Central & South America

With only six matches remaining in South American World Cup qualifying, Argentina face the very real possibility of having their dreams dashed by Chile for the third time in three years. When Chile and Argentina take the field Thursday night in Buenos Aires, it will almost certainly be with both sides out of the automatic qualifying places.

If Colombia defeat Bolivia in Barranquilla, they’ll leapfrog both Argentina and Chile in the table, sending Chile to fifth and Argentina to the disastrous standing of sixth — out of the World Cup.

This brawl has everything: riot police, tear gas, fans playing tug-of-war over a banner, everything.

Prepare yourself for this. This happened in the derby game between Gama and Brasiliense yesterday. pic.twitter.com/dU5wZIQPGr

— Escojar (@Escojar) March 13, 2017

Last week, during a Copa Libertadores match between Zamora (Venezuela) and Gremio (Brazil), a good dog just couldn't contain itself and ran on the field.

¡UN INTRUSO EN LA CANCHA!#LibertadoresxFOX | Un perrito se metió y quiso ayudar a Zamora a revertir el resultado ante Gremio. pic.twitter.com/ZP4qiMasqc

Chapecoense traveled to Venezuela to play their first-ever Copa Libertadores match, having qualified by virtue of winning South America’s secondary club competition, the Copa Sudamericana, in 2016.

Facing Zulia, the runner-up in Venezuela’s 2016 Primera Division, away and with a squad made up mostly of players on loan, players that did not board LaMia Flight 2933 and one survivor, defender Neto, Chapecoense entered the match as massive underdogs. 

But Chapecoense took the lead off a clever free kick from Reinaldo, a defender on loan from Sao Paulo.

Brazil will travel to Montevideo, Uruguay for a clash between the top two sides in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying without David Luiz, the Chelsea center half and captain of Brazil’s 7-1 capitulation to Germany once again omitted from Tite’s latest squad announcement.

Luiz has been in great form for club this season, helping Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table with a defense that’s allowed only 19 goals in 26 matches. However, Luiz hasn’t appeared for Brazil since last March, and Tite has ignored him since being placed in charge of the Seleção last June.

Panama were the surprise winners of the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship after defeating three-time champions Mexico 4-2 in the final. With the scores level at 2-2, Panama proceeded to score two unanswered goals to secure their first ever championship.

Mexico scored the first, but Panama responded with their goalkeeper hurling one down the beach for an attacker to side volley home.

Remember Ronaldo's really bad haircut at the 2002 World Cup? The one he would have never lived down if Brazil hadn't won the tournament and if he hadn't won the Golden Boot with eight goals? Apparently there was a reason for it.

Here's what Ronaldo told ESPN Brazil: 

As temperatures drop below freezing and blizzard warnings grip the Midwest, it feels as though winter has been here forever and shows no sign of abating. So it’s with an envious eye that we follow the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in the Bahamas. 

The tournament, contested by 16 nations from February 20-26, will crown the region’s champion and decide which two teams will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. On Friday, the quarterfinals will be contested and it looks like everyone is having a helluva time.

Central America is a place full of magic and wonder. A first-division match in Honduras produced a moment that has to be seen to be believed.

My head is spinning. Where did he get the soccer ball? Did he forcibly remove it from a ballboy? Was it just laying around? Did he bring his own?

There are always a few things to look forward at the beginning of a new year; new-year resolutions, new season in some countries, new players for a lot of clubs and new data. 

Yes, this is a soccer nerd kind of article, so if you are afraid of numbers, you better start running. 

If you’re like me and can’t wait to see what keeps this machine that we call soccer clicking, get comfortable and ready yourself for some surprises because FIFA released its yearly transfer report and it is an interesting one.