Youth Soccer

Last Sunday, an indoor soccer match between Rockford, Illinois-based San Jose FC and FC Wisconsin U-19 descended into madness in Brookfield, Wisconsin, when a skirmish ultimately resulted in a referee getting punched in the face.

The referee, 50-year-old Terry From, approached a boy who’d thrown a water bottle in his direction, identified as the 12-year-old son of San Jose FC’s coach, before being punched by a 17-year-old San Jose FC player, identified as the older brother of the 12-year-old. 

In American men’s soccer, the path to turning pro has never been clearer. The MLS SuperDraft, the general means for college players to enter the league, has always been somewhat irrelevant, but now it’s by and large obsolete. Talent is coming through the league's Development Academies, where players are working year-round on the quest to becoming world-class, not unlike professionals themselves.

Goalkeeper Lewis Budinauckas made a penalty and then saved one moments later to send Rangers past AS Roma at the Al Kass International Cup, a U-17 club competition growing in prestige every year, on Friday in Doha, Qatar. 

The teams were tied 1-1 through regulation, sending the match immediately to a shootout. Tied 3-3 after the first five spot kicks, both teams traded goals in the first five rounds of sudden death, including both goalkeepers converting on the 10th attempt (both teams had been reduced to 10 men through the course of the match). 

Brazil clinched qualification into the final stage of the South American U-20 Championship with a 1-0 victory over Bolivia on Friday afternoon in Chile. 

The win completed a difficult group stage for the young Seleção, who have a prodigious amount of talent at their disposal, including Real Madrid-bound Rodrygo, who scored twice in a win over Venezuela earlier in the competition. 

Chris Richards, an 18-year-old American center back, is officially a Bayern Munich player. 

The FC Dallas Homegrown Player joined the German giant on loan in July. On Thursday, his move was completed as the Alabama native signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Bayern. According to reports, FC Dallas will be paid $1.5 million for Richards. 

Last week, the South American U-20 Championship kicked off in Chile, with the top four finishers earning qualification to this summer’s U-20 World Cup in Poland.

U.S. Soccer, in hopes of expanding and improving the youth talent pool, has launched a new talent identification program at the U-14 level. Currently, however, this American youth soccer development program is only available for boys. A similar program will be implemented for girls, but they'll have to wait until next season.

According to the latest reports, 10-year-old Barcelona phenom Michal Zuk has signed a brand ambassador contract with adidas.

Clàudia Pina was the best player at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She made sure she played for the best team with a sublime performance in the final against Mexico.

Pina scored twice in the opening 26 minutes to propel Spain to a 2-1 win over Mexico in the U-17 Women’s World Cup final on Saturday in Montevideo, Uruguay.

¡¡¡SOMOS CAMPEONAS DEL MUNDO!!!  ¡¡¡SIIIIIIIIII!!! ¡¡¡VAMOSSSSS!!! ¡¡¡SOMOS DE ORO!!!