Stephen A. Smith & Taylor Twellman ANIMATED in USMNT debate 🍿 | First Take

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Taylor Twellman talk about the USMNT’s win over IR Iran to advance to the knockout rounds against the Netherlands. #ESPN #FirstTake #USMNT #WorldCup

[grayknight]

Thank you Taylor Twellman for representing our country 🇺🇸 and the sport ⚽️ we love with passion 💪🏻 and proper understanding! 👍🏻

[fadethechannel]

Stephen A, we don’t gauge soccer success the same as basketball and football. You can advance with draws. You don’t have to score 10 goals 🙄😂

[williammoxon]

Sounds like Stephen A expecting USA to be winning 27-14 or something 😭 Iran and Wales are tough teams and as an Englishman, the US were way better that game. This is an unbelievable success for the US and will be even more dangerous next tournament. Think Stephen A and Mad dog need to realise scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in football (soccer)

[calvinfielding]

Bro been waiting on this moment all his life to debate & SAS not even trynna debate him 😂😂😂😂

[danijelsan]

This felt like an argument against the whole sport and not just whether the USMNT has achieved success. It’s frankly sad. When will the US finally drop the whining about football being too slow, not enough goals, draws shouldn’t be allowed, it’s a wuss game, etc. Guys, it’s by far the most beloved and competitive game globally. Your team just earned a place among the last 16 nations in the world without really being seriously threatened by anyone else in the group. They played mature football (sorry, that’s the English name of this game) and have earned success. All the best going forward USMNT!

[fadethechannel]

That match was INTENSE. I think I stood for 80% of the match lol

[Ff]

Happy to see World Cup content on First Take!

[RApollos]

Every reaction and measurement of success in the World Cup for the US should be made with the consideration that WE WEREN’T EVEN IN THE WORLD CUP 4 YEARS AGO!

Also, loved watching Taylor shred Stephen and Chris for their bad takes on this.

[aztronomy]

I’ve watched the USMNT since 1994. Here’s why we should be excited:

Typically we have 0 ball control. We might have 1/2 decent forwards and an ok goalie. We used to have to do a big goal kick up the field and hope the ball miraculously ends up in an attackers hands, only for it to go right to the other team every time. Other than that, whoever we played always had superior touch and out controlled us. We would have to get real lucky to score.

This is the FIRST time I’ve ever seen the US play with control and touch. Ever. We move the ball well, dribble effectively, and have a lot of skilled players on major European clubs. We’ve made progress and it shows. I have to pinch myself seeing the US work the ball up the field like an effective world class team.

This WC is the first time I’ve seen the US look like a real effective contending squad.

[soleilgs]

It's absolutely is a success, they made it passed the group phase. They didn't get smoke by England and they're one of the 16 teams left. 100% success. The US does not dominate soccer like they do in basketball for example, different standards for different sports.

[peterkelso]

Man Taylor handled that so well. Didn't allow the words to be put in his mouth and gave a very good perspective on how to be cautiosly optimistic about the performance.

[rtads]

To not qualifying for the last WC to making it to the round of 16 in the next one, that’s definitely a success for the US

[Aznjerrick]

USMNT, futbol, soccer, football on first take? I can't believe it

[estonwhite]

We as Americans love offense so much and we struggle so hard to understand that the definition of great gamesmanship isn’t necessarily defined by the big numbers on the scoreboard at the end of the game

[andrewagbedor]

Did i just hear the USMNT team being called as a Franchise?😂😂😂😂😂

[DiegoLearns]

Stephen A if you are reading this, please start following soccer more!!! It is the global game that the world loves so much. I bet you would enjoy it if you gave it more of a chance 🙏

[jsahkljdhkashvbosild]

The US has struggled with scoring - but a dominant midfield and good defense will allow the US to hang with better teams. An upset of Holland would be a big success!

[walterzarate]

Definitely a different way to measure success in world cup play compared to the sports Stephen A. usually talks about

[sumedhgarimella]

It's absolutely a success. Back to where we belong. Netherlands is not impossible to beat so we can even go further and exceed our wildest dreams, but even if we lose, a good world cup and they've made us proud.

[AbelAraya]

Taylor Twellman is the epitome of what is great about global commentary on the world game of football, and I'm so happy he schooled these two pundits on the sport. SAS and Mad Dog are 100% casuals who don't know a lick about the sport and are predicated on the fact that only scoring determines the success of your team, and they don't understand that you have to DEFEND in order to win.