[RonF]

Can't speak for the eurolosers, but us Brits think all of your games are dull. Can't understand why a country like the USA can have no national pride when it comes to team sports, instead preferring to stay at home for fear of losing to a foreign team. Doesn't the idea of humiliating countries like Iran, Mexico and France at the game they love most appeal a little bit? ;-)

That is tempting, I admit. But I was not aware the U.S. stayed home; I thought we had a national team. The other thing is, all of our best athletes play a sport they can make a lot of money at. For example, I don't have the exact numbers at hand, but the MINIMUM yearly salary in Major League Baseball is around $380,000. The best paid MLB player is making somewhere around $18,000,000 a year. What will a soccer player make? Where's the incentive for a elite athlete in the U.S. to take up soccer?

[stainlessbanner]

I think Donavan is the highest paid US pro soccer player. I think he makes around $900k/yr. There might be others, not sure.

[FostersExport]

"Where's the incentive for a elite athlete in the U.S. to take up soccer?"

Depends how you want to compare it. The MLS is obviously not going to pay as much as MLB, as the MLB league is the top of its profession.

However, if you compare to an elite league like La Liga or the Premiership, then things are looking better for the soccer payer. Brian McBride will be on over £1 million, possibly £1.5 million.

If you want to compare to the absolute highest paid, then David Beckham was on £20 million at his peak. That’s a lot of $$$.

[Tspud1]

ask Beckham or Ronaldinho