Global Football Training to the U.S.: A Closer Look at the State of the Game
Global Football Training (GFT) is on American soil, taking a deep dive into the country’s football culture — from youth academies to universities — to assess coaching quality, player development, and tactical awareness.

Sport is woven into the cultural fabric of the United States. At the London Olympics, American athletes captured 46 gold medals, dominating events from track and field to shooting. Yet despite this sporting pedigree, the U.S. continues to lag behind traditional footballing nations on the global stage.

To understand why, GFT spent time with clubs, universities, and coaches across the country, and attended the NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis. The conclusion?

“American clubs and universities enjoy world-class facilities that many European teams would envy,” says Kenn Schmidt, CEO of GFT. “But they still struggle to produce a large pool of elite-level players.”

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State-of-the-Art Resources, Limited Output
In America, football infrastructure is not the problem. Funding is available, facilities are modern, and sports science is integrated into coaching programs. Strength and conditioning work — often adapted from other sports — is particularly advanced.

“European clubs could learn a lot from the American approach to athletic preparation,” notes Kenn. “Their methods produce stronger, faster players and can reduce injury risks. Goalkeeping, in particular, could benefit from crossover techniques used in other sports.”

But he cautions that technical and tactical growth requires learning from football-rich regions: “Studying development systems in Mexico, Europe, and South America is essential if U.S. football is to progress.”

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Passion Exists — but Access and Coaching Are Barriers
Across all levels, American players display determination, discipline, and above-average technical skills. Structures exist to raise the output of talented players — but a key ingredient is missing: qualified coaching, accessible to all.

In many areas, young talents leave the sport because their families cannot afford club fees. “Scholarships for less privileged children could be a game-changer,” Kenn suggests. “Without them, the sport loses potential stars before they’ve had a chance to develop.”

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The Tactical Gap
A major hurdle for U.S. football is tactical understanding. Due to the current system, players who do not make it to the MLS or sign overseas contracts often find themselves without a professional environment after college. Without prolonged exposure to high-level football, they fail to develop the game intelligence seen in Europe and South America.

“A structural change is needed to keep players involved for longer,” says Kenn. “That will improve coaching standards and close the tactical gap.”

 

Rethinking the College System
In most American sports, colleges serve as pipelines to professional leagues like the NFL, NBA, and NHL. In football, however, the structure is a barrier to development. The NCAA season runs from August to December, compressing matches into a short window with minimal time for technical or tactical training.

“The schedule is too congested during the season and too empty in the off-season,” Kenn explains. “Prolonging the season would ease fixture congestion and give players the training time they need.”

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Youth Development: Shifting the Mentality
At the youth level, a change in coaching philosophy is underway. The traditional “winner-takes-all” mindset is being challenged by a focus on developing technical skills and football intelligence.

In Mexico, for example, skill development takes precedence over competition until age 13 — a model that has yielded impressive results and mirrors approaches used in Europe. Kenn believes the U.S. could benefit from a similar shift:

“Reduce the number of competitive matches and replace them with challenging training sessions. If the goal is to produce complete footballers, the emphasis must be on skill, not just results. But for this to work, parents have to support the change.”

With excellent facilities, a growing player base, and strong funding, the U.S. has the tools for success. What’s needed now is a coordinated effort — from governing bodies to coaches to parents — to prioritize long-term player development over short-term wins.

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Next Stop: Asia and Australasia
Following a short training period in Arizona with the Danish national team, GFT heads to Asia and Australasia for the next stage of its global tour. The final installment in this series will share fresh insights from these regions.