When you say it like that, it sounds quite elitist. The reason Euro-Football has never been popular in the US has nothing to do with lack of contact, or the fact that it is popular everywhere else (not just Europe & 3rd world countries.)
I lived in Scandinavia for a while, and I must admit that, when I was there, I loved Euro-Football. I knew the fight songs, wore the jerseys, and played the drinking games with my friends. When I came back to the US, however, I found it quite boring.
If you look at the popular US sports, US-Football, basketball, baseball, you'll find the common denominator in that each game allows for the start & stop of action at critical moments.
-The basses loaded at the bottom of the ninth.
- Jordan's 3-point shot with a 1/2 second on the clock.
- The 45-yard field goal with 5 seconds to go.
When you have a vested interest in such a game, you get a total sense of euphoria that no other sports have (well maybe tennis... but you get the point.) If any of you non-US peeps doubt me, youtube the Steelers 1972 Immaculate Reception.
It would require a fundamental paradigm shift in US culture for such a sport as soccer to ever root deeply in popularity.
