Richards laments how difficult it is for youngsters to enter the club game.
“Football is the quickest growing sport in the US,” he said. “Everyone at some point in their lift growing up in the US has played, whether it was when you’re four-years-old or at high school to stay in shape.
“But I think the problem is that it’s still ‘pay to play’. That’s when people start falling through the cracks because it’s not a cheap sport. There is a lot of travel involved because we’re such a big country.
“Once you eliminate that ‘pay to play’ aspect, the sport will definitely grow. Hopefully with the World Cup, US Soccer and everything that falls underneath it – Major League Soccer – we can get a model where it’s a lot cheaper, and there’s a lot of avenues where people can play for free.”
Richards said on USA role-models, “Kids now are seeing people from the same places as them playing on the world’s highest stage, and that’s inspiration.
“I know I was inspired by Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. I think it’s really cool.”