By: Casey Rhine
Ohhhh El Clásico, where to begin. One of soccer's most heated, yet most deeply cherished rivalries.Few of you readers get to experience El Clasico, in Barcelona, while it's happening. This was my mission on December 23rd and should be your mission on May 6th if you are not lucky enough to go to the game in the Camp Nou.
With over one billion people tuning in around the globe, Sunday's World Cup final represents the grandest stage in all of sports. For the players, it's a chance to touch immortality by joining the pantheon of winners.
Many on France's team already tasted glory in 2018, but now they're focused on becoming the first nation to successfully defend its crown since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
After the Round of 16 there are no teams from Concacaf still competing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Of the five confederations that competed in Qatar, Concacaf had the lowest number of victories with a measly three. None of the four teams finished with a winning record.
The gradebook is coming with full force Concacaf, and it’s not pretty. Here are the 2022 Concacaf World Cup grades.
And just like that, it's over. The United States is sent packing after a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the first game of the knockout stage. The first World Cup since 2014 for the Americans gave fans much reason for hope, but it exposed the team's weaknesses as well.
The United States men’s national team triumphed against Iran with a nervy 1-0 victory on Tuesday to clinch a Round of 16 game against the Netherlands. The USA gave American fans several heart attacks along the way, but this is a massive accomplishment for the team.
The USA grinded out a tough one but ultimately came out on top. The magic moment came from none other than Christian Pulisic who put his body on the line to score the game-winner.
The biggest soccer fans in the world journeyed to Qatar in their love of the beautiful game and hunger to experience Middle Eastern culture. The World Cup in Qatar pulled in more foreigners to this part of the world than all the crusades combined. Only the pilgrimage to Mecca has a greater influx of people to this region of Asia.
Semi-automated offside technology is in use for the first time in FIFA World Cup history in Qatar this year. The system is more accurate than the lines that VAR used to draw, but it hasn’t come without controversy. A Lautaro Martínez offside call during Argentina’s shocking 2-1 defeat vs. Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest talking points.
The noise is unrelenting. From the moment we wake until our day's complete, we're exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 ads that enter our consciousness and demand consideration. The market around the game of soccer is no different, where footwear brands promise innovations that can make you stronger, faster and more powerful than you'd ever imagined — only to declare them obsolete just months later as the newest product is rolled out. We get swept away by technological "advances" and spend hundreds of dollars wrapping our feet in unforgiving synthetic plastic.
The business end of the MLS season is upon us, and with the MLS playoffs kicking off in just under a month, every game matters. Only six sides have officially been eliminated from playoff contention going into the international break and the race for the Supporter’s Shield is very much alive. Following Match Week 32, let’s break down what every team is playing for from here on out.
Remaining Opponents: Charlotte FC, Toronto FC
On Monday, Italy blanked their Hungarian opponents 2-0 thanks in large part to a spectacular display from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Gianluigi Buffon’s heir-apparent for the Azzurri made a host of incredible saves, keeping Hungary off the scoresheet as Italy topped their group and qualified for the Nations League finals next summer.