How to Become a Footballer if you are from the United States

As you know, we have discussed the shortcomings of the American footballer with this outstanding post from a week or so ago. And this has generated a lot of response in the blogosphere and elsewhere, Many people stop The Phantom on the street (like United States captain Michael Bradley) and ask yours truly for solutions to how we can develop top-level football talent.

Well unlike a certain Presidential candidate, we're not here just to tell you what's wrong with America. We're here to tell you how to fix it. And to say that means we have some good news: you can be a top-level footballer hailing from the United States; which of course means that you do NOT play in this league - until you turn 35.

Of course, Europe is where the money is in football and The Guardian reported on three top-level pros from our land competing over there in this insightful piece. Let's meet them.

1. Mayowa Alli. Alli plays for Klaksvik in the Faroe Islands. Who knows how he is doing on the pitch but he is being paid well enough to enjoy the local delicacy - whale.

Said Alli: "Some people would say eating whale is barbaric but I learned to look at it from their perspective. I only had it once. I can’t give you a sophisticated review – but it was good."

To be fair, Alli is actually in the Faroe Islands on loan from Denmark's Vendsyssel. So here he is, a top-level footballer from the U.S.

2. Adan Coranado. We will coronate Coranado as the most creative United States player in Europe since he is at AZAL in Azerbaijan.

Said Coranado: "I went on Google and said: 'Where’s this place at?!' I saw it was under Turkey: 'Oh, it’s a little further out from home. It’s way over the pond.'"

He's actually a Mexican-American who was the subject of a local documentary. Unlike Alli, he bypassed college soccer in the States and turned pro - just like basketballers LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. And he's enjoying a similar happy ending with his blossoming European career in Azerbaijan.

3. Shaquell Moore. Known as 'Shaq' by IMOTGP and his close friends, Moore is a teenage success story playing in Spain. He did not get paid for his first five months playing for Huracan.

Said Moore: "It was bad but it was good. It helped me a lot. I know I’m able to tough it out even when I wanted to drop everything and go back home."

An FC Dallas youth product, Moore was spotted by Spanish scouts and the rest is history - in the making. The 19-year-old plays for Atletico Levante, the reserve team of Levante UD, the club that finished last in the Spanish top-flight last season and went to the Segunda Division. Moore is hoping to get on the first team and eventually lead them back to matchups with Real Madrid and Barcelona - something the Levante faithful expect.

Said Moore: "The (major) difference with the U.S. is the technical ability of the players. At home, the focus is on bigger players and who can run the fastest and be the most physical. Here, you can be physical but you also have to have a brain for the game and good technique. It’s more competitive because there are a lot of players and everyone is good. Even in the lower divisions."

Moore is correct that in the United States you don't need a brain for the game to play football. We wish him luck in Spain. He's one of a select few trail blazers looking to broaden their football horizons.