International Soccer

International tournaments often seem like a red carpet event for the biggest names in world football, yet often the most intriguing players on the pitch are the up-and-coming stars, the b-listers of the footballing world, if you will.

Euro 2020 introduced us to a wide range of talented young players. Some were familiar by name and statistical output, but this was the first chance for them to prove themselves on such a large stage. Others were relative unknowns, ony entering the public footballing consciousness within the last month.

Tuesday’s Copa América semifinal between Argentina and Colombia was the Lionel Messi show for 90 minutes. But when the game went to a penalty shootout, the spotlight shifted to Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emi Martínez. 

The Aston Villa keeper chirped the Colombian players to no end and saved three penalty kicks. Some absolute legend has now provided us inferior English-only speakers with an Emi Martinez trash talk translated video.

Given the number of major international soccer tournaments this summer, it’s easy to overlook the Gold Cup. Make no mistake: You absolutely should to pay attention to Concacaf’s premier competition. Here’s why you need to watch the 2021 Gold Cup and, just as importantly, how to watch Gold Cup matches on TV and streaming in the U.S.

Soccer is unique in so many ways, and perhaps no play in all of sports is more meaningful than the penalty kick. 

Points are more scarce in soccer than they are in any other sport, and no other sport includes one play with such a high percentage chance of scoring.

A game that features 22 players on the pitch is condensed into a one-on-one battle for a few crucial seconds, and in the end, there are only two possible outcomes: either a goal is scored or the ball fails to cross the goal line — with the former being the most likely.