Quote:
Originally Posted by SenorKeeed
If he grew up in Germany he would be an elite soccer player.
This is such a silly take and I am puzzled a lot of you keep making the assumption that athleticism translate into elite at whatever sports you pick so easily. If Allen Iverson grew up in Germany he'd have tried soccer and he may or may not have become elite at it. The biggest reason for why he'd become one has got nothing to do with his athleticism.
How many times have you seen a player lightning quick but just wasn't skilled enough/low sports IQ and didn't make it into the game. Soccer is a whole package where intangibles and technicity matter a ton.
Hell I play basketball in Europe with people who are insane athletes and have higher vertical leaps than some NBA players, doesn't mean they'd make it in NBA if they wanted to
Of course I agree with the main point that if all of the US athletes were interested and exposed to soccer and are taught soccer in the same way that they are taught in Europe, USA would dominate just because due to larger sample size the odds of having a greatly skilled player on top of being a good athlete are susbtantially better (assuming there is no negative correlation between athleticism and ability to learn skills) but to say that X player could have played Y game just because he was a sick athlete is wishing