Spain secured victory in the World Cup final against Argentina on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J., with Ferran Torres celebrating the win. The global event brought renewed attention to soccer, prompting insights from Raphael Alves, a former professional player and coach, regarding the sport's development in the United States.

Mr. Alves played professional soccer until age 16, including a stint with Santos FC in Brazil, and has trained young players for professional careers. He relocated to the United States with his wife at 27. For the past 12 years, he has worked with numerous institutions, developing a methodology aimed at helping children and families understand international football practices. He noted that adapting his knowledge of the game has been "extremely challenging."

Mr. Alves described his initial arrival in the U.S. as feeling like he was on a "different planet" when it came to football culture. He explained that globally, football follows specific social and cultural values, possessing its own unique language. He observed that this language has not developed similarly in the U.S., and he questioned whether there was sufficient interest to allow it to happen.

When asked by South American and European friends about football in the U.S., Mr. Alves directly conveyed his opinion that the sport, as understood globally, would never truly exist here. After nearly 12 years, he maintains that his perspective has not significantly changed.

In the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, Mr. Alves noted a lack of organic "preparation" or widespread excitement within the U.S., beyond product releases from the industry. He suggested that many might not fully comprehend the profound significance the World Cup holds for billions of people worldwide.

As an illustration, Mr. Alves recounted conversations with parents after the competition began. They reported their children were excited by the World Cup and asked to kick a soccer ball at local parks, where other youngsters were also present. However, when Mr. Alves inquired if these children would interact and play together, parents responded "no" 99.9% of the time, often asking "Why?" He contrasted this with countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, France, Greece, Serbia, Senegal, Cameroon, and Cape Verde, where spontaneous interaction among children in parks is common and contagious.