USA

Part of the majesty of sport resides in its ability to explain life. There can be more truth in one good competition than an entire Sunday church service. Soccer’s function as a microcosm of life is arguably the most direct in all the sports - and perhaps that is why the planet is so enamored with it. 

Admittedly, I cannot consider myself the biggest fan of Major League Soccer. Sure, I went to a DC United game this season and was aware that they ended up with the best record in the Eastern Conference, but other than that, I cannot say I knew much about the squad, as my primary focus was on the English Premier League. But given the dearth of other successful sports in this town, I told myself that I would follow United throughout their run in the MLS Playoffs this season.

Thirteen U.S. senators sent a letter to Sepp Blatter and Sunil Gulati asking for the use of grass instead of turf in the Women's World Cup.

There is not a country in the world that does not have a dark side to its history. Call it human nature, but the huge strides made by the human race in the past few centuries are rivaled only by its tragic missteps.

Explaining one of the weirdest playoff formats in sports

Soccer in the United States is exemplified best by one word: transition. If there really is World Cup winning glory in the future of the United States Men’s National Team, then the current era must be considered its awkward years. U.S. Soccer is getting there, but it is often painfully clear that, as far as the country has come, it has so much further to go. 

It is a typical morning in Joensuu, a moderately-sized college town in Finland. There is a slight chill in the air of this industrial city on the Pielisjoki River as 23-year-old American Nathan Stockie wakes up and plans out his day. He has plenty of time to kill, as he does not have to be at work until 4:30pm that afternoon. What type of work does an American do in a Finnish town that does not require him to be there until 4:30? Bartender? Bouncer? Not quite. You see, Nathan is a professional footballer.

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. 

The United States Women’s National Team have blown the doors off their last two opponents, following their sluggish 1-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago. Jill Ellis’s squad has rattled off 5-0 and 6-0 victories against Guatemala and Haiti - and they’ll likely face Mexico on Friday with a chance to qualify for World Cup 2015.