Type ‘soccer’ into Google, and the search engine will return 180 million search engine results. Whether you’re new or a veteran of soccer, here are the top 7 essential ones that every soccer fan should have bookmarked:
  1. Soccerbase. There’s more than meets the eye at Soccerbase. At first, the site looks deceivingly limited in the information it offers, but dive deep into the navigation and you’ll find a treasure trove of soccer information. I particularly like the ‘Head to Head’ section to find out how clubs have faired against each other, and to learn which footballers played each other many years ago. Also impressive is the ‘Results’ archive that goes all the way back to 1871 for the top flight division in England.
  2. Statto. While Soccerbase is easy to navigate and looks underwhelming at first glance, Statto is the exact opposite. But give the site some patience and you’ll quickly uncover some unique stats such as ‘Goal Supremacy,’ ‘Form Tables,’ ‘Score Distribution,’ ‘Custom Tables’ and much more.
  3. BigSoccer. The site that earned its reputation as THE place for soccer message forums is still going strong with more than 16 million posts from over 137,000 registered members. BigSoccer has kept us connected to what’s going on in world soccer from the dark days of the mid nineties through to the soccer explosion (thanks to the Internet) during the new century. Plus the site isn’t just a soccer message forum destination anymore.
  4. Soccerway. Knowing where to go for comprehensive listings of live soccer scores can be frustrating especially if you want an extensive list of leagues from around the world. Soccerway has every major league from Albania to Zimbabwe and everything in between.
  5. Fantasy Football Scout. If you play any Premier League fantasy game, this site is a must visit. Not only does it feature a comprehensive injury report but it also makes predictions on what the starting eleven will be, who the set piece takers are, which players are banned as well as providing tons of fantasy tips.
  6. Live Soccer TV. Keeping track of which matches are on TV can be a part-time job especially due to last minute changes and the myriad of options available. No matter whether you live in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, Live Soccer TV has comprehensive listings for your favorite league.
  7. Historical Football Kits. This virtual museum of football kit designs for the English and Scottish leagues from today all the way back to 1878 is a labor of love for creator Dave Moor. Every page is filled with so much history. Every kit design is recreated with such incredible detail.

What are your essential sites that are missing from the above list? And what do you think of the above recommendations? Click the comments link below and share your feedback.