football_world

So hear me out.  I normally don't care if the US does well in sports.  Actually, in Olympic men's basketball, I find myself cheering against the US national team, because their Olympic men's basketball team is like Goliath and I like cheering for the basketball teams of other countries who are David, to beat Goliath.  But when it comes to soccer, I am constantly cheering for the US national team, except when they play Canada (of course I will cheer for Canada when they play the US).  The reasoning is, the better the US national men's soccer team performs, especially in the World Cup, this will help the MLS, and an improvement in the MLS will benefit Canadian players, thereby making our national team better.
I have dreamed of Canada to make the World Cup for the longest time.  It all happened sooner than I expected, so I am not complaining.  But there was no way we would make the World Cup again, and be competitive in the World Cup, unless our national players are playing with better players.  And I strongly believe MLS is making our players better, and also provide a decent salary for Canadian players that can't make it to Europe.  I remember when MLS first started in 1996, a lot of the MLS players were part time professionals, and had to do a part time job on the side, because their salary from the MLS was too low for them to make a living.  Gradually, things got better over time and now, most players in the MLS make enough money that they can focus on training full time with their team.  And then the DPs started coming into the MLS, starting with Beckham at first. Today, there are so many DPs in MLS, and the level of play in the MLS has risen substantially since 1996.  The rising level of play in the MLS, in turn, has benefitted our national team in Canada.
This goes back to why I cheer for the US national team (except when they play Canada).  When Americans see that the US national team does better in soccer, they in turn are more willing to go to MLS games,  spend money on MLS tickets and memorabilia, watch MLS on TV, etc.  MLS gets more revenue and the individual MLS teams can spend more on players.  MLS spending more on acquiring better players, allows our Canadians in the MLS to play with better soccer players from around the world, and therefore, improve faster. And of course, the MLS academies also help in developing players.  And the US national team will improve, just like the Canadian national team will improve, as the MLS gets better.  This is like a feedback loop -> US national team does well in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments -> more American fans watch the MLS and pay more for MLS tickets -> higher revenue for the MLS means MLS team gets better players -> better players in the MLS allows the US national team to do even better in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments.  And this will lift the Canadian national team up to.  Not to mention that a lot of Canadians tune into US media, so when soccer is at the forefront of US media because the US national team does well, it also helps to raise the profile of soccer in Canadian sports fans.
For better or worse, I think the Canadian national team's success is also tied to the US national team success. It's like the rising tide for the US national team will also lift Canada as well, through the MLS getting better.  And if the MLS becomes at top 5 soccer league one day, on par with the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A, I think both the US and Canada can be well positioned to finally win a World Cup.
For this reason, I find myself cheering for the US national team to do well in high profile soccer tournaments like the World Cup.  Our path to winning the World Cup is tied to the US path as well.  Are there other fans of the Canadian national team who also cheer for the US national team for this reason?
 

Canada cannot chart a path to greatness unless soccer is a top #1 or top #2 sport in Canada. Soccer cannot be a top #1 or top #2 sport in Canada, unless the MLS becomes a top 5 league in the world.  Full stop.
Canadian kids and teenagers, aren't going to take soccer seriously, if the MLS is floundering.  You have it all backwards. There is no way that I can see Canada winning the World Cup, unless the MLS (and therefore soccer), becomes more popular in Canada, so that it can attract the best young Canadian athletes to pursue it as a profession.

The Czech Republic is interesting because they were runner up in the World Cup in 1962 and also made the quarter finals in 1990.  And what makes the Czech Republic so interesting for Canada is that hockey is the #1 or #2 sport in the Czech Republic.  The other #1 or #2 sport in the Czech Republic is soccer: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_the_Czech_Republic
Fortunately for Canada, we have over 3 times the population of the Czech Republic.  So in theory, if soccer became popular in Canada as popular as it is in the Czech Republic, and we have a domestic league good enough to nurture and develop Canadian talent (ie. MLS and CPL would have to get better), conceivably, we could produce a team capable of going deep in the World Cup, just as the Czech Republic made deep runs in the Euro and World Cup before.
 

If it wasn't for TFC the MLS was in trouble apparently, soccer supporters culture changed in the MLS when TFC came on board and I am not sure how accurate it is but I respect Paul Beirne's opinion when he said we may have saved the league!

