*By Conor White* With 10 days to go before the start of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, soccer is having a moment in the United States, despite the American men's failure to qualify for the tournament for the first time in 32 years. The appeal of the sport, and the enthusiasm for the World Cup, could bode well for the U.S. team, said the World Cup veteran and U.S. under-20 national team coach Tab Ramos. "I'm very bullish on the young players we have in this country," Ramos said Monday in an interview with Cheddar. "There's a lot of investment, a lot of Major League Soccer clubs investing in their youth academies, and I think we're starting to see the results of that, and I think our future is bright." Ramos, who played in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups for the United States, said the appeal of the sport is universal, and the tournament will capture the attention of new fans with each kick. "Some of the sports we grew up watching, NFL or Major League Baseball, have sort of rested on their laurels a little bit and have continued with an older audience that now is over 45, over 50, and soccer has gone after a whole new generation of people," Ramos said. That generation of fans will be watching the tournament in Russia, where Ramos will be working as a World Cup analyst for Telemundo Deportes. "It's a unique world event in the way that people identify with the sport in each country," he said. "It's sort of the people's sport." For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/soccer-legend-tab-ramos-previews-2018-world-cup).

Share:
More In Sports
Baby Born at Football Game
A woman gave birth during Sunday's Indianapolis Colts-Cleveland Browns game and the baby is the niece of Browns receiver David Bell.
NBA Season Set to Begin With Ring Night in Denver, and a Slew of Challengers for Title
The NBA’s 78th season starts Tuesday, with a ring ceremony in Denver — the traditional celebration of the reigning champions — highlighting the opening-night celebration. The Nuggets beat Miami last June to become the league’s fifth different champion in the last five years, a run of parity the likes of which the league hasn’t seen in more than 40 years.
Load More