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The18 previews the MLS Cup final with 18 things you should know about the game.

Martin Tyler, Gary Neville, Ian Darke, Andy Gray, Jon Champion, Ray Hudson. Those are just a few of the world's great soccer commentators. Sure, all of these names belong to English personalities, but there are talented commentators all around the world able to capture - and often enhance - great moments with their words. When tensions are running high and we’re on the edge of our seats, these men act as our tour guides through the ups and downs of a football match.

Last week, when Europe’s top domestic leagues were taking a breather, gave us a chance to look around and see what else was happening in the world of football. And our main observartion was that all sorts of meaningless drivel suddenly became newsworthy, so desperate were the papers to fill their back pages with anything even moderately football-related.

The ladies may hate it or they may love it. Either way, it's Movember, which means that men across the globe have 30 days to work on their mustaches for the annual Movember movement. 

Every year FIFA tries to do the impossible.

More often than not, it is hard to remember that superstar athletes are people just like you and me. It is hard, of course, because they make exponentially more money, hangout with the coolest of friends, and have relationships with people that you pay money just to look at. 

So, allow The18 to take you on a trip down Memory Lane, with a slight detour down Humble Avenue, because we have uncovered some photographs that have the glorious ability to make these exceptional human beings look quintessentially average. 

Enjoy.

We at The18 understand that not everyone is meant to play soccer (or sports in general for that matter) but, for some reason, parents all over the world sign their children up for soccer year after year.

On the surface, it makes sense. Kids have a lot of energy, soccer fields are the perfect outlet; soccer is a relatively safe sport; it is a great way for kids to meet friends. 

One of the glorious possibilities of the information age is that once something is created, it has the potential to be seen and appreciated by the entire world. Mind you, not just in the present, but for as long as there is electricity, an Internet connection and an interested audience. 

For athletes, this chance at immorality is a double-edged sword. Messi, for instance, won't complain that his many goals will live far beyond his last breath, but for players less fortunate, well, they will be haunted by the video record of their mistakes for the rest of their lives.