The former USMNT star has pointed to the lack of quality coaches as the main reason why the U.S. struggles to develop world-class players
Gomez identifies coaching quality as the fundamental issue in U.S. player developmentAmerican soccer infrastructure and facilities exceed many countries producing elite talentCultural development gaps from early stages prevent technical and tactical growthGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Former USMNT striker and current ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez addressed the persistent question of why the United States fails to produce world-class football players. Despite billions invested in facilities, youth academies, and professional infrastructure, Gomez argued that the coaching methodology at youth levels remains insufficient. He specifically highlighted that while the U.S. has built impressive stadiums and training facilities, the quality of coaching instruction at formative ages is preventing young players from maximizing their potential.
“You look at the U.S., you don’t have great coaches,” Gomez said on . “So you could have all the resources, all the material in the world you need but if you don’t have the methodology to mold these players, you’re not going to have a player like Lamine Yamal who at 15 is debuting at Barca, 16 playing his first Euros, 17 is probably the front-runner for the Ballon d’Or.
He added, “You’re not going to have that because here at 15, you’re maybe getting approached to go to Europe. At 16, you can finally be in Europe; that’s when you can legally be there. At 16, 17, you’re stepping out into the first team [like Pulisic] and that’s the most accelerated examples I can go with. You don’t have that [in the U.S.], so it goes back to coaching, that’s why you don’t have and never had a world-class player, or probably are going to lack for world-class players because you don’t develop them."
AdvertisementWHAT HERCULEZ GOMEZ SAID
Gomez further touched on the fact that part of the reason is also cultural because a lot of world-class talent starts young and is mostly started by their family because football is part of their lives. He admits that that isn’t the case in America and it needs to change for the U.S. to produce a world-class star.
“That’s not per se what happens here. So if it’s not cultural and you don’t have the methodology, your behind in that resource which is the greatest resource of all, who gives a sh*t what the stadium looks like? Or the grass is like, or what kind of gear you have, or what kind of sensors they put on your chest that measures how much you run?! But that’s what I’m saying, you don’t have that [culture and methodology] and if you don’t have that, it’s very, very difficult to be put with the rest of the world.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The United States has made significant strides in football over the past two decades, with MLS academies, youth development programs, and improved professional pathways. However, Gomez's critique points to a deeper issue that resources alone cannot fix: the cultural understanding of the game that informs coaching philosophy. South American and European countries have produced generation after generation of elite players through consistent teaching methodologies that emphasize technical skill and tactical awareness from the earliest ages.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
The U.S. Soccer Federation has recently expanded its coaching education programs and invested in bringing international expertise to influence American coaching methods. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, there will likely be increased scrutiny on these efforts to improve coaching quality at youth levels.
