The reality that elite sportsmen are rarely elite thinkers has been underlined by Tom Brady’s diagnosis to fix American soccer.
“I think the reality for most athletes in America is these other sports just become very dominant because of culturally what’s on television all the time,” Brady told the Men In Blazers podcast.
“And what’s being talked about in the schoolyard ends up often being talked about American football, basketball, baseball, hockey.
“And it’s an amazing sport. It’s a global sport. It’s the biggest sport in the world. We all love it.
“And the reality is, you think about boxing, when there’s an American heavyweight, everyone in America is all in on it.
“And we need the youth in America in soccer. We need a young phenom like a Lamine Yamal, a young Lionel Messi, to take over.
“And I believe that there will be the most amazing kind of cultural revolution for soccer here in America.
“We love rooting for winners. We love rooting for the best of the best.
“The World Cup is coming to America in 2026. You can’t imagine the fanfare when that happens. Every stadium will be sold out. The American audience loves it.”
🎙 Tom Brady: “The USA needs a player like Lamine Yamal, like young Messi.” pic.twitter.com/VxACAbBna0
— Lamine Yamal Xtra (@Yamal_Xtra) August 3, 2025
For those unfamiliar with Brady’s exploits, the legendary quarterback forever reversed the New England Patriots’ fortunes, turning the team into a 21st-century dynasty with six Super Bowl wins.
While parts of the world shrug their shoulders at American football, Brady transcends culture in the United States.
He is widely ascribed as the epitome of American masculinity and intends to use his expertise as a minority owner of Championship club Birmingham City.
But British football fans are aware that elite athletes are often unable to describe what made them great, the patterns and thought processes inaccessible outside of their heads.
Indeed, Brady identified this very trait in Wayne Rooney during the ‘Built in Birmingham’ documentary.
“I’m a little worried about our head coach’s work ethic,” he said following a trip to the training ground early in Rooney’s reign at Birmingham.
In Brady’s mind, reaching Rooney’s level as a player required eternal sacrifice and limitless dedication. Rooney himself often relied on natural talent and is accused of not fulfilling his full potential.
But his solution to grow soccer in America is shot through with the exact laziness and shallow thinking that Rooney is accused of.
Had it occurred to Brady that many dedicated officials and coaches have had the same thought and realised it takes years of investment to produce top talent?
Even with record sums being poured into the sport, American kids are charged themselves under the unpopular ‘Pay to Play’ scheme.
This excludes the poorer and immigrant communities that have provided the best players in other countries.
Until this is remedied, the USMNT will continue to plateau as a last-16 World Cup fodder at best.
Whatever the solution, it’s clear that Tom Brady should have no part in it.
By Michael Lee
READ NEXT: 21 brilliant football documentaries on Netflix, Amazon Prime & YouTube
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name all 30 clubs playing in the 2025 MLS season?
