Category: Story

More criticism of FIFA’s international ban on games at high altitude, this time from The Guardian’s Rodrigo Orihuela, who points out that the calls for reversing the decision are growing louder. The FIFA ruling bans international matches from being played at an altitude higher than 2,500 meters, a move aimed squarely at three South American […]

It may be that the British soccer press has little to talk about now that the domestic and international seasons have ended, but speculation has it that Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is already fed up with American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks for not getting it done on the financial end. The Times says […]

On Wednesday in Buenos Aires, the Copa Libertadores final begins. It’s a competition that’s often described as South America’s UEFA Champions League. Usually a showcase for the region’s up-and-coming stars, this year’s final is punctuated by the appearance of a two key veterans on one of the competition’s most storied teams. Indeed, the final is […]

Mexico was on the receiving end of the biggest shock at the 2007 Gold Cup so far, when Honduras stole a deserved last-minute win from the Tricolores at Giants Stadium on Sunday. Hugo Sanchez’s men now travel to Houston needing a win against tricky Panama to ensure safe passage to the next round and the […]

As New York Sun columnist Paul Gardner points out, everything about the David Beckham signing has been positive for Major League Soccer-so far. The global publicity was “much more than we’d ever dreamed of,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber has said. Even better has been Becks’ return to the first team at both Real Madrid and […]

Ben Olsen isn’t the kind of guy who’s supposed to bag impressive hat-tricks like he did against the New York Red Bulls at RFK on Saturday. Older now (30), a more “feisty,” “disruptive,” “blue-collar” Olsen is expected to put in sensible, gritty performances-nothing too flashy, never leaving United exposed defensively. But for a team that […]

If you’re the kind that’s easily spooked, stay away-stay far away-from what’s happening with David Beckham and Real Madrid in Spain. After Real Madrid’s improbable last-gasp draw in Zaragoza was mirrored by an equally improbable last-gasp draw in Barcelona, you might have got the feeling that someone else is calling the shots out there. Even […]

Strange forces may be pulling Real Madrid and David Beckham toward the La Liga title, but nothing will pull the reborn England international away from his five-year commitment to Major League Soccer and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Despite claims to the contrary from Real President Ramon Calderon in comments following the Zaragoza game on Saturday, […]

As usual, it’s absolutely killing a British sports writer-Nick Harris of the Independent-to concede that Major League Soccer has 1) good players and 2) serious prospects for growth. He starts by equating the standard of play in MLS to a mid-table Coca-Cola Championship (English second division) team, or a slightly better than average Scottish Premier […]