Beach, Florida.Tobin Heath may have some insight into what appeals to Americans about soccer.
Part of her resume: Inspired by the 1999 Women’s World Cup, she won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. women’s national team and two World Cup crowns after winning NCAA titles while attending North Carolina.
Thus far, she believes that the Club World Cup might have a comparable impact.
Along with former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, former German player and U.S. men’s national coach Jurgen Klinsmann, and others, Heath, who is working as part of FIFA’s technical study group for the tournament, said on Saturday that a match she attended earlier this month between Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors—which was played in a packed stadium in South Florida—shows what could be possible in this nation.
At a FIFA briefing with the technical group, Heath remarked, “As an American, it was one of the coolest experiences of my life to witness that passion and energy.” I never thought I would be able to witness it in my own nation. The stadium was actually trembling. The crowd were tremendous, and you could feel it. I am aware of how powerful these domestic contests are, and how they have the ability to alter the game’s environment in our nation.
The number of people attending the Club World Cup matches has varied greatly; some stadiums are packed, while others are essentially deserted. As FIFA looks to build momentum toward the World Cup that will be coming to North America next year, there should be plenty of good crowds throughout the rest of the tournament as it enters the knockout round and features some strong matchups, such as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami playing his former team, Paris Saint-Germain, on Sunday in Atlanta.
We’re having a great dress rehearsal, Heath added.
Messi’s Inter Miami was the only American team to go to the knockout stage, but some question whether or not that team will actually have a significant impact on soccer in this nation. Messi is the most well-known figure in the sport and has a huge fan base worldwide, which was evidently present even before he moved to Miami two years ago.
Even though Messi doesn’t have the best statistics in this tournament, he is unquestionably the most important player since Inter Miami wouldn’t be able to qualify without him,” Wenger stated.
The technical study group’s task is straightforward: watch every game, live or on TV (with the advantage of numerous screens and angles), evaluate the style of play, and identify the factors that contribute to a team’s success. The amount of information gathered from these games is extremely detailed; reports that span more than 50 pages gauge everything from how long it takes a side to regain possession following a giveaway to how hard players sprint during crucial moments in a game.
Heath declared, “This tournament has blown me away.” I am very proud of this nation, and it has just increased my excitement for the next summer. It demonstrates how ingrained and intimate football is in our nation. I’m eager to observe the development.
Quality of field
FIFA has promised that some of the fields used in this tournament will be in worse shape than those used for the World Cup the following year.
European clubs have made remarks and, in certain situations, complained about the conditions, especially with regard to the pitches in Charlotte and Orlando, Wenger stated.
Wenger remarked, “I have personally been on the field at Orlando.” Because it’s not flawless, it’s not at the standard that the European clubs are accustomed to, but that will be fixed for the World Cup the following year.
There has even been talk about the field at MetLife Stadium, where the Club World Cup final will take place in two weeks.
The grass and turf on the field differ from those in Europe. The ball was not moving as quickly as we are used to, but I thought the pitch was a little bit soft and not dry. Niko Kovac, the coach of Borussia Dortmund, stated, “This is my impression, my feeling,” following his team’s scoreless draw with Fluminense there earlier in the tournament.
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