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When Jurgen Klinsmann voiced his concerns about the lack of Americans playing in the UEFA Champions League, questioning whether a lack of self belief wasn’t to blame, there were mixed reactions to his assessment.
On Monday, U.S. Men’s National Team star Michael Bradley shared his view, and he does not agree with his national team coach’s theory that American players have themselves to blame for not being more well-represented in UEFA Champions League.
“There’s no doubt that, as Americans, we continue to have to fight for respect and we have to continue to show that we have players who can play at the highest level,” Bradley told Goal.com on Monday. “You would have hoped that now what’s gone on, whether it’s in Major League Soccer or the national team or with certain individuals over the past 10, 15, 20 years would have done more for us, but the reality is that at the moment there’s still a little bit of a feeling that if you can have an American or an Argentine, they’re taking an Argentine.”
When asked directly if he agreed with the notion that a self belief is part of the reason there aren’t more Americans playing in the UEFA Champions League, Bradley stated very clearly that he didn’t agree.
When Klinsmann made the comments, they were seen in some circles as a thinly-veiled shot at top American players Bradley and Clint Dempsey, who both have recently returned to MLS from Europe, where they were members of teams on the fringes of the UEFA Champions League.
What do you think of Bradley’s comments? Think there is something to the stigma American players still face in Europe, or do you not buy his explanation?
Share your thoughts below.