USA

High School Soccer Vs DA: Why Academies Will Soon Rule The U.S. Soccer Landscape

Youth soccer in America is changing. Over the past few years, U.S. soccer has moved to profoundly address the exclusivity of high-level grass roots play. Talented footballers at the high school age can get offered to play for a program known as a Development Academy (DA). Both Major League Soccer and other youth clubs all over the U.S. have Development Academy teams, from the high school age all the way down to U-12. 

The Madrid Derby In New Jersey Highlights This Summer’s ICC Schedule

This summer, the International Champions Cup returns for the seventh straight year as the globe’s premier preseason competition.

Christian Pulisic Becomes Youngest-Ever Player To Score 10 USMNT Goals

Last night during the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Chile, winger Christian Pulisic scored his 10th international goal, moving him to joint-22nd on the all time U.S. scoring list alongside the velvety left foot of Eddie Lewis.

The goal was also special because not only did it feature a great first touch from Gyasi Zardes, it also made Pulisic the youngest-ever American to reach 10 international goals. 

Nashville SC Released New Renderings For Its Soccer-Specific Stadium, But There's A Catch

Nashville SC was recently awarded MLS status for the 2020 season. Expansion clubs in the recent past have quickly worked to build soccer-specific stadiums (Orlando SC, LAFC and Minnesota United). Nashville's currently playing in the USL Championship, and the club announced that it will be building the biggest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. on the Nashville fairgrounds.

The initial renderings of the stadium looked pretty raw, but still interesting: full roofing and upper/lower decks and an assumed capacity of around 27,500.

Power Wheelchair Soccer Spin-Kicks Are The Only Thing You Need To See Today

What is Power Soccer? Apart from a sport that produces some sublime highlights, it’s a variant of soccer for people with physical disabilities, played using power wheelchairs that are equipped with footguards used to manipulate the ball.

Although variants of the sport have existed since the 1970s, the rules didn’t become standardized until 2006 with the founding of the Federation International Powerchair Football Association (FIPFA). 

Walker Zimmerman’s 25-Yard, Last-Minute Winner Triggers Will Ferrell-Led Celebrations

This is why they paid the man. After agreeing to a new four-year contract with Los Angeles FC back in January — one that’ll pay Walker Zimmerman more than the MLS max budget charge of $530,000 — the center back produced to goods for his side last night in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake at Banc of California Stadium.

Let’s Celebrate Major League Soccer’s Best Doggos On National Puppy Day

National Puppy Day is apparently a thing and who are we to argue. 

Because Major League Soccer and its clubs have to be like every other entity on social media (ourselves included), they of course filled our Twitter feeds with pics of pups on Saturday.

Because The18 loves dogs more than our awful Fantasy Premier League teams, we decided to compile the best #NationalPuppyDay posts from MLS.

The David Beckham-Inter Miami Empire Continues Toward Reality

The long march toward the existence of Inter Miami CF technically began over a decade ago. David Beckham arrived in MLS in 2007 to much fanfare, a new designated player rule, a massive contract — and an option to be an expansion franchise for $25 million after he retired. That last piece went from interesting expansion topic to reality in late 2013 when Beckham and Simon Fuller came forward as owners for a new team based in Miami-Dade County. 

Tyler Adams’ New Hybrid Position Might Be The Future For The USMNT

Gregg Berhalter’s first match as USMNT coach with a full (well, almost full) complement of players during a FIFA international window on Thursday against Ecuador gave Americans their first true glimpses at how the new boss is shaking things up with the national team.

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