Youth Soccer

David Beckham's sons — Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz — play in Arsenal's youth academy

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. 

Hachim Mastour is only 16. He was signed by AC Milan at the tender age of 14 for a sum of 500,000 Euros and a year later he dazzled everyone with his superb performance for the Primavera squad in Milan’s youth circuit. Mastour was born in Italy to Moroccan parents and has the tools to be as great as the Neymars, Messis and Ronaldos of the world. 

Let’s hope that Northampton High Schoolers are not the class of their town.

In a shameful act of poor sportsmanship during a soccer match between Northampton and Nazareth Area High School, several players on the Northampton team chanted “Ebola” at Ibrahim Toumkara.

Toumkara moved from Guinea in West Africa three years ago, and the rest of his family still lives in the West African nation.

Here at The18, we love DeAndre Yedlin. We love him for his ridiculous athleticism, his ridiculous sense of style, and his, hopefully not ridiculous, upcoming move to Tottenham. 

Lee Seung-Woo: The Player Worth a Year-Long Transfer Ban

With the recent release of EA Sport’s FIFA 15, The18 knows many of you are rediscovering your passion for virtual soccer, for better or for worse. If you have suspicions that you are entering a downward spiral of FIFA addiction, and want catch yourself before your grades drop or your work suffers, here are some signs that you may be squeezing the sprint trigger more than you are touching an actual ball. 

1. You Talk About Everyone’s Soccer Skills In Terms Of FIFA Stats.

It isn’t that uncommon in soccer. The race for young talent is a competitive field and AS Roma just won the race for 9-year-old prodigy Piertro Tomaselli. The young Belgian was getting looks from Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan, but the Italian giants came out on top.

Check out the video below of him playing in the Anderlecht youth circuit and you will see why the world's top clubs want him in their youth academies.