Iranian Soccer Suffused in Politics
Soccer and politics are never far apart in Iran, but the mix is at its most combustible every four years in June when the country’s presidential elections take place at the...
World Soccer
Klinsmann's Imprint Becoming Apparent
Aaron Falk, Salt Lake Tribune
In Soccer, Elite Means 'No Vacation'
Joshua Robinson, Wall Street Journal
Rich Bayern Munich Just Got Richer
Feldenkirchen & Moreno, Der Spiegel
Role Reversal on North American Pitch
Sam Borden, New York Times
Without Usual Partner, Bradley Steps Up
Richard Farley, Pro Soccer Talk
After the final whistle blows Tuesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium, there will be plenty of time to consider the result. A U.S. victory over Honduras could be relished for months, u...(full article)
Juan Mata's list of recent travels reads like the highlights of a glamorous, expensively planned, but hastily executed vacation. Based on a look through the Chelsea and Spain m...(full article)
On July 26, 2011, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness were sitting in the VIP restaurant at the Allianz Arena when a man with a shaved head walked in and sat down at a table. He ...(full article)
In one stadium, there was boastful singing, a jubilant atmosphere and two pretty goals. In the other, there was angry chanting, ugly behavior and an ever-growing frustration abou...(full article)
SEATTLE — By full time, the Seattle crowd was the big story, but during most of the match, the man who has slowly gained consensus as the U.S.’s best player put on another show...(full article)
Related Videos
More Recent Articles
Countdown Begins: 1 Year to World Cup
Exactly one year from today, the eyes of the soccer world will focus on Brazil when the FIFA World Cup kicks off — and the field of participating nations for the biggest sports...
Team USA Surges to Top of Hexagonal
Three thoughts on the U.S.'s 2-0 victory against Panama in a World Cup qualifier here on Tuesday: • The U.S. is really rolling now. The Americans catapulted into sole possess...
Bad Grass Center Stage for World Cup Qualifier
SEATTLE – The U.S. national team is accustomed to playing on subpar surfaces. It just isn't used to dealing with them in home games. Like a toupe tossed on a head, the arti...
Risky Business for Team USA, Panama
Tuesday night may come and go with marginal impact from a sketchy choice made by U.S. Soccer, without any dent to the U.S. national team’s drive for Brazil 2014. If so, the Uni...
Soccer Slump Has Brazilians Jittery
Exactly one year from Wednesday, world soccer will return to its spiritual home for what may be the most anticipated World Cup of modern times. Twelve months before the 2014 tour...
Mourinho's Return Should Give EPL a Boost
You ain't seen nothing yet. If you have already had enough of José Mourinho: The Second Coming, and were left feeling faintly bilious by all the talk of falling in love aga...
Cup Qualifier Favors Grit Over Style
Sitting in his Kingston hotel room the other night, the veteran U.S. men's national soccer team player DaMarcus Beasley had a stark view of what would unfold Friday in the crucia...
Nowhere Near a Jamaican Vacation
The bus carrying the U.S. men’s soccer team squeezed along narrow, abused roads, past compact shops with hand-written signs and homes packed together like shipping crates....
Soccket Ball Lets People Play for Power
(ISNS) – In June, as national soccer teams from around the world resume playing qualification games for the 2014 World Cup, a group of 20-somethings will kick off a soccer-relat...
U.S. Offense Appears With a Vengeance
On paper, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore offer a potent punch up top for the U.S. national team. Both players have left their mark in Europe — Dempsey in the English Premier ...
U.S. Men's Soccer: Inconsistent as Always
The rise and fall of national regard for Jurgen Klinsmann’s national team looks like a heart rate monitor, a continuing patterned series of sharp rises and steep falls. And on it...
In Sports, Technology Isn't Always Right
Almost three years ago, the English footballer Frank Lampard scored a goal in a World Cup quarter final against Germany. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced down way over the li...
U.S. Takes Friendly Fire From Belgium
Jurgen Klinsmann wants the United States to face the best teams in the world prior to next year's World Cup in Brazil. After the Americans were destroyed by Belgium 4-2 in Wednesda...
A Mass Exodus From Wiggan
Roberto Martinez has begun his Wigan Athletic exit, entering talks with Everton, and some of Wigan's best players are set to follow him out of the door. The FA Cup-winning manager ...
'Deuce' Is U.S. Soccer Team's Ace
U.S. soccer star Clint Dempsey never has been afraid to test the limits of his talents or Texas-sized ambitions. Just rising from his trailer-park origins to make it as a professi...
Roster Plagues Klinsmann as Qualifiers Loom
Belgium is a rising power on the international soccer scene. Germany, even without its starting core, is a daunting for any opponent. The odds are stacked against the United Stat...
