About the Soccer World Cup Blog
The world of professional soccer does not make headlines solely on the field–headlines are made off the field as well. Of course, when players are injured, teams are eliminated, or titles are won, it’s news. In professional soccer, what happens on the field doesn’t stay on the field, especially when it has potential to impact the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Professional soccer is creating more buzz than it ever has away from the field. Key players are moving—to new countries and new teams—with new sponsors chomping at the bit. Big companies are doing everything they can, including buying small companies, to ensure their dominance of the global soccer scene at the World Cup. Everyday, team nicknames are being debated, captains are being named, and rivalries are being ignited. All the while, the anticipation of the next World Cup continues, bringing with it all the drama that unfolds as the world waits to see the 32 competing teams take center stage.

Fans of professional soccer want a look inside. They want to know the ins and outs of the teams and players on the pitch and behind the scenes. There’s no better place to find it all than here on this Soccer Blog. For many of us, it’s the best way to South Africa.

The Blame Game
Do Americans know soccer? An edifying study in this issue is under way at AOL, of all places. The Web giant put up a poll on its U.S. site Monday...

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FINAL: Czech Republic 3 - USA 0
Click “more” for play-by-play of the match, as it happened at the Arena Auf Schalke in Gelsenkirchen. Our server crashed! Too much...

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The Ball: Rounder Still
U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller has joined the group of netminders critical of the new ball being used at the tournament, but his explanation of...

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But Wait, There’s More!
More New York Times World Cup blogs, that is. Now that the Cup is about to kick off and you’re ready to read, talk, think and, yes, dream...

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Pelé, Maradona and Freddy Adu
Some Americans who are just now starting to tune into the World Cup are asking where Freddy Adu went. Well, Adu, who turned 17 last week, is...

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Enjoy Being an Underdog
Another great link sent to me by loyal reader RMT from Richmond ... the Guardian's Steven Wells predicts that the United States will not be an...

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Group E: There’s a Soccer Born Every Minute
By now it seems pretty clear that Bruce Arena is playing it very mysterioso to confuse the Czechs, Italians and Ghanians — a closed-door...

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U.S. 1, Angola 0
That was apparently the score in today’s closed-door scrimmage in Hamburg, but as SI/CNN points out, “It was unclear who scored...

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