Despite a terrific World Cup run, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have gotten their wings clipped by FIFA. The Nigerian Football Federation has been suspended immediately on the account of government interference. The interference took place after allegations of players not being paid on time by the Federation and other incidents of mistreatment of the World Cup squad.

FIFA issued the following statement related to Nigeria’ suspension:

“Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, par. 1 of the Fifa Statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties,”

“The decision follows a letter sent by Fifa to the NFF on 4 July 2014, in which it expressed its great concern after the NFF was served with court proceedings and consequently an order preventing the president of the NFF, the NFF Executive Committee members and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football was granted by a High Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The ruling effectively has banned all Nigerian teams, including clubs from international competition. If the government restores the previous board of the Federation, FIFA has the ability to rescind the ban. However, the Nigerian Government and Football Federation are now in a race against the clock to get the suspension lifted before July 15th. If they fail to do so Nigeria would be removed from participation in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

“The suspension will be lifted once the court actions have been withdrawn and the properly elected NFF Executive Committee, the NFF general assembly and the NFF administration are able to work without any interference in their affairs.”

The hope is that the Nigerian Football Federation will sort this mess out and get the ban rescinded in time to participate in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup. The Nigerian people desperately need good news and a distraction from the troubles the country has seen in the recent months. Football can help provide that remedy for the country.

Scottish Premier League side Celtic Football Club is reportedly interested in signing USA World Cup midfielder Mix Diskerud from Norwegian club Rosenborg.

Diskerud’s contract expires in six months, at the end of the Norwegian Premier League season. Rosenborg BK manager Per Joar Hansen said that “there will definitely be players leaving.”

Although Diskerud was one of only two outfield players who didn’t make an appearance in the United States’ World Cup campaign, he is still only 23 years old with presumably his best days ahead of him.

In addition to Diskerud, Celtic manager Ronny Deila is plotting on how to better his side for the upcoming campaign. Celtic will see most of their key players returning. The notable exception is Greek forward Georgios Samaras who is currently out of contract.

Deila has remained coy in regards to whether or not he believes Samaras has a future at the club. In an interview with the Sunday Mail newspaper he stated “Samaras had a great career at Celtic but we’ll see. We’ll look at the whole picture. I have not decided yet and there are many players on our list. I never close the door on anything. I haven’t spoken to Samaras because he has been in Brazil.”

Celtic will face stiff competition to capture the signature of Samaras, who scored Greece’s penalty to advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup. It is rumored that Lazio, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, and Besiktas are interested in the forward.

Meanwhile, rumors have seen a variety of different faces linked to signing with the Scottish champions. Italian legend Alessandro del Piero has allegedly been interested in a move to Celtic Park. The 39 year old Italian who has left Sydney FC is apparently not ready to hang his boots up yet. Celtic have also offered a trial to Iraqi footballer Hamum Tariq.

The only player who has signed with Celtic this transfer window is Craig Gordon on a free transfer. The 31 year old Scottish goalkeeper is looking to resurrect a career that once saw him as the most expensive goalkeeper in the English Premier League. He is also seen as insurance if the club do in fact move highly sought after goalkeeper Fraser Forster. It is rumored that Atletico Madrid and Benfica are keen to add the English international.

In other news, Celtic are in full swing of preseason. Monday saw the Hoops defeat LASK Linz of Austria 5-2. Celtic were reduced to ten men early on, but a Teemu Pukki hat-trick saw them continue their preseason unbeaten run. Their next match comes against FK Dukla Prague of the Czech Republic. It will be the last game to get the players up to speed before the UEFA Champions League qualifiers begin.

Celtic opens their campaign with a trip to Iceland, where they will be facing KR Reykjavík.

Ivory Coast and Greece arrive in Fortaleza with both sides having an opportunity to advance into the knockout stages (4pm ET/1pm PT kickoff). Ivory Coast comes into the match after losing a close affair with Colombia 2-1 and defeating Japan in comeback fashion by the same scoreline. Greece has had a disappointing campaign so far. They were demolished in Belo Horizonte by the Colombians and desperately clung to a 0-0 draw against Japan in a match that saw their captain red carded early on. With so much at stake for both teams it should be a tightly contested affair.

Ivory Coast 

Projected Lineup – Barry;  Aurier, Zokora, Bamba, Boka; Tioté, Serey Die; Kalou, Y Touré (C), Gervinho; Bony.

