Eddie Lewis on USA Soccer's World Cup Legacy & What It Takes to Win in 2026 | Mac Engel

Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram sits down with former U.S. Men's National Team player Eddie Lewis to reflect on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is now officially underway in North America. Lewis, who was part of the legendary 2002 U.S. squad that last won a World Cup knockout match, shares his journey from teaching himself soccer skills with a tennis ball at UCLA to breaking barriers as an American playing professionally in England. The conversation covers the state of youth soccer development in America, the cultural explosion of the sport, and what a successful tournament run would look like for the U.S. men's team on home soil.

00:00:00 - Welcome to the 2026 World Cup
Mac Engel opens the episode with excitement about the long-awaited arrival of the 2026 World Cup, comparing the buildup to the release of Top Gun Maverick.

00:02:14 - Attending Japan vs. Netherlands at Arlington Stadium
Mac Engel recounts his experience at his first-ever World Cup match and calls it one of the best sporting events he's ever attended.

00:03:28 - The Insufferable American Soccer Fan
Mac Engel argues that the self-righteous American soccer fan is the most annoying fan base he's encountered in 25-plus years of sports journalism.

00:04:42 - Why Soccer Is the World's Most Popular Sport
Mac Engel explains that soccer's global dominance comes down to its simplicity and low cost — all you need is a ball.

00:07:02 - Soccer's Remarkable Growth in the United States
Mac Engel reflects on how unimaginable it would have been in 1992 to predict the state of American soccer today, from MLS to the women's game to hosting a second World Cup.

00:11:09 - Introducing Guest Eddie Lewis
Mac Engel introduces former USMNT player Eddie Lewis, detailing his career from UCLA through MLS and four clubs in England.

00:13:31 - Eddie Lewis on Youth Development and the Tennis Ball Method
Eddie Lewis describes how he taught himself elite ball control using a tennis ball and a borrowed concept from UCLA's basketball team.

00:17:26 - Flaws in America's Youth Soccer System
Eddie Lewis critiques the pay-to-play youth soccer club model as financially driven and often detrimental to true player development.

00:19:16 - Early Days of MLS and the Jump to England
Eddie Lewis reflects on the raw state of MLS at its launch and his decision to cross the Atlantic to test himself in English professional football.

00:20:38 - What Playing in England Revealed About American Soccer
Eddie Lewis shares that European players weren't more athletic, but that American players lacked soccer IQ — a problem he traces back to coaching quality.

00:21:40 - Being an American in European Locker Rooms
Eddie Lewis recalls being openly told by a manager that he and two other non-European players would never play for the club because they "didn't know how to play soccer."

00:23:53 - The 2002 World Cup Legacy and U.S. Soccer's Stagnation
Eddie Lewis expresses frustration that the 2002 USMNT's quarterfinal run remains the benchmark, and says he hopes the 2026 team finally surpasses it.

00:24:54 - Would Better Athletes Make the U.S. a Soccer Powerhouse?
Eddie Lewis addresses the common argument that America's best athletes play other sports, and what it might mean if they all focused on soccer.

00:25:53 - What Would Success Look Like for the USMNT in 2026?
Eddie Lewis sets the bar at reaching the quarterfinals, citing home field advantage as a significant factor for this U.S. squad.

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