When I was a kid in middle america in the 80s, the lack of american involvement had nothing to do with Europe. Americans hated the game. I remember the adults always telling me it isnt a sport. and its so boring, and play a real sport. It was also an immigrant sport and this is america. you play an american sport. Heck, there are still multitudes of americans who believe this today. there is just a large enough echo chamber that we dont have to acknowledge it.

I dont blame europeans at all for their “prove it” attitude. we have had generations to embrace the sport. now that it is finally happening, our young people need to realize that this is a calcified problem that we created.

That Aston villa logo got me for a second,