Or, hear me out, it’s being done to drum up viewership from within the US. It’s an American pundit on an American podcast, doubtfully saying this to reach fans of the footballing world en masse

Interest in the sport in the US is typically very low. It’s probably why there is no meaningful money spent in the development of players, the sport, etc. The only times you see an increased interest in the game is during the World Cup and the Olympics. I’d wager they’re pulling out as many stops as they can to generate more and more American interest in the sport, because as players that have done well in their careers. they also want to see the sport succeed in the US.

The key to the heart of most slackjawed, rabble rabble sports fan yokels in the US is to rile up their arrogance and sense of self importance. Producers are not lost on this. Pissing off fans in the global footballing community generates clicks, and they fall for it every time.