*By Christian Smith* To the surprise of absolutely no one, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 is filled with European and South American teams, and that's not likely going to change any time soon. Money, national soccer infrastructure, and league leadership are the keys to the success of these two continents says longtime soccer fan and publisher of the World Cup newsletter "[The Banter](http://jointhebanter.com/)," Jeffrey Marcus. These three factors are the reason Europe and South America have dominated world soccer since the first World Cup in 1930, and are what the United States and other competitors will need if they ever want to hoist the golden World Cup trophy in the air. "I think we have the administrative here in the United States," Marcus said in an interview on Cheddar. "I think it's a question of finding better players and nurturing them." In Europe's case, math is on the continent's side. Out of the 54 countries competing in UEFA, Europe's World Cup qualifying conference, 13 get spots in the World Cup finals. By comparison, Africa's CAF is made up of 54 nations, and only five will qualify for the World Cup. That's not to say Europe's 13 qualifiers aren't deserving, it just means there more European teams are likely to advance out of the group stage. South America's story is slightly different. Only five teams from CONMEBOL, the South American FIFA league, qualified for the tournament. Four of those teams made it to the Round of 16: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. All of those teams except for Colombia have won the tournament two times or more, cementing their dominance in the sport. Uruguay is an [especially interesting case](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EVr1I6oll0). The country is the size of Florida and has about 3.44 million people, which is just shy of the population of Connecticut. Despite these limiting factors, the country regularly shines on the world stage. From 1950 to 1990 the United States failed to qualify for the World Cup. If the U.S. men's national team hopes to one day match the success of its South American neighbors, then it will need to focus on finding and developing better talent, Marcus said. World Cup 2026, which the United States will host along with Canada and Mexico, could provide the best chance for a North American team to win the tournament for the first time. All three host nations automatically qualify for the tournament. Plus, the hometown focus on the World Cup will likely mean more money will be funneled into talent and coaching development. For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/previewing-the-2018-fifa-world-cup-round-of-16)

Share:
More In Sports
PGA Tour Player Suspensions in LIV Golf Event Is About 'Threat to the Future of Golf'
The PGA Tour has announced that it will suspend players that are competing in the LIV Golf event that teed off today. At least 17 players, including names like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia are banned from the PGA Tour competition. Hilary Fordwich, a business analyst and golf expert, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the PGA had to go this route. This is a threat to the future of golf for them, and there's been many contentions about them not being fair and that this is vindictive," she said. "Don't forget, of course, they represent sort of a monopoly in the history of golf. So you've got two sides to this story. You've got those the purists, those that feel that golf should only be a certain way and that there are only these limited events that the PGA puts on. And then you've got other people who are saying … this is all about money"
Pressure to Settle $1 Billion Claim From Nassar Survivors Against FBI
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
Gymnasts Seek $1 Billion From FBI Over Larry Nassar Case
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Saudi-Backed LIV Golf Tour Begins With Dustin Johnson & Phil Mickelson, Without Tiger Woods
A controversial professional golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia tees off on Thursday. Today, two-time Major winner Dustin Johnson announced he's resigned from the PGA Tour ahead of headlining the Saudi-backed tour, called the LIV Golf Invitation Series. The announcement comes as the PGA tour has threatened disciplinary action for its golfers who take part in the Saudi golf league event, which will also feature notable golf stars like Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia; however, LIV Golf's CEO, Greg Norman, told The Washington Post that Tiger Woods rejected a contract worth 'high nine digits' to play in the tour. Chris Bumbaca, reporter for USA Today Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Re-Wiring After a Career in the NFL
Marques Ogden, former NFL offensive lineman turned author and celebrity success coach, joins Cheddar to discuss his career transition after his NFL playing days and how he overcame a low point to prioritize family and re-shape his life as a success coach.
Load More