USMNT: Where the Yanks Would Finish If They Played in Europe's Top Leagues

Let's face it, international soccer is not the highest level of the game being practiced these days.  UEFA's Champions League demonstrates that more and more each year.

So how would Jurgen Klinsmann's squad perform if we dropped them into the elite leagues of Europe?  That's what we're setting out to answer.

English Premier League

Whether it's the best league in the world or not, the EPL is definitely the most popular national competition on the planet.  Dropping the U.S. into our hypothetical Premier League season would see them learn a quick lesson in humility as many teams simply outclassed them.

Players like Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan have shown they can compete, and even star, in the EPL.  But there are far too many places in the line-up where the US would have to rely on a comparably average player.

It's one thing for U.S. defense to face the attacking players of CONCACAF.  It's something else entirely to line-up at Old Trafford or the Emirates.  Even a player like Giovanni dos Santos, who routinely terrorizes the U.S. at international level, can barely get on the field at Tottenham.

Ironically given its track record for employing Americans, the team the Nats would most resemble in the Premiership is Fulham.  Not dominating or forced to bunker in against the big dogs, but skilled enough to run riot over the lesser lights. 

Generally safe from relegation, but never really aspiring to the top four.

Predicted Finish:  8th

German Bundesliga

Germany is the one major league in Europe where the United States has players competing right up to the highest levels. 

Although the very top couple teams would be beyond the Nats' reach, the Bundesliga is the competition where a U.S. side would make the best showing.

Clint Dempsey would decimate the more generous defenses of the vast majority of German clubs.  And with players like Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley already intimately familiar with so many of their opponents, the U.S. would be less prone to conceding against all but the most loaded teams (read Bayern and Borussia Dortmund).

They would have to play well and get a couple breaks, but it's not out of the question that the Yanks would reach the final Champions League spot.

Predicted Finish:  4th

Italian Serie A

People could be forgiven for extrapolating an optimistic take on this one because of the recent international friendly in Genoa. 

That would be a mistake.

Even the middling teams in Serie A defend soundly, play tactically astute soccer, and punish errors mercilessly.  For an example, think Chievo Verona's speedy counterattack consistently threatening Juventus last weekend in Turin, or 10 man Roma attacking Lazio throughout the derby.

The U.S. would face week after week of opponents seeking out naive defenders like Clarence Goodson or Oguchi Onyewu, exploiting the space that is sometimes too readily available in the U.S. midfield, and shutting down relatively average forwards like Jozy Altidore and Edson Buddle.

Predicted Finish:  8th

Spanish La Liga

Spain might be home to the two best clubs in the world.  But excluding a handful of teams, it might be the weakest league in Europe.

Real Madrid and Barcelona would destroy the Nats.  There's really no argument to be made.  Second tier teams like Valencia, Sevilla and most recent seasons' Villareal would also be hard to regularly top.

Unfortunately, Spain is the one major league in Europe where U.S. players have made no real inroads.  There's a reason for that as La Liga puts a premium on technical skill.  After all, Klinsmann's starting striker couldn't crack the line-up for a team that currently sits in the relegation zone.

The U.S. wouldn't do poorly, but they also wouldn't do anything to close the gap between the big two and the rest of Spanish soccer.

Projected Finish:  5th

What do you Think?

Am I right?  Am I wrong?  Am I a hopeless Europhile?  Did I give the U.S. too much credit?  Leave a comment below and let me know.