Kids in other countries grow up playing soccer/futbol/football. In the U.S. they don't. At least not until the last 10 years. Soccer is the fastest growing recreational sport in the U.S.,and is expected to pass the number one recreational sport, basketball by 2010. Soccer is very complicated to play. To be successful at it. You have to run with a ball at your feet,look for open players, or the goal,and when you find them you have to strike the ball just right to complete the pass, or the shot on goal. Meanwhile this other player is trying to get the ball from you, grabbing you,poking you, and kicking you in the shins.That's not to say anything about, trying to do a one touch shot with the ball coming a cross the box at 45 to 60 mph, and Your thinking I'm going to head this ball. Its is not a game people are born to do well at from the get go. Americans ( I'm one) don't have the attention spans to pursue the difficult things in life.If you don't know what the hype is about. I suggest finding a club, or pick up game some where, and experience it first hand.
To prove my point,watch a game, and count how many shot are off goal.On goal shots are between the post, and under the cross bar, if they don't go in the, goalie saved it, or it was deflected by a defender/back. A goal is 24ft wide and 8ft tall, and these are the best players in the world, and sometimes they can't hit a target that big.