by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman

The United States has four million registered youth soccer players, who lack training and creativity according to European standards.

Europeans believe that the game is centered around affluent, suburban teams, supported by parents and run by amateurs, playing by “American” rules, such as unlimited substitutions unheard of in the rest of the world.

But, European teams are looking for US talent and three top English teams—Arsenal. Everton and Chelsea—have committed to creating academies, or have established formal ties with clubs in Pennsylvania, Colorado and North Carolina. France is also searching for talent and one of Portugal’s legendary clubs funds junior teams in New Jersey and Arizona.

Britain’s West Ham has forged an alliance with the United Soccer Leagues, the umbrella organization for minor league and elite players’ amateur competition to identify prospects and train them in London.

According to the Wall Street Journal, this kind of investment in grassroots teams comes at a time when TV ratings for global soccer are on the rise and the 2006 World Cup drew more viewers than any single game.