Colombia and Paraguay bring with them the soft air of South America and a match that is decades old. These two teams have faced each other 42 times in the course of three generations. It is a soccer display of two different faces of the same continent: the warm Ocean-faring Colombia against the landlocked Paraguay. Two countries as united in their love for soccer as the rest of South America.
Let there be no doubt about it, Mexico’s 3-1 win over Uruguay to open up their Copa America campaign showed Mexico has what it takes to win the competition. The team impressed all around, but there are 6 players we believe will be the most integral to the team’s success.
As the final whistle blew on Saturday's 0-0 draw between the Brazil National Team and Ecuador, boos began to ring down from fans all around the Rose Bowl. Brazil had been largely unimpressive and ineffective, punctuated only by occasional moments of magic that failed to produce anything of substance. For anyone hoping that Brazil could shake off the shackles of the 2014 World Cup and regain their spot at the top of world football, it was a depressing dose of reality.
Women’s soccer is rare in Europe and South America, the widely agreed-upon cradles of the game. It is not unheard of. It is rare. As an Italian, I like telling my American friends that women’s soccer is illegal where I come from. “Yes, the police come and take you away!” I tell them to get a laugh.
I finally got my chance to attend a women’s soccer match when the world-champion U.S. Women’s National Team took on Japan in a friendly last week at Dick’s Sporting Good’s Park in Commerce City, Colorado.
If you have only seen Eduardo Vargas play club football, well, I feel sorry for you. Vargas is a forward for TSG Hoffenheim, and a thoroughly below average one at that. He scored 2 goals in 25 appearances in the Bundesliga last year, and that wasn’t exactly an exceptionally bad haul for him.
Dare to Zlatan. Is there anyone more mercurial, more intense , or more of an egomaniac than Zlatan Ibrahimovic? His posturing and his infamous Zlatanisms flirt with satire so much, it's not even clear how serious he actually is. Zlatan is so quoteable that journalists around the globe froth at the mouth to get a flashy one-liner from the outspoken Swede, something which he derives great enjoyment from.
Don’t you miss that guy? Almost two years have gone by since the 2014 Brazil World Cup, and James Rodriguez’s face is still on a missing person’s poster.
His string of amazing performances in Brazil earned Rodriguez not only world recognition but also a hefty £63 million move to Real Madrid. And yet, he’s still not performing at the level most expected him to.
The official deadline for international managers to submit their 23-man Euro 2016 rosters is May 31, but many have already been finalized, and we can begin to have an idea about what the teams will look like. Specifically, we can see the players who were left out entirely, perhaps unfairly. With that in mind, here are five of the biggest snubs from the Euro 2016 squads.
England - Jermain Defoe
The Uruguay National Team have a successful relationship with the Copa America. Nobody has won the competition more than La Celeste, who have lifted the trophy on 15 occasions. That said, last year was desperately disappointing for them as Uruguay was knocked out in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Chile. Despite that, Uruguay has to be considered one of the favorites to win the Copa America Centenario this summer.
The 135th FA Cup final will take place tomorrow, and the historical significance of the occasion will find its perfect match in the outdated, contrasting styles on the pitch. Manchester United have struggled to dazzle, or even go forward, all year. Crystal Palace have played their best while soaking up pressure and hitting on the counter.