With the draw finished on Jan. 24, the hype surrounding the 2019 Copa América in Brazil can begin in earnest. The storylines are plentiful: Can Chile three-peat? Can Neymar inspire Brazil on home soil? Can Lionel Messi, freshly returned to the Albiceleste setup, finally achieve international glory? It’s can’t-miss viewing, so here’s how to watch the 2019 Copa America.
Since Major League soccer began play in 1996, the United States and Canada has been home to some of the world’s finest attacking talent. The likes of David Villa and Sebastian Giovinco have been scoring at an unprecedented rate over the last few years, but there are those from the league’s humble beginnings that scored at an even more impressive clip.
The Liga MX Clausura playoffs are upon us. The dates and times are set for the quarterfinals, which begin this Wednesday and conclude on Sunday. León enters the liguilla as the top seed, but it’s rarely ever as straight forward as all that. The opening round also features appearances from Necaxa and Pachuca (making their first playoff appearances since the 2016 Apertura) and a rematch of last year’s final between Mexico City rivals Cruz Azul and Club America.
If you’re an American who’s somewhat befuddled by the simultaneous competitions that seemingly rage endlessly in European soccer — particularly the difference in Champions League vs Premier League — here’s a quick primer to set you straight so that you can enjoy both struggles to the fullest.
The Premier League
If you’re pondering the life of a professional, then you’re also probably wondering how soccer players get paid. Essentially, it’s dictated by the terms of the contract agreed to between the player and his or her club. Like most professions, wages are either paid on a semi-monthly (twice per month) or biweekly (every two weeks) basis.
However, as well as the earnings that players get from their annual contracts, there’s also added income through various bonuses (appearances, goals scored, trophies won), as well as image rights and other commercial endorsements.
In the early days of soccer, your number defined the position you played: number one was a goalkeeper, nine a striker, six a holding midfielder and three a left back. The number 11 was reserved for the left winger as the number was always the last on a lineup list.
In modern soccer, there’s a lot less emphasis on strict numerical positions, and there were some fantastic players who played on the left or elsewhere that made the number 11 their own.
If you’re wondering where the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy is now, it’s in the midst of a two-month journey around the planet before making its way to Paris by May 2. As of today, it’s actually leaving Los Angeles, California, and making its way to Seoul, South Korea, to kick off a tour of the Far East.
Fresh off the MLS Cup drawing a larger crowd than the Super Bowl at the same stadium, it’s the perfect time to dive into the largest sports attendance records around the planet. So, what is the most attended sport in the world?
What is cloudy, expensive and exciting?
The European transfer window! So stop wallowing in your post-summertime sadness, Lana Del Rey. Instead, get your calculator out, order a screen-protector and a coffee and start following daily transfer stories. Yes, they occur every day throughout January.
Major League Soccer’s Decision Day (the final match week of the regular season) came and went this past Sunday and served as the perfect precursor to the main event: we have absolutely no idea how this’ll all pan out. You’ll find our how to watch MLS Playoffs 2018 and a knockout round preview below.