Tuesday will be a somber moment for the Ivorians as they take the pitch. This might be the last time the Ivory Coast’s “Golden Generation” graces the worlds grandest stage. Somber will also be the mood of Yaya Touré who is playing his first match since he lost his brother Ibrahim Touré. The match also could mark the last game in the international career of Didier Drogba. All of these reasons are more than enough extra motivation that should see the Elephants into the next round. They have arguably been the second best team in the group through two games. A win and they are guaranteed a date with presumably Costa Rica. The Ivorians can also advance with a draw and a Japan loss or draw.

Greece 

Projected Lineup – Karnezis; Torosidis, Sokratis, Manolas, Holebas; Maniatis, Kone, Karagounis (C), Salpingidis; Samaras, Gekas.

Despite Greece’s lackluster displays in the first two matches, the Ethniki still have a chance to progress in the tournament. If the Greeks muster a win against the Ivorians, they will advance barring a victory for the Japanese against Colombia. Unfortunately for the Greeks, winning will require them to score a goal, something they have yet to do in this World Cup. The Greeks are also going to be without their captain Kostas Katsouranis who was sent off in the first half against Japan for two stupid challenges. While the challenge at hand seems daunting, these same Greeks found themselves in the same situation two years ago at Euro 2012. They responded by beating Russia and earned a berth in the quarter finals. Historically this is a side that tends to defy expectations and the odds.

Prediction

I see this match as a match in which the Greeks need to be flexible with their tactics. They need to attack the Ivorians as a win is the only positive result for them. Ivory Coast will see this as the moment where their “golden generation” finally lives up to it’s potential at the World Cup. Yaya Touré will have a memorable day against a suspect Greek midfield. The Elephants will break through the Greek defense on a set piece and should comfortably come out on top.

Ivory Coast 2 Greece 0

The anticipation is already growing for today’s Group G clash between the United States and their perennial World Cup nemesis Ghana. The United States is seeking revenge against The Black Stars who have eliminated the Yanks from the previous two World Cups.

There are going to be plenty of talking points during the match, including the conditions of the pitch in Natal after heavy rain in the area. This is a must win for either team. Picking the right lineup will be essential for both American boss Jürgen Klinsmann and Ghana manager James Kwesi Appiah.

Here are the projected line-ups for USA against Ghana (kickoff is 6pm ET on Univision and ESPN).

 Projected United States Starting XI

The United States will be playing a flexible system and will probably take the field in a diamond formation. Tim Howard will be the man between the sticks for the United States. Defending the Everton keeper will presumably be DaMarcus Beasley, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, and Fabian Johnson. Alejandro Bedoya and Kyle Beckerman will be on the outside of the diamond with Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones operating in the middle. Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey will top off the formation in attack for the Yanks.

Projected Ghana Starting XI

Ghana is projected to come out in a classic 4-2-3-1 and have free scoring striker Asamoah Gyan leading the charge. The attacking options out of the midfield will consist of Kevin Prince Boateng, Kwadwo Asomoah, and Andre Ayew. Milan duo Sulley Muntari and Michael Essien will be holding the midfield. The Black Stars defense will probably contain Daniel Opare, John Boye, Harrison Afful, and “smart” defender Jonathan Mensah. Ghana’s goalkeeper will be Fatau Dauda of the Orlando Pirates.

Colombia and Greece will begin their World Cup campaigns Saturday at 12:00 EST in Belo Horizonte. The opening match is sure to be a tightly contested affair with plenty of first match jitters for both sides. Colombia comes into the match ranked 8th in the FIFA World Rankings and finished a mere 2 points behind perennial South American power house Argentina in COMNEBOL qualifying. Greece arrives in Brazil ranked a respectable 12th according to the FIFA World Rankings. Their journey to the World Cup saw them qualify in a European playoff match against Romania 4-2 on aggregate after losing out their group with Bosnia and Herzegovina on goal differential. Greece is appearing at consecutive World Cups for the first time in history.

 Colombia

Projected lineup – Ospina; Zuniga, Zapata, Yepes (c), Armero; Aguilar, Ramirez; Cuadrado, Gutierrez, Rodriguez; Martinez

The Colombians were dealt a huge blow in losing talismatic forward Radamel Falcao. The Monaco striker provided Los Cafeteros with 9 goals in qualification and will be sorely missed. The absence of Falcao brings added pressure to Teófilo Gutiérrez, James Rodriguez, and Jackson Martinez. The Colombians will also face the added pressure of competing in the tournament for the first time since 1998. There will sure to be many Colombian fans who will have made the relatively short trip to Brazil to support their team. A lot is expected of this Colombian team and they are seen as the favorites in an open Group C.

