The USMNT is gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, where America's best and brightest soccer stars will take the pitch against the globe's best. Getting out of the Group Stage and winning a knockout game or two would be a massive win for the United States, a country that hasn't been to a quarterfinal since 2002 or a semifinal since 1930. Why is that? Pro football legend Rob Gronkowski says it's the NFL's fault.
“I think football, our football in America, kind of ruined our soccer game … because all our best athletes play the game of American football,” Gronkowski said on The Late Run podcast. “If those athletes started at a young age, like our wide receivers and DBs—they're the best athletes in the world. … If we didn’t have American football, I believe that Team USA would be a top three team in the world.”
Gronk furthered his point by saying that the reason the USWNT is the best in the world is that “they get their best athletes to play [soccer] right from the beginning.”
Is American football to blame for the USMNT not unlocking its full potential? 🤔
Gronk thinks if the roles were reversed and our best athletes played soccer instead at a young age, we’d be one of the top 3 nations 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/j9AleLDFi1
— The Late Run (@TheLateRunShow) May 14, 2026
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For a guy not known for his deep thinking or nuanced opinions, Rob Gronkowski may have hit the nail on the head this time.
While some will say that USMNT stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are among the best players in the world—and they are, if we're talking top 100—the truth is that they are not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, and they are not Ja'Marr Chase or Saquon Barkley for an athletic perspective.
Maybe it wouldn't matter, and maybe NFL athleticism wouldn't translate to soccer, a sport dominated by the 5-foot-7 Messi. However, when you're watching the USMNT undoubtedly get bounced before the World Cup Final in New Jersey, it's fair to wonder how great it would be to see Christian McCaffrey bombing down the wing and sending a perfect cross to Justin Jefferson, who skies above his defender to head it home.
The USMNT is gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, where America's best and brightest soccer stars will take the pitch against the globe's best. Getting out of the Group Stage and winning a knockout game or two would be a massive win for the United States, a country that hasn't been to a quarterfinal since 2002 or a semifinal since 1930.