Galaxy Paid Hefty Price in Rogers Trade
First things first as we analyze the Galaxy’s side of Friday’s talker of a trade, the MLS swap that brings winger Robbie Rogers to the Galaxy in exchange for Mike Magee, an unl...
A German Classic Goes to Bayern
LONDON — Some saw this as the opening to an age of German soccer dominance, and maybe it will be. Maybe years from now Saturday’s Champions League final between Bayern Munich a...
A Year Later, Robben Earns His Redemption
With a single, dramatic, title-winning flick of his left foot, Arjen Robben finally rid himself of all the hurtful tags. Nearly-man. Big-game choker. Perennial runner-up. Robben'...
Rogers Came Out, Now He's Coming Back
Coming out and coming back — each was a difficult decision for Robbie Rogers, and one complicated the other He told the world in February that he is gay and at the same moment sa...
How Germany Came to Dominate Soccer
This is the first time that two German teams will face off in the Champions League final, which must be significant -- or is it? What if Arsenal had scored just one more goal in th...
We're Not Entering a German Era in Soccer
It seems premature to declare Germany right now as the role model for soccer's future. Even if both of these finalists are built around German strength and reliability, the attacks...
Deservingly, 2 Best in Champions League Final
The first all-German Champions League final takes place Saturday when Bayern Munich meets Borussia Dortmund here at Wembley Stadium (2:45 p.m. ET, FOX), but for me and other neut...
Premature to Cite German Soccer Dynasty
The Champions League final, the biggest soccer match of the year -- and, for that matter, the most watched sporting event on the planet -- will be played this weekend at Wembley ...
For Bayern, Big Money, Big Talent, Big Pressure
It is not exactly a tale of the prince and the pauper, but the contrasts between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund (live, FOX, Saturday, 2 p.m. ET) are compelling enough to make ...
Interest Rekindled, Donovan Ready to Rock
In February, Landon Donovan arrived in Cambodia trying to figure out whether or not he still loved the game of soccer. He was burned out and burdened with external pressures, as h...
Yank's Wild Ride to Champions League Final
The man who's set to become the first American to play in a Champions League final was discovered in a city park in Bradenton, Fla., nine years ago. "It's absolutely true," said ...
If Brit Coaches Talk, It's Squeaky Bum Time
Over here, our national sport feels like a morgue. Every day, it seems, we are laying to rest one of our "greatest ever." The end of the football season is more like the funeral ...
Can Mourinho Go Home Again? We'll See
Is it good to go back over old ground? In the case of Jose Mourinho returning to Chelsea, I'm not so sure. Of course, the club's best period under Roman Abramovich was when Mourin...
Henry Needs Trophy to Justify Salary
Since his joining the New York Red Bulls three years ago, Thierry Henry has never won Major League Soccer's most valuable player award. He has never finished as the league's top g...
Arsenal Maintains Champions League Streak
At the final whistle, Arsene Wenger turned towards his bench with both fists in the air and instinctively hugged the nearest man in an Arsenal jersey, which happened to be Mikel A...
Tearful Beckham Plays in Final Match
A professional career, which began in obscurity against Brighton & Hove Albion in September 1992 ended in glittering celebrity – and tears – at the Parc des Princes in Paris. ...
Grit Trumps Star Power in Copa Final
The only thing which will be quivering more than the woodwork at the Bernabeu will be Jose Mourinho with indignation. For a bad loser at the best of times, this defea...
Beckham Many Things - But Not Great
So it will end for David Beckham not at Old Trafford or Wembley Stadium or the Bernabéu or San Siro, or any of the other iconic football cathedrals he graced during his glitteri...
End It Like Beckham: Superstar Retiring
I met David Beckham in a basement. This was a couple of years ago, when Major League Soccer was amid its All-Star Weekend in New York-slash-New Jersey, and Beckham was receiving ...
Beckham Wasn't Best, But He Was Everywhere
David Beckham first appeared on television as a spikey-haired child, excitedly burbling about his ambitions to be a professional footballer. If you were one of the few to see it, y...
Italian Soccer Must Take Lead Against Racism
Mario Balotelli was the toast of Italy last July while leading the Azzurri past Germany and into the Euro 2012 final against Spain. His two cracking goals stunned the Germans in ...
Soccer Tiebreaker: Playoff, Not Goal Difference
I can hear the "goal difference" brigade getting up in arms already. There are still people who believe that goal difference measures the relative strength and performance of a te...
Uncomfortable Ending Awaits Chelsea
The banner still hangs from the Stamford Bridge Shed End at every Chelsea home game, staring back at manager Rafa Benitez as he paces the sideline. "Rafa Out," it reads, the unch...
