A lot of latinos play Soccer as a hobby.. are they better than Americans who get trained in soccersince kids?

Question

Many times i see little kids being coached in soccer . You don't see this alot with latinos. But latinos have soccer passion and they play as a hobby.

Just because the American white kids get special training, are they better than latinos.. or it doesn't really help them beat latinos?

Answer 1

With or without the training, attention and dedication an athlete can invest in a sport, if there is no passion, it won't be anough. Non-Latino Americans have just recently in the past decade catched the soccer "fever" where as to us Latinos soccer is the sport you like. Of course there are exceptions.

My parents signed up my 9 year old brother in a soccer team, and the only part he liked about it was the uniform and the food at practices. I personally would take him to practice, buy him different work-out clothes, left my job earlier to help him (i love soccer), even thought about volunteering to coach his team. But when i noticed it really wasn't his thing, I gave it up.
Not until recently dou you actually see little league soccer teams at parks. My other brother (he is 17 years old now and i'm 5 years older than him) was in a baseball team and i well remember his practices, and there were no soccer teams around, despite the fact that we lived in a latino community. The sport had not reached the "popularity" level it now has.
Exceptions, yes, my father and my little brother. I love soccer, playing it, and watching it on tv. My dad only likes the World Cup, and my brother only likes kicking the ball back and forth.
Hopefully with the Beckham arrival to the U.S. the sport gains much needed attention from new players, kids, and team sponsors to spread soccer arround. If Beckham is not gonna win with the Galaxy, the least he can do is spread the sport's popularity around.

Answer 2

I actually think it's pretty even. I'm a Latino and I was raised with soccer here in the U.S. I actually think I learned how to kick a soccer ball before I could walk. Depending on where you are from, the passion for soccer is different. I am from South America, so I live, breathe, and sweat soccer as opposed to other Latinos from the Carribean. North Americans have a better chance of getting professional training, but I don't think the passion is there quite yet. Hopefully soon though.

Answer 3

First, I think talent is talent and it comes in more or less the same proportion among all populations. What you do with this talent is what makes the difference. You are asking about the relationship between Latino and non-Latino kids and how the game is perceived, enjoyed, practiced, and played, and how these contribute to make a better player.

Most non-Latino kids encounter sport in organized leagues. They practice once or twice a week, and play once. That is about three to four hours of soccer a week. It is a lot of soccer to learn in a short time. As a soccer coach, I have a hard time getting the kids to really learn how to play. I feel that if they had more practice, informal practice beyond what I give, they would develop their skills better. I feel that they just try to kick the ball without too much planning.

Many Latino kids have the love of the sport from their homes and families. They come home from school, do their homework, and rush outside for pick-up games. They play from about 4:00 PM until they can’t see the ball anymore. Some kids might play 20 or more hours a week. The game is not competitive; the kid playing against you might be playing with you tomorrow. They learn to adapt and to think ahead.


Once I attended a lecture by the great German former player and coach Jurgen Klinsmann. He is a big fan of non-organized soccer. He feels that it is better to develop game skills.

There is one more thing: the competition from other sports. Non-Latino kids with multi-sport talents usually get to try other sports and excel in them. With soccer in a “minor” sport category in the US in terms of salaries, talented kids tend to gravitate more towards high-paying careers in football, basketball, baseball, or hockey. In Latino families where soccer is king, soccer might be the only sport a kid will play.

However, I don’t see too much of that in my team. I have very talented Latino and non-Latino players, and I also have less talented Latino and non-Latino players. I don’t think that the difference is that big anymore in the US. In Mexico and most South American countries it still is.

Answer 4

I don't know if I would say that they are better. But the American kids have an advantage over most Latinos when it comes to the sport.

American parents get more involved with their children's activites such as sports and academics. Latino parents don't do as much. I run a soccer league, and the majority of players bring their kids to the field to watch their dad's play. Where as in the American culture, it's the other way around.

Answer 5

Great question, I think formal training has its advantages and disadvantages. So does informal street playing.
Formal training gives a kid the technical ability to play as a team where as informal street play gives a kid that killer instinct that says: "Score...score...score"

This is evident in the Mexican national team and US national team.
The Americans have players that are able to stick by each other and tough it out but they lack the quality strikers to finish opportunities.
On the other hand the Mexicans don't have that team organization that the US has but they do have great strikers like Nery, Gio and Borghetti who are good at scoring.
The question is not a black and white question therefore you can't get a clear cut answer.

Answer 6

The difference is that we, South Americans, grew up playing with very good players and learn from them. The most important skill, handling the ball, can't be teach. You develop that skill yourself. But the way Americans are learning is evident. And besides, you can see how the sons of immigrants have a great influence in the national team. Won't be long before the USA will have a very competitive team.

Answer 7

Most American kids did not play soccer when I was a kid. This is relatively new in America. I would say it depends upon the talent of the individual player, and not whether it is culturally embraced.

Answer 8

You have to admit latinos,mexicans,brazilians are pretty good at soccer.

Answer 9

Americans suck at football