Former U.S. Soccer leader Steinbrecher says growth last few decades has been 'remarkable'

Hank Steinbrecher has his World Cup viewing parties organized for the United States games later this month.

"I can't get away from the game," Steinbrecher says on the telephone from Tucson, Arizona, where the 75-year-old lives in retirement.

Few Americans have been as involved in U.S. and international soccer as Steinbrecher. As Secretary General/CEO of U.S. Soccer from 1990 to 2000, Steinbrecher led the federation's move to Chicago. His perspective on American soccer is hard to match.

The former Glen Ellyn resident, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, remains amazed by how American soccer has progressed since he first took over.

"The difference in 30 years has been remarkable, just remarkable," Steinbrecher says. "We have a team now, they're very young, the youngest team in the tournament, and they play that way. So what happens is they appear to be like a yo-yo. One day they're up, one day they're down. And it all depends upon what day they're up and what day they're down in terms of this tournament."

But their talent is undeniable. Steinbrecher gushes over the skill of today's American players, naming Gio Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah specifically.

"I think the talent pool now compared to previous years is a lot deeper and a lot stronger than it's ever been," he says.

Steinbrecher also thinks highly of the team's leadership: coach Gregg Berhalter, sporting director Earnie Stewart and general manager Brian McBride, a Buffalo Grove High School graduate. All three played in the World Cup for the United States and can be a steadying influence on the young players.

"I think that the staff that they've assembled at the national teams level is extremely good," Steinbrecher says.

While Steinbrecher is concerned by this group's youth and lack of maturity, which showed at times during CONCACAF qualifying and two warmup friendlies this fall, he remains optimistic.

"And once they get some experience of being under the white light of World Cup, I'm hopeful they'll do very, very well at that tournament," he says.

So are U.S. fans, who have become intoxicated by the talented young players they see as the nation's best chance yet to win a world championship, or at least get to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.

Steinbrecher is trying to temper those hopes.

"I think managing expectations is a really big thing," he says, "and I think the general soccer public has looked at that team and though, 'Oh, we have so many of these young stars.' But in this game at that level it's really a sign of maturation. It is a tournament of attrition. And you have to have an incredible amount of focus to get through and get through it well."

Steinbrecher sees the Americans' first group-stage game, against Wales on Nov. 21, as the most winnable and thus the most important.

"That will be the game that our performance throughout the tournament is going to be based upon," he says. "If we do not do well against them, then facing England and Iran is daunting.

"Everyone knows about England, they know what we're up against. They seem to me in the general public (to) underestimate the quality of the Iranian team or the distraction that playing that team will cause."

Steinbrecher admits he chuckled when the United States again was drawn into the same group as geopolitical rival Iran, "and I continue to." Memories of the 1998 tournament in France remain strong.

In 1998, "You could not escape the politics. It surrounded that game, and I'm pretty sure that that's going to be the case again," Steinbrecher says.

Steinbrecher, a former college player and coach as well, believes the United States will defeat Wales, then draw against either England or Iran, maybe both. Four points should be enough to advance to the knockout stage. While his heart insists the Americans go further, his head says that's it for this tournament.

Besides, while it's important to have a good showing this year, it's absolutely vital the U.S. team have an impressive outing in 2026, he says. The United States will host the tournament that year, along with Canada and Mexico, and the spotlight on the team will be much brighter than it is this year, halfway around the world in Qatar.

By then today's players will have still more experience and maturity, and they will be supplemented by Major League Soccer's steadily improving youth development program.

"Right now I'm pretty pleased with the progress," Steinbrecher says.