By: Carlo Celli and Nathan Richardson

Soccer was the number one youth participation sport in America. But numbers have declined by nearly 25% in recent years. Over the same period, the US Men’s national team has gone from what many considered the verge of a breakthrough to elimination from the 2018 World Cup. If Americans can be the best at anything, then why not soccer?What’s gone wrong with American soccer and what can we do to fix it?In memory of Pele’s first team, “the Shoeless Ones,” this book makes the compelling case that our uniquely American quest for perfect equipment, perfect fields, and perfect competition is exactly what has prevented our American youth from developing the skills, instincts and creativity needed to master the beautiful game. If America is going to take its place as a true soccer nation, we’ll need a movement at the grassroots level, even if it means that games aren’t played on grass at all.