Greece

Projected Lineup – Karnezis; Torosidis, Sokratis, Manolas, Holebas; Maniatis, Kone, Katsouranis (c); Salpingidis, Samaras, Gekas.

Greece has always held onto their past with great pride and have refused to let it go. Which is why it should come at no surprise that the spirit of their 2004 Euro triumph is still in the squad. The Greeks will be relying on their sound teamwork along with defense to make up for their relative lack of technical skill. Kostas Katsouranis and Giorgios Karagounis are the last remnants from the 2004 squad and are seen as the leaders of the squad. However, if Greece has any ambition to make it out of the group stage they need a great tournament from these three; Georgios Samaras, Ioannis Fetfatzidis, and Konstantinos Mitroglou. Goals are often hard to come by for the Ethniki and will need these three to rise to the occasion.

 Prediction

It will be strength vs strength as Colombia’s offensive firepower will go to work against Greece’s fortress of an organized defense. The Greeks will rely on set pieces and counter attacks, while Colombia can be expected to push men forward and dominate possession. The outcome of the match will be determined in the midfield as it will be interesting to see how much of the possession Colombia will retain. An early goal would help relieve the pressure on the Colombians, but missing Falcao will be huge in an anticipated match like this. I expect Greece’s defense to withstand the barrage from Colombia and both teams to walk away with a point.

Colombia 0 Greece 0 FT

Sporting Kansas City vs New York Red Bulls will kick off ESPN’s 2014 coverage of Major League Soccer. The network will be airing a total of 18 games for national broadcast in the United States (17 on ESPN2 and 1 on ESPN). ESPN Deportes and Watch ESPN will also carry the games to their providers.

The schedule is highlighted by many of MLS’ high profile rivalries and the MLS All Star Game vs Bayern Munich on August 6th. ESPN will cover two Cascadia Cup clashes between Seattle Sounders and Portland Timber (Sunday, July 13, and Sunday, Aug. 24). Other rivalries include; New York Red Bulls vs Los Angeles Galaxy, Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union, and two matches between the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy. Defending champion Sporting Kansas City will be on ESPN2 four times. In total 17 of the games will feature at least one team that made the 2013 playoffs.

ESPN’s 2014 MLS Schedule

(Schedule Subject to Change)

Everton manager Roberto Martinez believes the way to improve England’s national team is to introduce a Premier League “B” Circuit. The idea of this “B” league is tentatively titled League 3 and has the backing of FA Chairman Greg Dyke. Martinez believes that B teams can work in England “100 percent” and states the reasons in the Followtonian’s podcast.

Martinez is a proponent of the new system due to seeing it reap great rewards in his native Spain. He believes the national teams of Spain, France, Netherlands, and Germany have built in advantages due to clubs having B sides. Another reason for Martinez’s advocacy for a new B League is due to his experiences as a player. Martinez made his debut for the B side of Real Zaragoza and believes it was instrumental in his development.

Under Greg Dyke’s proposal, B teams would be created and entered into League 3. The B sides would adhere to the rules of promotion and relegation. There would be restrictions on these clubs, barring them from participating in the FA Cup and for achieving promotion in League One. It is a revolutionary idea for English football and one that stands against the tradition of the game in that country.

As always, listening to Martinez speak is a pleasure. Hats off to the Followtonians for securing an interview with the Everton boss. If you didn’t get a chance to listen to the first interview from earlier this year, it’s a must-listen. Meanwhile, here’s the second interview:

“Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes

Here comes your nine-teenth nervous breakdown.”

As soccer continues it’s “invasion” of American shores, I find it fit to pay tribute to the original British Invasion of the 1960s. Just like the Barclays Premier League, the Rolling Stones are synonymous with English culture. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are household names around the globe and are the original rockstars. 19th Nervous Breakdown was a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards during their 1965 tour of the United States. Although not as popular as other hits of the Stones, its lyrics are relevant to many Premier League supporters.

