The Gold Cup is under way and the two goliaths of North American soccer have seen action: Mexico kicked off their tournament with a 3-1 win over El Salvador and play Jamaica tonight. The United States floundered against Panama on Saturday, taking just a point from the match, and then floundered against Martinique on Wednesday night, albeit winning 3-2.
The two have impressive records at the Cup. Mexico has 7 titles, the U.S. has 5.
September 29, 2017 is the day. It's the day when no one is allowed to bother you, except for friends and family that treat this hallowed twenty-four-hour period with equal solemnity. It's FIFA 18 Day, and not only is this year's holiday eagerly anticipated because we'll finally be able to play as the mighty Minnesota United FC, but also because we know that we’ll be treated to over 50 relatively unknown jams from more than 15 different countries by way of the always tremendous FIFA Soundtrack.
When Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti was caught smoking while on vacation in Ibiza, the same alarm bells were ringing in everyone’s heads. As a professional footballer, it’s unhealthy, unprofessional and detrimental to both your career and your club.
As we all know, smoking is detrimental to footballers in every way imaginable, but it’s incredible to see how the perception of this habit has rapidly changed over the last three or four decades in the professional game.
As we traverse the long, hot and boring summer, we find ourselves lost amid a desert of dullness — a boring expanse of time in which no football is actually played. No club football. No proper international tournament. Even the youth football has finished. Teams are barely beginning their preseason. Quite literally, there is no football to talk about. But the machine never ceases. Which brings us to the transfer market.
Andre Blake captained Jamaica to a winning start at the 2017 Gold Cup on Sunday, keeping a clean sheet and recording six saves in the Reggae Boyz victory over Caribbean rivals Curacao.
The international heroics from the 26-year-old goalkeeper were no different from what he’s been accomplishing with the Philadelphia Union throughout the first half of the 2017 season.
“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” -Joseph Campbell, The Hero’s Journey
The United States women's national team has a relatively short history dating back to just 1986. Over the following three decades, the Americans had a tremendous amount of success, dominating opponents and picking up over 25 total championships. Arranged in a 4-3-3 for this best XI, here are the best eleven ladies (and one super sub for good measure) to ever dawn the red, white and blue.
The Gold Cup doesn’t exactly excite quite like the Euros, Copa America or even the Confederations Cup. There are really only three, maybe four, quality teams and the chances of getting CONCACAF’d are higher than ever.
Even though odds are stacked in favor of Mexico or the United States winning in the end, there are reasons to watch the other 10 countries competing over the month of July.
Cuando hablamos del terrible sistema de clasificación mundial de la FIFA, usualmente hay mucho para reírse. Las naciones son castigadas cruelmente por no jugar (Estados Unidos, invicto desde noviembre del 2016, baja 12 lugares al 35) mientras que otros países se benefician teniendo pequeñas participaciones en competencias importantes (Polonia logró llegar al sexto después de derrotar a Rumanía en la clasificatoria para la Copa del mundo).
The likes of Arsenal, Everton, Leicester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham all saw the majority of their players return to the training ground for the start of preseason today. Many other sides, like Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, will also begin their preparations this week.