With the June 12 World Cup match between the England and USA around the corner, New York Times writer Jere Longman examines how the English view American soccerand finds the English perspective to be nuanced and complicated.
“Where there was once 30 percent respect for the national team and soccer in the U.S. and 70 percent who weretotally ignorant, I think it’s now 60 percent respect,” said John Harkes, one of the U.S. pioneers in English soccer in the early 1990s.
West Ham defenderJonathan Spector explains the English view in geopolitical terms. Soccer “is the one thing they have left that they think they can beat us in.” And headds that an English loss to the USA in Rustenburg would be viewed as devastating, though it would not end England’s chances of making the second round. Watford defender Jay DeMeritadds that the English players won’t want to return to home if they lose.