Preorder Release date Apr 28

American Soccer Nation: The Remarkable 150-Year History of Yanks on a Roll, from Mob Football to the Modern Game

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A comprehensive recounting of the beautiful game and its boundless potential on US soil,American Soccer Nationis destined to become a foundational positive text about the history of elite US men’s soccer.

Soccer is the most popular game in the world, but does it truly belong in the heart of American sports culture? The answer is a resoundingyes—and the 150-year journey of elite men’s soccer in the US is filled with drama, surprises, reversals, and triumphs that rival any world-class match.

With meticulous research and lifelong passion, Mark C Franek delivers a fast-paced, foundational soccer book that also serves as a celebration of American soccer. This book is a must-have for all fans, players, parents, coaches, and professionals across the sport.

In brisk, punchy prose that moves in a confident tiki-taka style, Franek explores:
- The soccer-like games played by Native Americans long before the arrival of Europeans
- How organized soccer predates gridiron football, started in American colleges, and was carried forward by immigrant communities
- Why soccer has always been more inclusive and immigrant-friendly than other professional sports
- The rise and fall of the original ASL and the Golden Age of American soccer
- America’s Olympic and World Cup highs and lows dating back to the early 20th century
- Soccer’s growing popularity today, from MLS and USL to elite youth academies
- The accordion-like journey of the USMNT over the past 40 years, leading to the USA’s co-hosting of the 2026 World Cup
- A roadmap for how the US can go from good to great on the international stage—based on firsthand accounts from professional athletes and experts in the sport
With forewords by Cavan Sullivan and Tim Howard,American Soccer Nationis the definitive text affirming that the US reallyisa soccer nation.Mark C Franekis an American sports writer, former attorney, and educator. Franek (JD and EdD) has published over 75 opinion-editorials on a variety of educational and human interest topics, and has taught writing pedagogy and sportswriting electives at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University, and Cabrini College. He currently teaches English classes and a series of electives, including a History of US Soccer course, at YSC Academy, an independent, college-preparatory school embedded completely within Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union franchise. The Academy, established in 2013 by Richie Graham, a minority owner of the Philadelphia Union, sits on a 15,000-square-foot campus adjacent to the stadium and integrates rigorous academics with professional-level soccer training. Franek also served as an English teacher and dean of students at the William Penn Charter (Quaker) School, one of the oldest independent schools in the nation. Over nearly three decades, Franek has had the privilege of teaching dozens of student-athletes who went on to play professional soccer in MLS and Europe. His former students include Olympic and World Cup players. Others, after hanging up their boots, graduated to become coaches, technical directors, and general managers of professional teams. Their DNA and dreams are in this book.“An essential text for any fan who wants to take a journey into the U.S. game’s roots and ambitions. It reads like history but feels like a full-field press into our optimistic soccer future.”
—Gregg Berhalter, director of football and head coach, Chicago Fire; former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach

“This book captures the heart, struggle, and progress of the men’s game. The chapters offer a sharp, honest look at how elite men’s soccer evo
Franek, Mark C
ISBN: 9781637748640

Specs

Book format
Paperback
Fiction/nonfiction
Fiction
Genre
Literature & Fiction
Publication date
January, 2026
Pages
320
Reading level
Preschool

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American Soccer Nation: The Remarkable 150-Year History of Yanks on a Roll, from Mob Football to the Modern Game

A comprehensive recounting of the beautiful game and its boundless potential on US soil,American Soccer Nationis destined to become a foundational positive text about the history of elite US men’s soccer.

Soccer is the most popular game in the world, but does it truly belong in the heart of American sports culture? The answer is a resoundingyes—and the 150-year journey of elite men’s soccer in the US is filled with drama, surprises, reversals, and triumphs that rival any world-class match.

With meticulous research and lifelong passion, Mark C Franek delivers a fast-paced, foundational soccer book that also serves as a celebration of American soccer. This book is a must-have for all fans, players, parents, coaches, and professionals across the sport.

In brisk, punchy prose that moves in a confident tiki-taka style, Franek explores:
- The soccer-like games played by Native Americans long before the arrival of Europeans
- How organized soccer predates gridiron football, started in American colleges, and was carried forward by immigrant communities
- Why soccer has always been more inclusive and immigrant-friendly than other professional sports
- The rise and fall of the original ASL and the Golden Age of American soccer
- America’s Olympic and World Cup highs and lows dating back to the early 20th century
- Soccer’s growing popularity today, from MLS and USL to elite youth academies
- The accordion-like journey of the USMNT over the past 40 years, leading to the USA’s co-hosting of the 2026 World Cup
- A roadmap for how the US can go from good to great on the international stage—based on firsthand accounts from professional athletes and experts in the sport
With forewords by Cavan Sullivan and Tim Howard,American Soccer Nationis the definitive text affirming that the US reallyisa soccer nation.Mark C Franekis an American sports writer, former attorney, and educator. Franek (JD and EdD) has published over 75 opinion-editorials on a variety of educational and human interest topics, and has taught writing pedagogy and sportswriting electives at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University, and Cabrini College. He currently teaches English classes and a series of electives, including a History of US Soccer course, at YSC Academy, an independent, college-preparatory school embedded completely within Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union franchise. The Academy, established in 2013 by Richie Graham, a minority owner of the Philadelphia Union, sits on a 15,000-square-foot campus adjacent to the stadium and integrates rigorous academics with professional-level soccer training. Franek also served as an English teacher and dean of students at the William Penn Charter (Quaker) School, one of the oldest independent schools in the nation. Over nearly three decades, Franek has had the privilege of teaching dozens of student-athletes who went on to play professional soccer in MLS and Europe. His former students include Olympic and World Cup players. Others, after hanging up their boots, graduated to become coaches, technical directors, and general managers of professional teams. Their DNA and dreams are in this book.“An essential text for any fan who wants to take a journey into the U.S. game’s roots and ambitions. It reads like history but feels like a full-field press into our optimistic soccer future.”
—Gregg Berhalter, director of football and head coach, Chicago Fire; former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach

“This book captures the heart, struggle, and progress of the men’s game. The chapters offer a sharp, honest look at how elite men’s soccer evo
Franek, Mark C
ISBN: 9781637748640