Category: Story

According to goal.com, the L.A. Galaxy stated Thursday that marquee midfielder and marketing commodity David Beckham is “due to return from AC Milan as originally planned, despite rampant transfer speculation.” While Beckham has said over in over in the media that he prefers to stay playing in Italy in order to increase his chances of […]

In the first of a series heading toward the kickoff of the 2009 MLS season on March 22, Goal.com takes a long hard look at the state of third-year team Toronto FC and gives a preview of what me might expect from a re-tooled team that has more “Canadian feel” with the off-season additions of […]

In what has become an increasingly popular – and necessary, for some smaller soccer nations that alone lack the proper stadium infrastructure – phenomenon, Sweden and Norway announced a joint bid to host the 2016 European Championship on Thursday, according to the AP.  Pointing out that the two Scandinavian neighbors have organized championships together in […]

Frustrated with how tournaments from the Champions League to the UEFA Cup force teams to play what he disparagingly deems “two-legged football,” SI.com’s Gabriele Marcotti puts the home-and-away series method under the microscope following first leg results from both competitions. “The basic principle that you can lose and be happy (especially when you lose 3-2, […]

In the increasingly multi-national world that we live in, dual citizenship is intended to allow an individual the opportunity to embrace both countries that have played a part in both birth and life.  But in the soccer world, the issue has recently become considered a double-edged sword, writes ESPN Soccernet’s Ravi Uhba. Take for example […]

According to the Daily Mail, “Chelsea is closer to naming Guus Hiddink as their permanent manager after it emerged Dick Advocaat is being lined up to succeed him as coach of Russia.” While Hiddink has only been at the helm for a handful of matches, two big victories and an outpouring of positive responses from […]

“Really we’re way ahead of where we were last year.  We have that main core coming back this year. We don’t need to get to know each other. We already know each other.”  Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman, counting consistency as one of the keys to the team’s current undefeated preseason record of 3-0-1 […]

“This is not a turf war. We live and breathe soccer. We will go out and try to generate unprecedented interest and support in Miami soccer, whether that team is in USL-1 or MLS.” USL First Division team Miami FC president Aaron Davidson, on recent efforts to solidify its own future in the face of […]

“I am having fun, but I believe that it is time to make room for youngsters. They deserve to play. Perhaps you think I am still young, but I am 37 and I feel it’s truly the right time to quit. I just want to give my all in these remaining three months and hopefully […]

Despite a failing economy in which the average Joe has less and less (if any) disposable income to throw around on sports and entertainment, the city of Seattle has galvanized around the new Sounders FC franchise, to the tune of some 20,000 season-ticket holders. Addressing a host of long odds, Seattle Times columnist Steve Kelley […]

It’s now only 10 days until David Beckham‘s loan to Italian AC Milan was supposed to come to an end, and yet here American soccer fans sit, counting down the final hours until the “Beckham Era” is put out of its misery. As the New York Times’ Jeffrey Marcus writes, according to an A.C. Milan […]

Jeff Bradley takes the liberty of playing the numbers game for MLS teams with regard to the upcoming season, exploring a statistical approach to what key figures they need to focus on in order to find success and/or a ticket to the postseason. Among other things, Bradley zeroes in on the surprisingly low number of […]

According to ESPN Soccernet, the European Commission has “dismissed the findings” of a new FIFA-commissioned report that supported the world governing body’s proposed 6+5 rule that would limit the number of foreign players in domestic leagues and “warned that pursuing the law would result in a spate of court cases.” While the controversial 6+5 rule […]

Defending champions Zenit St. Petersburg, current Bundesliga leaders Hamburger SV and Italian enforcers AC Milan are among the teams that will compete in the second leg of the Round of 32 of the 2009 UEFA Cup on Thursday. In the first leg of the series last week, six of the 16 games ended in draws, […]

"You haven’t lost your Drogba, he was just not playing. Being judged when you are playing is much easier, and to the contrary, when you are not playing you can be criticized. At the moment I feel good when I’m on the field and I make the most of those priceless moments. The truth is […]