The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Thursday, and for the first time since 1986, the U.S. was not a part of it.
Like most U.S. soccer fans, USMNT legend Landon Donovan watched in disbelief as the national team’s bid to qualify ended with a loss to Trinidad & Tobago. It’s going to be a strange month for Donovan, who gets to watch the World Cup as a neutral fan for the first time in his life. The legend had a few advices on what should be done to avoid such a scenario again.
”We have to do a better job getting back to the game and what the game is. As sports grow, there can be a tendency to move too far towards the business aspect of it. And you forget about the game. In the end, if the U.S. is not part of the World Cup, none of the other stuff matters. So that has to be the focus, and hopefully we get back to that,” he said.