Man City Wise to Chase Pellegrini
The departure of Roberto Mancini as Manchester City coach may not be welcomed by the fans, who at times during the team's FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic on Saturday sang, ...
Veteran Owen Signs With Stoke
Owen has accepted a pay-as-you-play contract loaded with significant incentives to extend his career in the Premier League, with Stoke optimistic they had beaten Tuesday’...
Spurs' Transfer Turmoil 'a Bit Mad'
Jermain Defoe admitted yesterday that even the Tottenham Hotspur players were none the wiser as to who of them would be at the club by the end of the transfer window as chairman...
Criscito: Signings Make Zenit a Threat
Domenico Criscito believes that the signings of Hulk and Axel Witsel will make Zenit St Petersburg a competitive force in the Champions League this season. The reigning Russian cha...
Liverpool Rules Out Owen's Return
Brendan Rodgers has decided against a remarkable return to Liverpool for Michael Owen despite a striker shortage that prompted John W Henry, the club's principal owner, to write a...
Liverpool Has Eye on Owen, Drogba
Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, said last night that he would be willing to investigate bringing in Didier Drogba or Michael Owen as emergency reinforcements, after admi...
Russian Premier Team Signs Hulk
Zenit St Petersburg have signed Hulk from Porto and Axel Witsel from Benfica, both on five-year deals, for a reported fee 80 million euros, according to the Russian club's website...
Real Madrid Grabs Supercopa
Real Madrid has claimed the 2012 Supercopa after a gripping 2-1 second-leg victory over Barcelona in their Santiago Bernabeu clash on Wednesday. Los Blancos triumphed on away goal...
Questions Follow Soriano to City
Ferran Soriano tells an interesting story about Barcelona's recruitment strategy before he was appointed to the board of president Joan Laporta in 2003: The Spanish club had just...
Walcott Turns Down Arsenal's Offer
Manchester City are considering making a bid for Arsenal's Theo Walcott with the champions conscious his future at Arsenal is in serious doubt after discussions over a new deal bro...
EPL Keeps Handshakes Despite Terry
The Premier League will continue to support the idea of a fair-play handshake despite preparing for more controversies surrounding the pre-match ritual and the possibility that J...
Arsenal Knows 'Something Missing'
Arsène Wenger admitted "there is something missing" in attack after Arsenal departed the Britannia Stadium as one of only two Premier League clubs yet to score this season, ...
City Salvages Draw With Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers will be only too aware that, two games into the season, his Liverpool team still lack the kind of result that announces to the world that the club are capable of...
Real Madrid Suffers Stunning Upset
Real Madrid has handed a five-point lead to Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Primera Division after succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso P...
Ferguson Challenges Van Persie
The former Arsenal forward could be forced to accept second billing on Saturday, however, with triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, and Team GB long jump gold medallist...
Fellaini, Everton Shock Man U
This was merely the start of the new season for these two clubs yet Everton and Manchester United performed with an intensity that suggested this entire campaign hung in the balan...
Dempsey's Strike Shameful
Clint Dempsey grew up in a trailer park in a small east Texas town where one in four families has a single parent and one in five is below the poverty line. Both Dempsey's paren...
Solo's Charges Elicit No Comment
A former U.S. women's team assistant coach has declined to comment on Hope Solo's claim that he was in the room when she was allegedly shoved by then-U.S. head coach Greg Ryan in...
Messi Scores Twice as Barca Rolls
The Tito Vilanova era at Barcelona began with help from a familiar face, as Lionel Messi led the Blaugrana to a 5-1 win over Real Sociedad in its Primera Division season opener at ...
Explosive Premier League Openers
What a weekend and introduction back to the season. We witnessed an explosive opening with some quality goals, goalkeeping blunders, missed penalties and some real superstars. Th...
Man City Edges Southampton
This was the weekend when the Premier League empire struck back against those who decried it as a soulless sporting show. This was the match that paraded the Premier Leagu...
Solo's Book Turns Introspective
U.S. soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo, who helped her team win a gold medal at the London Olympics, writes candidly about her struggles and much-publicized incidents in her career -- ...
Mexico's Success Can Help U.S.
Let's face it: it's not a fun time to be a U.S. national team fan right now.With two years until the World Cup, it's unclear if the team has made any demonstrable progress toward...
Don't Discount Olympic Soccer
It’s a funny thing about soccer. It may be the only sport in which you’ll find plenty of people who argue that games don’t matter. You won’t find thi...
Roma Signs American Bradley
Roma has confirmed on its official website that it has secured the services of Michael Bradley from Chievo Verona for a fee of 3.75 million euros. The versatile midfielder has sign...
Newcastle's Bid for Carroll Rejected
Andy Carroll's future at Anfield is increasingly uncertain after Liverpool rejected a bid by his former club Newcastle United to take back the England striker on loan. Newcastle c...
