The spectacle that is TST 2024 is set to highlight much of what American soccer culture is about – embrace it!

The summer of soccer is upon us. The United States is a blossoming hotbed for the world's game, and there's a soccer cultural revolution underway. The U.S. is hosting this summer's Copa America, and that will be followed by another thrilling version of the Leagues Cup and then the inaugural NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup.

All of that is happening domestically, not to mention U.S. fans also paying close attention to the Euros and the Paris Olympic Games taking place over the next three months.

With all of that as a backdrop, there's a brewing explosion of American soccer culture ready to start things off, and it's called The Soccer Tournament.

This is the second edition of the 7v7 tournament, with two $1M cash prizes on the line in respective men's and women's divisions, not to mention bragging rights for the winners.

It's truly a sensational event – and it's also what American soccer is all about. So often, the American game is compared to the history-drenched version played throughout Europe. So often, there are ridiculous questions asked about why things are so different in the US.

The answer is simple: American soccer is , and European soccer is – they are two inherently different entities that can coexist, and that's OK to say aloud and accept.

TST is the perfect example of it, and the exact reason why we should embrace what makes the U.S. game different. Argentina legend Sergio Aguero, Manchester United hero Luis Nani, ESPN personality Pat McAfee, ex-NFL superstar J.J. Watt, former U.S. internationals Sacha Kljestan and Jimmy Conrad, among hundreds of other players – they're all going head-to-head this summer in Cary, N.C. Where else would you find such a fun and eclectic soccer spectacle?

And that's just the men's division. The inaugural women's division at TST also has its own $1M cash prize and the likes of Ali Krieger, Heather O'Reilly and Kealia Watt are all fighting for it.

TST 2024 is a true representation of American soccer culture: Celebrity-driven, simultaneously competitive and silly, always entertaining, and made for the fans.

Conrad, captain of Kwik Goal FC and playing in in the tournament for a second straight year, sat down with GOAL to share what makes this tournament so special and how it's helping American soccer craft its own narrative.

Conradinho's return

'Conradinho,' who accumulated more than 300 career appearances over his storied career across MLS with the San Diego Flash, San Jose Earthquakes and Kansas City's MLS franchises, played in the inaugural year of TST alongside longtime friend and fellow former U.S. international DaMarcus Beasley with the club Conrad and Beasley.

Although Beasley isn't returning with Conrad this year, the ex-defender is back in 2024, but with his club rebranded as Kwik Goal FCConrad is ready to take lessons learned and burst onto the stage in year two.

A big reason for the 47-year-old's return, though, is to enjoy the full TST experience.

AdvertisementThe Soccer TournamentEntertainment baby!

“I see entertainment first and everything else second," Conrad said in describing TST. "And I still feel like the professional leagues, especially in the States, and I'm thinking more about MLS, USL, NWSL – they all could fall into it. I wish that we (US Soccer) leaned (more) into the entertainment side of the game.

"Now, obviously there are areas of that, right? The state of the stadium experience, how the fan feels when they walk into the stadium, that type of stuff. I get all that. But I still wish there was a little bit of a WWE-type element to the game. Because let's be honest, if I was coaching in MLS – and let's say I was with one of my former clubs, Sporting Kansas City – and before our game against Real Salt Lake, I go and I say, very WWE-like, 'I don't like anybody in Salt Lake City, I actually think it's the worst city in America'

"Do you know how many people would show up to that game to give me sh*t? It would be unbelievable, and there would be this palpable tension, and the game would have something different, a feel to it."

TST, for Conrad, brings everything together that American soccer culture should be – and it’s the perfect testing ground for US Soccer to reach new fans ahead of a five-year span of massive events surrounding the game on US soil. The tournament is leaning into an audience that may not exactly see soccer as their favorite sport, but want to learn about the game and enjoy the thrill factor it brings.

“Not to say that TST is doing that directly," Conrad said, "but I think, because it comes at the sport in more of an entertaining way, not only with the field size, but really with target score time at the end. Like every game is going to end with a golden goal. And even if all is lost over the first 40 minutes, the two halves, you still have a chance. You can be down 11 -0. You just got to score the next 12 goals and you've got a chance."

And in a country with such a depth of fandom across so many professional sports and leagues, that extra spice that TST brings appeals to the uniquely American sporting appetite.

“I think that also taps into the kind of hero complex that we as Americans have," Conrad said. "The true underdog story, it taps into that. So there's a lot of elements of this that I think make it have that edge that maybe sometimes the professional game lacks, not only here in the States, but just around the world. You give it that target score time and it adds that element of the golden goal. It is truly entertainment first.

"I think entertainment is what (TST) is really generated or built around. And they should lean into that and continue to lean into it., 'cause that's where I think they can continue to carve out their space in the whole landscape of the game."

Accessibility

One of the reasons the former US international believes the tournament is so fascinating is the humanity of the event. Being close to the action and interacting with players, fans live what TST is really about – a tournament for them.

“Another thing I will add about TST in person is that everybody's super accessible," Conrad said. "Whereas as the pro game continues to evolve … It still feels kind of grassroots, right? We're still building this thing together … and maybe that comes after it gets more mature in 10 years where it'll be a little bit harder to get closer to the star players.

"But last year I was rubbing shoulders with Cesc Fabregas, which, I know Cesc, so it's not as big of a deal, but he's just walking back and forth out in the open. The fact that someone of his stature was that accessible blew my mind then and kind of blows my mind now talking about it out loud."

The former Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal ace played for Como FC in 2023, and although the recently-promoted Italian club are back in 2024, the Spaniard is not competing. However, the stars are out in full-force again this year at TST, and it has fans – including Conrad – buzzing.

GettyCelebrity power

The 2024 edition of the tournament has headline celebrity players such as Watt and McAfee, both of whom are former NFL stars. Watt is a co-owner of Burnley FC in England, and he'll be playing for the Clarets men's squad. McAfee, meanwhile, is an ESPN media personality with a large following – and he's set to not only play, but host his Pat McAfee Show live on the ground at TST.

“When you think about who's going to be there this time around," Conrad says, "when you're adding more entertainment with Pat McAfee, you're adding J.J. Watt, you're adding different stars from different sports to come in and participate. I think that raises the stakes in a fun way."

The addition of the former NFL players, along with fellow returnee Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson among countless others, is a positive not only for TST, but for soccer as a whole in the US, Conrad argues.

"When you bring in celebrities to kind of cross the line into the sport, one, I think they can clearly see that there's buzz building around what's happening here in the US for all the events that you mentioned that are upcoming," he said. "And just in general, I think what it does, and maybe TST is doing the legwork a little bit here for US soccer, but you're raising the visibility. You're making the game cooler."