were multi-sport kids. They did not live, breath and die soccer. They did not spend 365 days a year with a ball on their foot. They did not play pick-up soccer games every day growing up. They also had school to focus on, and probably had other activities (like gaming, social media, etc.) that kids have in the U.S.

So the same quality athlete raised in the U.S. is still going to be worlds apart in skill development vs. a kid raised where soccer is an every day, hours a day, activity.

This will never change.