The power rankings are consistently being shuffled as clubs jockey for their final positions in the table. Liverpool remain at the top and can breathe a little easier as rivals Chelsea and Manchester City dropped points when the Black Cats crossed their paths. Arsenal have regained control of the race for the final Champions League spot. The bottom is arguably more exciting than the top as Sunderland, Cardiff City, and Fulham have come alive in their fight for survival. This is all without mentioning the great run of form occurring at Crystal Palace.

As the Premier League moves towards its final three weeks of the season, nervous breakdowns are sure to be abundant. Lets just hope unlike Jagger and the Stones, we all can get some satisfaction at seasons end.

“Start Me Up”

(The Contenders)

1. Liverpool – The Reds could not have scripted a better couple of weeks themselves. Victories over Manchester City and Norwich City, along with their top competitors slipping up. A victory over Chelsea this weekend and the title celebrations can start up at Anfield.

2. Manchester City – Vincent Kompany may rue his error at Anfield for a long time. Not only did it give Liverpool the winning goal, but effectively took the wind out of City’s sails. The Citizens need to be perfect the rest of the way to have any shot of winning the title.

3. Chelsea – Is Jose Mourinho losing his mystique the second time around at Chelsea? The Blues controlled their own destiny, only to squander it at home to Sunderland. In order to get back into the title hunt, three points is a must at Liverpool.

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

(Champions League Contention)

4. Arsenal – The Gunners are making their annual last season push for the final Champions League spot. The doom and gloom has subsided around the Emirates as Arsenal have taken care of both West Ham and Hull. Arsene Wenger must be smiling looking at the final fixtures of the season, well knowing his coveted “trophy” is nearly in his grasp. Up next for Arsenal is a local pub team using the name Newcastle United.

5. Everton – Although they defeated Manchester United in the David Moyes Derby over the weekend. I can’t help but think they blew their chance at the final Champions League spot. That home loss to Crystal Palace might sting for awhile.

6. Tottenham Hotspur – Spurs got back to their winning ways with a 3-1 victory over relegation candidate Fulham. In other news, time is apparently running out on Tim Sherwood as Tottenham manager. Massimiliano Allegri is rumored to be the next man in charge at White Hart Lane.

“Sympathy for the Devil”

 7. Manchester United – The Red Devils have consistently been in some sort of limbo, struggling between mid table and Champions League contention all season. The past weekends performance at Everton, effectively summarized their failed campaign. Rumors are swirling that embattled manager David Moyes will be relieved of his duties shortly.

“Wild Horses”

(Mid Table)

8. Crystal Palace – Palace is on five game winning streak that includes wins against Chelsea and Everton. Manager of the year candidate Tony Pulis and his men might have the final say in the title race. Their next two fixtures are at home to Manchester City and Liverpool. Get your popcorn ready!

9. Stoke City – Although their run of form came to an end against Chelsea. The Potters responded with 4 points in their past two fixtures. It should be an interesting game this weekend at the Britannia with Spurs coming to town.

10. Southampton – Its hard to really look into what is going on at Southampton. Their recent form has been dodgy at best, but with 49 points who can fault them with safety assured.

“Gimme Shelter”

(Relegation Candidates)

11. Hull City – Good news is that the Tigers are in the FA Cup Final and are nearly out of the relegation scrap. Bad news is that points are still needed to assure survival. A win at the weekend against Fulham would assure them safety.

12. Swansea City – The Swans got back to their winning ways against Newcastle this weekend, then again who doesn’t win against Newcastle now days. The Swans are at 36 points and appear to be just one more win away from safety.

13. West Ham United – The Hammers are the safest of the bunch at 37 points. Unfortunately they have remained there due to a three game slide. Survival can be guaranteed with points against West Brom.

14. Sunderland – Where do you rank a side that surely looks to be going down, then nearly defeats Manchester City at the Etihad, and follows it with defeating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Emotions will be on a knifes edge during this weekends match against Cardiff City. The loser will surely have their fate sealed.

15. West Bromwich Albion – The Baggies are in an awkward position, teetering at the edge of relegation with a game in hand. Drawing Tottenham was a good result for West Brom, but more points are desperately needed.

16. Aston Villa – The Villans are without star striker Christian Benteke and have only gotten 1 point in their last five fixtures. Points must be achieved in the next two fixtures, before they close the season at Manchester City and Tottenham.

17. Fulham – Fulham’s escape route consists of Hull City, Stoke City, and Crystal Palace. A win at Craven Cottage against Hull, must be seen as the kick starter to possibly save their Premier League aspirations.

