Author Archives: Soccer America

Major League Soccer’s 2008 MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto plays “a graceful game, full of nuance and surprise,” writes Shawn Mitchell. “A touch just so on a free kick. A dribble through a gaggle of defenders, off-kilter and off-balance, that ends how it started: Schelotto, head up, searching the field for the best way to get […]

“I feel blessed that the Lord allowed me to fulfill my dreams [as a soccer player] before pulling me into His plans for me. Not only is His will perfect, but His time is perfect as well. The timing of my call was meant to be exactly when it happened.” Former New England Revolution Chase […]

“How can I stop meaningless friendlies? I can talk but I cannot do a lot about it. My opinion will not change the fixtures and I am conscious of that.” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after learning that winger Theo Walcott will likely miss three months after dislocating his shoulder while training with the England team […]

“I think we got carried away with the first goal and thought things would be easy, but after it was 1-0 the team fell apart. Some of the goals we conceded were pathetic, as was the lack of concentration. We started to stretch ourselves, concede space and this cannot happen, especially in a game against […]

“It was very good result with strong performances in all the key departments and a big boost for our confidence. My nightmares are now turning into sweet dreams.” South Africa coach Joel Santana after his side’s 3-2 exhibition win over Cameroon, the next World Cup host’s fourth successive victory.

A Mexican paper has reported that Chicago Fire forward Cuauhtémoc Blanco will be loaned out to Mexico’s Santos Laguna for the MFL playoffs to replace injured forward and leading goal scorer Christian Benitez. But Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas says it’s not yet a done deal.

MLS deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis is the latest target in Arsenal’s long search for a new chief executive, writes Charles Sale, quoting no sources whatsoever. Sale does point out, however, that Gazidis already turned down an approach from Manchester City for the same position because he did not want to relocate from Connecticut to England. […]

The withdrawal of so many first-choice players from both rosters had lead many to declare England’s friendly in Germany on Wednesday as meaningless, writes James Lawton. But “there can be no such thing when England visit the gaunt old stadium where Hitler used to strut and pose.” Following World Cup qualifying wins in Croatia and […]

"It is all very well creating a circus but what of the act?" asks Andy Hunter after Diego Maradona's coaching debut for Argentina in Scotland Wednesday, which ended in a 1-0 exhibition win. The answer was: a "tentative first step for a team with designs on a third World Cup in 2010, a giant leap […]

Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid has spotlighted New York’s experienced overseas contingent as the main obstacle between the Crew and its first MLS Cup title. Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel, with 16 goals this season, and veteran Dutch midfielder-forward Dave Van den Bergh, with eight, are his opponent’s key players, he tells Michael Lewis. “They’re […]

"I want to make clear that the club does not have any future projects for him [David Beckham]. All we know is that he will come to Dubai [for winter training] and then he will return to Galaxy in March, besides that nothing else." AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani states anew the temporary nature […]

"I could decide tomorrow [to retire] or in a month's time what to do, but I still don't know. It was beautiful to return to play because soccer is my life, but it was just an exhibition as I only played for 22 minutes. Professional soccer is a different issue." Ronaldo, 32, mulls quitting the […]