For the first time since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, an MLS match was played in front of fans on Wednesday night. A few of those fans immediately used that privilege to boo human rights.
The sun shines down on another day of soccer practice in suburban America. The heat reflects off the turf, making the late afternoon air a bit sultry but bearable. For a few brief minutes I forget about the global pandemic as I pepper the goalkeepers with low, hard shots.
This will be the second season as the goalkeeper coach for my former high school team, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. During a difficult year, coaching soccer this fall is something I have eagerly looked forward to.
The Champions League is finally back on Friday with some crucial Round of 16 second leg ties, as Juventus attempts to comeback against Lyon while Manchester City hopes to maintain a slender advantage against Real Madrid.
Europe's premier club competition is a showcase event for elite talent, and many of the world's best players have demonstrated their abilities under the European lights this season.
To celebrate the Champions League's return, we highlighted the top goal scorers and the most distinguished performers of this season's Champions League.
A slightly out-of-touch fan of the USMNT recently asked me who plays for the team these days. After all, U.S. soccer fans that only watch the team during the World Cup haven’t seen them play in six years. Besides knowing about Christian Pulisic, casual fans might be under the impression that Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Jermaine Jones and DaMarcus Beasley are all still on the squad. I pray that no one thinks Landon Donovan is still playing.
Due to the financial hardships caused by COVID-19, this year's summer transfer window looks much different than in previous years. Transfer windows across Europe have been widely staggered because of the various ending dates of major leagues. The Ligue 1 window has been open for weeks, while the Serie A window doesn't start until September 1.
Furthermore, since revenue is down, many clubs are treading lightly in the spending department. Teams are relying more on free transfers and cheap signings to boost the quality of their squad while staying financially frugal.
FIFA 21 is coming. The annual release date has been somewhat effected by EVENTS — the usual late September holiday being pushed back to Oct. 6 — but we already know the cover star (Kylian Mbappé), the trailer has been released and we’ll see the first official gameplay footage on Tuesday. The biggest talking point remaining is the notorious FIFA 21 player ratings.
By all accounts, Bournemouth never should have made it to the Premier League.
In February of 2008, the club entered administration due to $4 million in unpaid debts and was deducted ten points in the league standings. Bournemouth was relegated to League Two at the end of the season, and at the beginning of the following campaign the club was still very much on the brink of insolvency.
December of 2019 feels like a lifetime ago. Kudos to anyone who can remember more than ten things that happened seven months ago. One of the few moments that comes to mind is Son Heung-min’s incredible solo goal for Tottenham against Burnley.
When the moment happened, The18 was already calling it the goal of the season. BBC Match of the Day confirmed our thoughts and announced that Son earned the award for Goal of the Season.
Jordan Henderson was named England’s Footballer of the Year for 2019-20 by the Football Writers’ Association on Friday. So, congratulations Hendo, on becoming the “Green Book” of footballers, honored while more deserving players are snubbed.
It’s been a big week for wealthy team owners giving money to overpaid marketing folks to come up with new names for sports teams. From Washington, D.C., to Seattle, Washington, new names have been announced in some of America’s most popular sports.
As much as we love soccer here at The18, we’re a bit disappointed that the NHL is winning in the naming department this week.