“Doom and Gloom”

(Relegation Leaders)

 18. Cardiff City -.Winning against Southampton and drawing to Stoke have gave Cardiff a glimmer of hope in the race for survival. It surely will be do or die for them at Sunderland this weekend.

19. Norwich City – The Canaries dropped their fourth straight and relegation looks to be an inevitability. Although they currently sit at 32 points and 17th in the table, the final three fixtures are brutal. Manchester United and Chelsea away, only to say goodbye to the Premier League at home to Arsenal.

“Paint It Black”

20. Newcastle United – The Toon’s streak of ineptitude has seen them capitulate to the bottom of my rankings. They are a guaranteed three points to all who play them, just as they are unfortunately guaranteed to be in the Premier League next year. An overhaul is desperately needed in the summer, or else they might be here in the actual table this time next year.

“You say the hill’s too steep to climb,

Chiding!

You say you’d like to see me try,

Climbing!”

Fearless by Pink Floyd is a track off their album “Meddle”. The track samples Liverpool’s Kop and describes the story of someone aspiring to climb a metaphorical hill. In the opening and closing, you can hear “You’ll Never Walk Alone” being sung by The Kop. The reason for the Kop’s inclusion is a bit of a mystery today, as Roger Waters and David Glimour are both Arsenal supporters.

We have new clubs on the top and bottom, as another fixture date in the English Premier League season has come and gone. Liverpool are the new league leaders after pushing their winning streak to 9 games. It has been a remarkable run by Brendan Rodgers’ side and one that has Liverpool fans dreaming of capturing their first Premier League title. Liverpool aren’t the only story in Merseyside as Everton are on a 6 game winning streak of their own. Near the bottom of the table, we have the race to avoid relegation. Fulham are hoping the hill is not too steep to climb as they make a late push for survival. As the calendar changes to April, which clubs will be fearless as they chase their aspirations?

“High Hopes”

(The Contenders)

1. Liverpool – At the start of the year, very few believed that Liverpool would be top of the league and have firm control of their own destiny in April. The 9 game winning streak will meet it’s stiffest challenge this weekend against Manchester City. If the Reds prevail, they will surely have one hand on the trophy.

2. Manchester City – The Citizens hope to have Sergio Aguero back for the massive fixture this weekend at Anfield. If City can come away with at least a draw, it would do wonders for their title aspirations.

3. Chelsea – Chelsea dispatched a surging Stoke on Saturday, but their slip up at the hands of Crystal Palace, may prove to be costly. Mourinho’s men who are still involved in the UEFA Champions League, may not have the depth for a proper title push.

“Wish You Were Here”

(Champions League Contention)

4. Everton – If it weren’t for their red neighbors, Everton would be the talk of Liverpool. The Toffees trounced Arsenal at the weekend and now can be considered favorites for the final Champions League spot. Expect the winning streak to continue in the next two fixtures against Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

5. Arsenal – What was once looking like a season where Arsenal turned the corner has now been shrouded with doom and gloom. Arsene Wenger seems to be running out of answers just as their title aspirations have come to a screeching halt. The Gunners are still alive in the FA Cup, but will silverware alone quench the fans at the Emirates?

6. Manchester United – The goals have been flying in for Manchester United in their last two Premier League fixtures. The 8 goals against Aston Villa and Newcastle United have offered supporters a glimmer of hope prior to their midweek duel at Bayern.

7. Tottenham Hotspur – I debated putting Spurs at 6th after they defeated Sunderland 5-1 on Monday night. Unfortunately the 4-0 drubbing they received against Liverpool was more than enough to keep them at 7th. On a positive note Tottenham have winnable fixtures on the horizon and should see them make a late season push.

“Comfortably Numb”

(Mid Table)

8. Stoke City – The five game points streak came to an end for Stoke at the weekend against Chelsea. I believe it is safe to say that Mark Hughes has delivered in his first year at helm for the Potters.

9. Southampton – The Saints were impressive against Newcastle in their 4-0 victory last weekend. Although they lost on Saturday to Manchester City by a harsh scoreline of 4-1. You could not fault them for officiating blunders that gave Manchester City 2 goals.

10. West Ham United – The win over Sunderland last weekend  got them to 37 points and what should be safety. The Hammers also put up a fight against free scoring Liverpool, only losing 1-2 at Upton Park.

