Soccer America Archives

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

Consider Group H the World Cup's gift to JAPAN. The host with the most is in the group with the least, and passage to second round – and perhaps the quarterfinals – looks well within grasp. Experienced RUSSIA will have plenty to say about this, and so might BELGIUM. If the pressure of playing at […]

ITALY may have the best selection of forwards. But can they take penalty kicks? It's been three straight World Cups in which the Italians went home after a tiebreaker from the spot: quarterfinals against France in 1998; final against Brazil in 1994; and semifinal against Argentina in 1990. Such a record should have Coach Giovanni […]

Those teams thrown into this pit must navigate treacherous territory, then face a probable meeting with defending champion France in either the round of 16 or the semifinals. ARGENTINA is stocked deeply and richly at every position and has adapted so well to Coach Marcelo Bielsa's basic 3-3-1-3 formation that it is the strongest challenger […]

''Six-foot-two, eyes of blue, Mick McCarthy's after you!'' sang the Irish fans at the 1990 World Cup, IRELAND's first appearance in the finals. McCarthy captained that team, which reached the quarterfinals, marking the zenith of Irish soccer. (Their USA '94 run would end in the round of 16.) McCarthy turned coach in 1996. Although failing […]

Standing between the UNITED STATES and the second round are three opponents, two of which are seeking to reclaim past glories and one desperate to save face. PORTUGAL could be poised for its best World Cup showing in 36 years or set up for a great fall. The talent is unquestioned. Midfielder Luis Figo is […]

Ronaldo is back, and so is Bora, but only one of them will matter much when Group C kicks off June 3 in Ulsan. It's a quartet with a distinct top (BRAZIL) and bottom (CHINA), promising an intriguing battle for the second sweet-16 spot. Brazil is, no matter its struggles since France '98, among the […]

With Bruce Arena's honesty comes some tactlessness, with his sharp wit comes a dose of acidic sarcasm and with his confidence comes a bit of arrogance: qualities that have elevated Arena to the top of soccer in this country on several levels. It was in 1998, Bruce Arena's last year at D.C. United, that the […]

That SPAIN's soccer is the world's best is a widely accepted notion in that country – and proof lies in its extraordinary success in European club competitions. But getting a Spaniard to rave about his national team? That would be futile. At best, fans believe Coach Jose Antonio Camacho's squad can reach the second round […]

That SPAIN's soccer is the world's best is a widely accepted notion in that country – and proof lies in its extraordinary success in European club competitions. But getting a Spaniard to rave about his national team? That would be futile. At best, fans believe Coach Jose Antonio Camacho's squad can reach the second round […]

As World Cup openers go, FRANCE-SENEGAL May 31 in Seoul shapes up to be a cracker. It's the 1998 World Cup, 2000 European and 2001 Confederations Cup champions vs. the 2002 African runners-ups. The Bleus vs. the Lions of Teranga. The French foreign legion vs. the Senefs. The teams know each other very well. Twenty […]

France star Zinedine Zidane has been ruled out at least through the opener on Friday against Senegal. … England's David Beckham was a full participant in training for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot a month ago. … Sweden officials have said the severity of attacking midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg's hip […]

France star Zinedine Zidane has been ruled out at least through the opener on Friday against Senegal. … England's David Beckham was a full participant in training for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot a month ago. … Sweden officials have said the severity of attacking midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg's hip […]

France star Zinedine Zidane has been ruled out at least through the opener on Friday against Senegal. … England's David Beckham was a full participant in training for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot a month ago. … Sweden officials have said the severity of attacking midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg's hip […]

France star Zinedine Zidane has been ruled out at least through the opener on Friday against Senegal. … England's David Beckham was a full participant in training for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot a month ago. … Sweden officials have said the severity of attacking midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg's hip […]

France star Zinedine Zidane has been ruled out at least through the opener on Friday against Senegal. … England's David Beckham was a full participant in training for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot a month ago. … Sweden officials have said the severity of attacking midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg's hip […]

Juninho appears to have claimed a starting spot in Brazil's midfield. The dynamic, diminutive playmaker was left off of Brazil's 1998 squad because of injury, though he claimed to have recovered in time for the tournament in which the Brazilians finished runner-up. … The Republic of San Marino has issued a series of stamps commemorating […]

Conflicting reports are coming out of South Korea regarding the severity of an elbow injury suffered by U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Korean news agency Yonhap cited sources from the Asan Medical Center suggesting that the injury could force Keller to miss World Cup games. The sources said X-rays revealed no broken bones, but that Keller […]

Incumbent Sepp Blatter defeated Issa Hayatou 139 votes to 56 to win another four-year term as FIFA president. ''I register your deep trust, your deep trust in FIFA and in me,'' said Blatter, whose opponents had accused him of financial mismanagement and corruption. ''I have to install peace in this family here and I will […]

A lot must go right for the USA to reach the second round at the World Cup. Here's a look at reasons for optimism and areas of concern. Whatever well-laid plans Bruce Arena had in mind for the 2002 World Cup went out the window at RFK Stadium May 12. In the many scenarios and […]