NFL legend makes intriguing claim about the U.S.’s soccer potential

In a recent podcast, NFL and New England Patriots icon Rob Gronkowski made a comment about the soccer potential of the U.S., and it has divided people into two camps once again.

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Is American football to blame for the USMNT not unlocking its full potential? 🤔

Gronk thinks if the roles were reversed and our best athletes played soccer instead at a young age, we’d be one of the top 3 nations 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/j9AleLDFi1

— The Late Run (@TheLateRunShow) May 14, 2026

Gronk believes the USMNT would be elite if soccer was the preferred sport for the best young athletes

This argument is not new and has dominated a large chunk of soccer discourse in the U.S.

Some people consider it an adage, a universal truth as to why the U.S. can never get over the men’s soccer hump and truly compete against the world’s best.

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However, others argue that while a higher prioritization of soccer would lead to more success, the best American athletes wouldn’t automatically make the best soccer players, and being a top soccer nation would not be a guarantee.

If the USMNT keeps underperforming the standards set by their fans and doesn’t look competitive in the FIFA World Cup they’re hosting, then this discourse will certainly ramp up.

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