11. Hull City – The Tigers look to be safe in the Premier League with 36 points after defeating Swansea. A good year can turn into a great year with a victory in the FA Cup semi final this weekend.

12. Newcastle United – In the past 270 minutes, Newcastle has been outscored 11-0. I considered putting them at the bottom of the table, but the Toon have 46 reasons to stay in the Premier League next season. They have nothing left to play for and it seems like the players are taking the message to heart.

“Another Brick In The Wall”

(Relegation Candidates)

13. Crystal Palace – “We don’t need no relegation” must be the tune being sung from Palace’s locker room after two consecutive victories against Chelsea and Cardiff City. Palace continues to defy expectations and I’m inclined to show Palace some love in the power rankings. In their next fixture they play host to a struggling Villa side and safety will almost be assured with a victory.

14. Swansea City – It’s been a disappointing campaign for Swansea this season. The Welsh outfit just can’t get any consistency going. After defeating Norwich last weekend, they follow it with a tough loss to Hull. Things are about to get a bit more difficult with Chelsea coming to Wales this weekend. Fortunately for the Swans, the remaining matches after that are winnable.

15. Aston Villa – I wonder if the Villains actually believe they are safe from the drop. They currently sit on 34 points and have remained there for the past three weeks. The loss of Christian Benteke will make the remaining fixtures exceedingly difficult. If points are not won at Palace, Villa may be dragged into the relegation fray.

16. West Bromwich Albion – Drawing with Cardiff and a win against Norwich were points desperately needed by the Baggies. If they can muster any points against Tottenham or Manchester City in the coming two fixtures, it would do wonders for their fight for survival.

17. Fulham – The Cottagers got a big away win this weekend at Villa and it seems as they won’t go quietly into the night. If Fulham have any chance of reprising their 2008 heroics, they must win against Norwich in front of the Craven Cottage faithful this weekend.

18. Norwich City – Chris Hughton is out and Neil Adams is in at Norwich. A manager change this late in the campaign wreaks of desperation. Unfortunately desperation is all they may have at Carrow Road. This weekend’s game against Fulham is practically a must-win for the Canaries, because after this weekend its Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal to close the campaign.

“Us and Them”

(Relegation Leaders)

19. Sunderland – The Black Cats sit at the bottom of the Premier League table, yet have two games in hand. Unfortunately those games in hand come against some of the stiffest competition in England. After being beaten 5-1 at the hands of Tottenham on Monday, Sunderland plays host to the unstoppable train that is Everton on Saturday and then travels to the Etihad midweek to play Manchester City. On the bright side, they won’t be seeing those teams next year in the Championship.

20. Cardiff City – There was a certain lack of fight on Saturday against Crystal Palace. Despite dominating possession, Cardiff couldn’t make anything of it and plunge deeper into the depths of the Premier League.

In what is sure to be the first of many soccer programs coming out prior to the World Cup, FOX Sports has announced a new documentary series showcasing six unique soccer stories from around the globe. The series titled Rise As One will air in more than 55 countries around the world and feature stories that are sure to peak the interest of every soccer fan.

Rise As One is a project created by veteran film makers Scott Boggins and Gabriel Spitzer. Boggins is no stranger to soccer as he was one of the producers behind the documentary Being Liverpool. Rise As One will feature exclusive interviews with various soccer legends including FIFA World Cup champions Ronaldo and Lilian Thuram.

Below are the descriptions of each Rise As One episode.

Power of Unity: Power of Unity profiles how the Japanese Women’s national team overcame intense personal pain to inspire their country after the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Breaking Barriers: In Breaking Barriers, USA and Iran go head-to-head at the 1998 World Cup and amid volatile politics and intense scrutiny, broke soft diplomacy on the world stage.

One Nation: In One Nation, the France’s national team uses the 1998 World Cup to help heal the racial splits within their nation and sport.

Match for Peace: The story of how an exhibition match between World Cup champions Brazil and war torn Haiti helped lift the spirits of the island nation during one of its darkest hours.

Forever Heroes: Nearly 20 years after a plane crash killed all but three men from Zambia’s national team, Forever Heroes shows how the new survivor-led club overcame tragedy to capture the African Cup of Nations, just miles from the crash site.

World War Truce: During a tense, frozen Christmas in World War I, German and British soldiers held a secret cease-fire to play a friendly soccer game.

Rise As One premieres on Tuesday, March 25 at 8:00pm ET in the United States on FOX Sports 1.