Chelsea Sets U.S. Tour Roster
American soccer fans will be delighted to hear that Chelsea FC is bringing all of its top guns to its United States tour. The Blues will be travelling with their full squad to the...
Terry Cleared of Racial Abuse
The former captain of the England football team, John Terry, has been found not guilty of racially abusing the QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during a vigorous exchange of insults ...
FA Urged to Pursue Terry Charge
John Terry walked away with an acquittal from Westminster magistrates court on Friday, yet the Football Association could nevertheless charge Terry with a similar offence of raci...
Beckham Won't Light Olympic Flame
He's one of East London's most successful stars and played a crucial part in London securing the Olympics. But after he was snubbed a place on the GB football team, David Beckham ...
Mancini Signs 5-Year Man City Deal
Although there were claims Mancini was wanted by the Russian Football Federation to take charge of their national side, the Italian was always expected to commit long-term t...
Brazilian Star Oscar to Join Chelsea
Chelsea have pulled off another transfer coup by clinching the signature of £25million Brazilian wonderkid Oscar. Despite already splashing out £42m on Marko Marin an...
Terry Trial: Abuse or Sarcasm?
The Chelsea captain, John Terry, has denied racially abusing Queens Park Rangers's Anton Ferdinand, admitting that he used racist and offensive language but arguing that he only...
Manchester United Deals With Debt
The US-based Glazer family who own Manchester United have signalled their intention to move the club's registration to the tax haven of the Cayman Islands and float its shares on ...
MLS Midseason Awards
Breakthrough Player: Will Bruin, Houston DynamoBruin showed flashes in his rookie year, most notably a hat trick against D.C. United, but the 11th overall pick in the 2011 SuperD...
Q&A With U.S. Standout Morgan
USA TODAY Sports caught up with U.S. women's soccer star Alex Morgan during preparations for the team's first match at the London Olympics. Fans and readers tweeted @USATODAYsport...
Spain Sets Sights on 4th in Row
What next? Spain became the first national team ever to win three major tournaments Sunday by beating Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 championship. Now its place is secure not just in...
Tottenham to Hire Villas-Boas
Tottenham Hotspur expect to unveil André Villas-Boas as their manager this week and his appointment is set to spark a frenzied period of transfer activity at White Hart Lan...
Spain Makes Case as Best Ever
The Euro 2012 trophy has been raised. The red-and-yellow confetti has settled onto the ground. And Spain can rightly celebrate not only its 4-0 victory over Italy but also ...
Joy Permeates Winning Nation
Spaniards blasted off fireworks and jumped for joy after their soccer team won the European Championship on Sunday night, giving the country a burst of national pride and tempor...
Spain's Torres Wins Golden Boot
Fernando Torres finished as the highest scoring player of Euro 2012 with three goals during Spain's title-winning campaign.In a dramatic turn of events the 28-year-old sealed the ...
New European Rivalry Brewing
At first glance, Spain vs. Italy isn’t a classic soccer rivalry. It lacks the obvious geographic tension you get from a Spain vs. Portugal clash; it doesn’t conjure m...
Beckham Should Leave Gracefully
When Barack Obama held a White House reception for David Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy team-mates in May, the president of the United States briefly seemed mildly taken aback...
Euro Final a Clash of Polar Opposites
The final was supposed to be a battle between the two schools of proactive soccer. On the one side Spain, the increasingly cautious protectors of the ball, a side that has used i...
Balotelli Comes of Age in Euro
n the days leading up to the Euro 2012 final Sunday, many reasons will be given as to why Italy has defied odds and opinions to survive while 14 other nations have fallen.Some wi...
History at Stake in Euro 2012 Final
1. Three is the magic number. Spain has already equaled the achievement of West Germany, which was the 1972 and 1974 European and world champions before falling just short in the...
'Boring' Spain in Midst of Historic Run
The criticism of Spain’s conservative approach to ball possession—the crowd in Donetsk was jeering and whistling La Roja’s square passes after only 20 minutes&m...
Italy's Pirlo Is Soccer Genius
Andrea Pirlo could have picked a corner and beat Joe Hart simply by overpowering England’s goalkeeper. That is how most players take their penalty kicks.But Pirlo is not li...
Spain Downplays Puyol's Absence
Iker Casillas is confident that Spain will be able to cope with Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo without the absent Carles Puyol at the heart of the defense in Wednesday's Euro 2012...
Italy Ousts England on Penalties
England suffered yet more penalty heartbreak, this time at the hands of Italy as it succumbed to an agonizing 4-2 defeat on spot kicks in a goalless Euro 2012 quarterfinal in...
Videos