Having Canada, USA and Mexico all in the World Cup together for the first time is huge for the game in this part of the world. It can only do good from an exposure perspective. You can not underestimate the damage the US missing out in 2018 did to interest in a country that loves its NFL and college football. Just like the Vs, the American Outlaws have done a lot for the growth, it got people interested in coming out to games, making it an experience. I just want the sport to do well everywhere because that can only do good.
Growing up in Toronto at a time when soccer was pretty non existent I lived in a baseball household, went to 11 playoff games in 1992-93. That was my World Cup in many ways. I did go the US Switzerland World Cup at the Silverdome in 1994 that was my first exposure to the game in a big way but did not really get into it until TFC arrived in 2007. I have attended over 30 US games over the years as the Canadians did not play in Toronto for ages. As I have said it can only do good having both countries and throw in Mexico in the World Cup, especially head of 2026, exciting times. 
 
I am really happy for the long suffering who final get to experience the big stag this year for the first time or after many years for others. This is a pretty special Canadian team with Phonzie, Jonathan, Milan etc leading the way.  

If it wasn't for MLS, we would not be as good as we are on the international stage. 
If it wasn't for MLS, we wouldn't have been pressed to start our own league. 

So, maybe our success isn't tied to theirs going forward, but we've certainly reaped benefits from their money and their structure. 

The beauty of my position is that there are perks either way. 
if the US crash and burn I get to laugh at their failure.  But if they do well, MLS eventually gets stronger and our 3 Canadian teams benefit as a result.  Either way, yay for me. 
 
 

When we were going up against them in the oct. I was cheering against their team in every game because they are our rivals, but at the actual world cup I want them to do well. Their fans can be annoying at times though…

I totally understand your point but I cannot bring myself to cheer for the US in any sport. I cheer against them generally. 

USMNT can EAD.

Well, I disagree with you.  The MLS cannot become a top 5 soccer league in the world, unless the US national team consistently does well.  Without the MLS becoming a top 5 soccer league in the world, I can't see how the Canadian national team can acquire the talent to win a World Cup.

I dont hate the US and hope they do well...The only concacaf team that I don't want to see do well is Honduras. 

No, I am from western Canada.

I hear you football_world, and I think that all the bit about soccer being "cool" and changing the stigma tied to it, funneling CDN atheltes into soccer, doesnt need USMNT success to happen.  MLS is for better or worse a partially CDN thing, with CDN bucks supporting it, CDN millionaire owners, TV networks etc, tied up into it.  It can push the game forward in NA with CDN bucks bringing in stars like Defoe, Bradley, Jozy, Insigne, Giovinco etc etc regardless of whether the USMNT flames out in the WCQ. Now we have the CPL which should specifically help the CDN side of the equation and our national team is getting better we are even less dependent on anything the USMNT does.  So screw them, lets see them implode..HEHEHE.    

Couldn't care less either way on whether they qualify or not at the national team level. Full advantage should continue to be taken of having access to MLS though regardless of any irritants like domestic player rules. From what I can make out there are over 90 Canadian players with fully professional contracts this season that are linked to MLS one way or another with most of that skewed towards younger players. The role of having the three academy programs run on merit rather than pay-to-play in producing genuinely pro level talent that subsequently finds its way into a league like CanPL is often overlooked.

I use to hate the US because they're media and fans were/are so annoying but since we've finally got our own things going on I'll kinda root for them to do good just not better than us. I think a strong Concacaf in general is good for us. I think the best thing for Canadian and US is for the 3 MLS trams to enter the CPL and really drive the importance of the Concacaf Champions League
I've said before that I think 3 Concacaf teams in to the round of sixteen is possible and would be fantastic 

I generally want the US to do well. Mexico, no.

I also hope CONCACAF teams do well at the World Cup.  It will mean CONCACAF as a region, has reached a higher level of soccer, if they perform better at the World Cup.
Having said that, I really don't care much for the US doing well in sports, in general.  Like if the US gets a lot of gold medals at the summer or winter Olympics, I don't really care that much. If the US wins in tennis, or whatever sport, I also don't care. But when it comes to soccer, I am constantly cheering for the US, hoping that the US doing well will help the MLS get better, which will in turn, help Canada get better in soccer.  It's so weird that I cheer for the US, only in soccer. 
I guess I want our own national team to become better, and I really want soccer to become the #1 sport in Canada one day.

