If you look back 40 years, building a soccer league in the United States was almost impossible because it already had popular sports. Despite this, the country made a gamble, and the MLS was created.
Although today the league is still a league for veterans in the outside world, many soccer fans are starting to pay close attention to the hidden gems it possesses.
Still, their fandom is not used to the day-to-day pressure like in other countries.
During a recent interview, Zlatan Ibrahimovic discussed that US soccer fans are still soft when their team loses.
What Zlatan Ibrahimović never understood about MLS
The mediatic figure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic was always surrounded by what his confidence/ego said. He is known for saying things without caring what other people think.
As a football player, Ibrahimovic was regarded as one of the sport’s most dominant figures. However, his personality often divided opinions, with some feeling he could have shown more humility off the field.
The truth is that he comes from Europe, and there, soccer is lived on a different level.
That’s why when he was asked about the MLS and its fandom, the former LA Galaxy said:
“Most of my career I played in Italy, France, Spain, England… then I came to the U.S.”, adding, “I think the U.S. had the softest fans.”
Zlatan could be saying the fact here. It is known that soccer in the US doesn’t have the same fan craziness as football or basketball, so it makes them softer.
From what I could see watching a game at America’s First Field, Real Salt Lake stadium, fans were booing the referee and telling him how bad he was when he made a mistake, when in other countries those mistakes end up with insults or throwing things into the field or a stadium, chanting horrible things about the referee.
Also, the former Manchester United striker said he was shocked when he listened to fans talking when their team lost.
“When we were losing games, people would say, ‘Don’t worry, we just need to make the playoffs.’ While also adding: “I’m like… what do you mean, don’t worry? In my world, I am worried.”
The reality is that soccer is evolving in the US, and is a new sport that doesn’t gather the same sports-based fans as in Argentina or Europe.
Across much of the United States, it’s common to see fans respond to losses with a more relaxed attitude, in stark contrast to the passionate and sometimes extreme reactions found in Argentina or Europe.
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