SANDPOINT — There’s an old joke that circulates among the sports media that goes something along these lines: Soccer is the sport of the future in the U.S., and it always will be.

The point being that unlike many countries around the world, soccer is not the be-all and end-all of sports in America. People have been saying for decades that soccer would eventually reach the levels of popularity it experiences in much of the world, and people are saying it still.

In the soccer enclave of Sandpoint, where the per-capita soccer fandom is exceptionally high, the game is far from the second fiddle it is in many places. There are adult leagues and tournaments, a thriving youth soccer program and a rich history of success at Sandpoint High School. In other cities, not so much.

Prior to the World Cup, I couldn’t have named more than two U.S. players and a handful of others around the world. But like many, I succumbed to the fever and passion the event brings every four years and enjoyed the wild ride by the U.S. team. There’s a mystique and aura about the world tournament that you just don’t find anywhere else.

We’re improving, yes, but good enough to ever win a World Cup? I don’t think so, at least not in the foreseeable future.

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Before I’m branded a soccer cynic, like Keith Olbermann, let me make the best analogy that comes to mind. I’ll use the sport of basketball, in which we are the best in the world and other countries are steadily playing catch-up — not unlike us with soccer.

We are Gonzaga. Great coaching, solid players, strong schemes, but simply not quite good enough to ever win an NCAA title.

Brasil is Kentucky. Germany is Syracuse. Argentina is Kansas. Spain is UCLA. Notice I wrote is, and not are. If I ever write Sandpoint ARE the best team in the Inland Empire League, the grammar police would get a good laugh.

Olbermann called the old-english grammar preferred by foreign World Cup announcers as pretentious, and implored the U.S. Networks to develop at least one good home-grown soccer play by play man. He also called U.S. soccer fans “English fan Jr.” during a lengthy post World Cup rant that no doubt ruffled some of the U.S. soccer fan base.

I enjoy the World Cup.  It’s a treat to watch the stylistic beauty and flair many of the teams play with, the different styles and ways of attacking, and the rabid fans.

My favorite player, whom I’d never heard of before a week ago, is now Arjen Robben of the Netherlands. A balding 30 something, he is the most dangerous player I’ve seen in the tournament, shredding defenses off the dribble at will and creating chances on par with the more popular likes of one-namers Ronoldo, Messi and Neymar.

A close second is Seattle Sounder DeAndre Yedlin, who created more chances and excitement in his brief playing time than any other U.S. player did all tourney. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has forgotten more soccer than I’ll ever no, but I’m still left wondering why Yedlin rode the pine for much of tourney. Certainly a player to build around for the future.

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The U.S. team’s 2-1 loss to Belgium reminded me a lot of the Sandpoint/Lakeland district championship last fall.

Belgium was clearly the more skilled and dangerous team, peppering U.S. goalie Tim Howard with quality looks all game long, much like Sandpoint did to Lakeland. The game went scoreless far longer than it should have, as Belgium was clearly the stronger team.

But soccer doesn’t always reward dominance, and the U.S. had a short volley in front of the goal to steal a 1-0 win the 92nd minute. But unlike last fall, the better team eventually won.

Alas, when you give a dozen or so clean scoring chances to a team in the knockout stages of World Cup, you’ll eventually have to pay the piper. The shaky U.S. defense gave up two goals in extra time to exit the tournament.

It’s pretty amazing when you stop to think about it. Belgium is barely the size of Maryland, and just over 11 million people call it home. The U.S. has more than 315 million people. Despite the astronomical 300 million difference in population, Belgium fielded a better 11 than we did.

It speaks to the popularity of soccer in Europe, and here at home.

We’re coming, world, but we’ve still got a little ways to go.

Eric Plummer is the sports editor of the Daily Bee. For comments, suggestions or story ideas, he can be reached at [email protected].