So hear me out.  I normally don't care if the US does well in sports.  Actually, in Olympic men's basketball, I find myself cheering against the US national team, because their Olympic men's basketball team is like Goliath and I like cheering for the basketball teams of other countries who are David, to beat Goliath.  But when it comes to soccer, I am constantly cheering for the US national team, except when they play Canada (of course I will cheer for Canada when they play the US).  The reasoning is, the better the US national men's soccer team performs, especially in the World Cup, this will help the MLS, and an improvement in the MLS will benefit Canadian players, thereby making our national team better.
I have dreamed of Canada to make the World Cup for the longest time.  It all happened sooner than I expected, so I am not complaining.  But there was no way we would make the World Cup again, and be competitive in the World Cup, unless our national players are playing with better players.  And I strongly believe MLS is making our players better, and also provide a decent salary for Canadian players that can't make it to Europe.  I remember when MLS first started in 1996, a lot of the MLS players were part time professionals, and had to do a part time job on the side, because their salary from the MLS was too low for them to make a living.  Gradually, things got better over time and now, most players in the MLS make enough money that they can focus on training full time with their team.  And then the DPs started coming into the MLS, starting with Beckham at first. Today, there are so many DPs in MLS, and the level of play in the MLS has risen substantially since 1996.  The rising level of play in the MLS, in turn, has benefitted our national team in Canada.
This goes back to why I cheer for the US national team (except when they play Canada).  When Americans see that the US national team does better in soccer, they in turn are more willing to go to MLS games,  spend money on MLS tickets and memorabilia, watch MLS on TV, etc.  MLS gets more revenue and the individual MLS teams can spend more on players.  MLS spending more on acquiring better players, allows our Canadians in the MLS to play with better soccer players from around the world, and therefore, improve faster. And of course, the MLS academies also help in developing players.  And the US national team will improve, just like the Canadian national team will improve, as the MLS gets better.  This is like a feedback loop -> US national team does well in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments -> more American fans watch the MLS and pay more for MLS tickets -> higher revenue for the MLS means MLS team gets better players -> better players in the MLS allows the US national team to do even better in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments.  And this will lift the Canadian national team up to.  Not to mention that a lot of Canadians tune into US media, so when soccer is at the forefront of US media because the US national team does well, it also helps to raise the profile of soccer in Canadian sports fans.
For better or worse, I think the Canadian national team's success is also tied to the US national team success. It's like the rising tide for the US national team will also lift Canada as well, through the MLS getting better.  And if the MLS becomes at top 5 soccer league one day, on par with the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A, I think both the US and Canada can be well positioned to finally win a World Cup.
For this reason, I find myself cheering for the US national team to do well in high profile soccer tournaments like the World Cup.  Our path to winning the World Cup is tied to the US path as well.  Are there other fans of the Canadian national team who also cheer for the US national team for this reason?
 

I like the Americans. I root for them; not in general, but against every other Concacaf team when Canada isn’t negatively affected.
Your points are well taken. No one does more for us by being good and then the United States
Anytime people on this forum cheer for other Concacaf countries and take pleasure in the Americans not doing well, it only strengthens my resolve to cheer for the Americans more. 
 

So hear me out.  I normally don't care if the US does well in sports.  Actually, in Olympic men's basketball, I find myself cheering against the US national team, because their Olympic men's basketball team is like Goliath and I like cheering for the basketball teams of other countries who are David, to beat Goliath.  But when it comes to soccer, I am constantly cheering for the US national team, except when they play Canada (of course I will cheer for Canada when they play the US).  The reasoning is, the better the US national men's soccer team performs, especially in the World Cup, this will help the MLS, and an improvement in the MLS will benefit Canadian players, thereby making our national team better.
I have dreamed of Canada to make the World Cup for the longest time.  It all happened sooner than I expected, so I am not complaining.  But there was no way we would make the World Cup again, and be competitive in the World Cup, unless our national players are playing with better players.  And I strongly believe MLS is making our players better, and also provide a decent salary for Canadian players that can't make it to Europe.  I remember when MLS first started in 1996, a lot of the MLS players were part time professionals, and had to do a part time job on the side, because their salary from the MLS was too low for them to make a living.  Gradually, things got better over time and now, most players in the MLS make enough money that they can focus on training full time with their team.  And then the DPs started coming into the MLS, starting with Beckham at first. Today, there are so many DPs in MLS, and the level of play in the MLS has risen substantially since 1996.  The rising level of play in the MLS, in turn, has benefitted our national team in Canada.
This goes back to why I cheer for the US national team (except when they play Canada).  When Americans see that the US national team does better in soccer, they in turn are more willing to go to MLS games,  spend money on MLS tickets and memorabilia, watch MLS on TV, etc.  MLS gets more revenue and the individual MLS teams can spend more on players.  MLS spending more on acquiring better players, allows our Canadians in the MLS to play with better soccer players from around the world, and therefore, improve faster. And of course, the MLS academies also help in developing players.  And the US national team will improve, just like the Canadian national team will improve, as the MLS gets better.  This is like a feedback loop -> US national team does well in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments -> more American fans watch the MLS and pay more for MLS tickets -> higher revenue for the MLS means MLS team gets better players -> better players in the MLS allows the US national team to do even better in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments.  And this will lift the Canadian national team up to.  Not to mention that a lot of Canadians tune into US media, so when soccer is at the forefront of US media because the US national team does well, it also helps to raise the profile of soccer in Canadian sports fans.
For better or worse, I think the Canadian national team's success is also tied to the US national team success. It's like the rising tide for the US national team will also lift Canada as well, through the MLS getting better.  And if the MLS becomes at top 5 soccer league one day, on par with the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A, I think both the US and Canada can be well positioned to finally win a World Cup.
For this reason, I find myself cheering for the US national team to do well in high profile soccer tournaments like the World Cup.  Our path to winning the World Cup is tied to the US path as well.  Are there other fans of the Canadian national team who also cheer for the US national team for this reason?
 

So hear me out.  I normally don't care if the US does well in sports.  Actually, in Olympic men's basketball, I find myself cheering against the US national team, because their Olympic men's basketball team is like Goliath and I like cheering for the basketball teams of other countries who are David, to beat Goliath.  But when it comes to soccer, I am constantly cheering for the US national team, except when they play Canada (of course I will cheer for Canada when they play the US).  The reasoning is, the better the US national men's soccer team performs, especially in the World Cup, this will help the MLS, and an improvement in the MLS will benefit Canadian players, thereby making our national team better.
I have dreamed of Canada to make the World Cup for the longest time.  It all happened sooner than I expected, so I am not complaining.  But there was no way we would make the World Cup again, and be competitive in the World Cup, unless our national players are playing with better players.  And I strongly believe MLS is making our players better, and also provide a decent salary for Canadian players that can't make it to Europe.  I remember when MLS first started in 1996, a lot of the MLS players were part time professionals, and had to do a part time job on the side, because their salary from the MLS was too low for them to make a living.  Gradually, things got better over time and now, most players in the MLS make enough money that they can focus on training full time with their team.  And then the DPs started coming into the MLS, starting with Beckham at first. Today, there are so many DPs in MLS, and the level of play in the MLS has risen substantially since 1996.  The rising level of play in the MLS, in turn, has benefitted our national team in Canada.
This goes back to why I cheer for the US national team (except when they play Canada).  When Americans see that the US national team does better in soccer, they in turn are more willing to go to MLS games,  spend money on MLS tickets and memorabilia, watch MLS on TV, etc.  MLS gets more revenue and the individual MLS teams can spend more on players.  MLS spending more on acquiring better players, allows our Canadians in the MLS to play with better soccer players from around the world, and therefore, improve faster. And of course, the MLS academies also help in developing players.  And the US national team will improve, just like the Canadian national team will improve, as the MLS gets better.  This is like a feedback loop -> US national team does well in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments -> more American fans watch the MLS and pay more for MLS tickets -> higher revenue for the MLS means MLS team gets better players -> better players in the MLS allows the US national team to do even better in the World Cup and other high profile soccer tournaments.  And this will lift the Canadian national team up to.  Not to mention that a lot of Canadians tune into US media, so when soccer is at the forefront of US media because the US national team does well, it also helps to raise the profile of soccer in Canadian sports fans.
For better or worse, I think the Canadian national team's success is also tied to the US national team success. It's like the rising tide for the US national team will also lift Canada as well, through the MLS getting better.  And if the MLS becomes at top 5 soccer league one day, on par with the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A, I think both the US and Canada can be well positioned to finally win a World Cup.
For this reason, I find myself cheering for the US national team to do well in high profile soccer tournaments like the World Cup.  Our path to winning the World Cup is tied to the US path as well.  Are there other fans of the Canadian national team who also cheer for the US national team for this reason?
 

I don’t doubt that soccer is probably the number one sport in Sweden and the Czech Republic even though they produce very good hockey players. The World Cup is such a massive world wide tournament so it doesn’t surprise me that winning it would be top on the list over winning an Olympic hockey gold medal in those countries.

I'm so happy that soccer is growing in popularity in Canada. To be honest, I'm not a die hard NHL or hockey fan. I enjoy the NHL and I enjoy hockey, and I always cheer for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, but for me, I have always loved soccer more than hockey.
So it means that much more to me that Canada has qualified for the World Cup.  Because sadly, even if Team Canada wins a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in hockey, if you travel to countries in Africa, South America, or even Asia, nobody really knows that Canada won a gold medal in hockey at the Winter Olympics.  However, people around the world know that South Korea made the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup.  Or that Japan also qualified for the playoffs in the 2002 World Cup.  People in Africa, South America, and Asia will know about this.  People from around the world will know about this.  And people around the world will take notice when Canada is in the World Cup this year.

Its all a question of perspective.  Sure, you can work the books to make it look like you're losing money on the short term, however he paid what, like $40m for the franchise 10 years ago?  It's now worth like $350m? 
CFM's new player farming model should help Saputo's pockets in a big way in a few years.