Atletico Madrid is a team built that is built and coached to frustrate the opposition. Diego Simeone's low block to counter attacks allowed the side to go to two Champions League finals in a three year span. It saw off Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 in the 2019/20 season, despite Liverpool entering […]

After failing to qualify for the World Cup in 2017, the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) faced a reality check. The first goal, and the only goal in the wake of that game against Trinidad & Tobago, was to get back to the World Cup. Prior to Russia 2018, the U.S. qualified for every World […]

With the World Cup draw on Friday, the official match ball debuted for fans. Called 'Al Rihla', the World Cup 2022 official match ball is the 14th-consecutive ball designed by Adidas for the World Cup. Adidas specifically designed this ball to match the modern speed of the game. In fact, the company and FIFA claim […]

Part two of this conversation with Boris Gartner is also available using this link. LaLiga's growth in North America truly sped up about four years ago. A deal with Relevent, a multinational media company, came into effect to promote the league and sport in North America. Now four years removed from that deal, La Liga […]

FIFA and esports represent a growing industry surrounding professional video game players. The potential of video games is seemingly boundless. Accredit much of that to the fact that it is relatively new, but it also opens a variety of doors for potential. For example, take what the FIFA video game series provides fans of the […]

Sportel concluded its Rendez-vous 2022 conference in Miami on Tuesday. At the convention, World Soccer Talk had the exclusive opportunity to speak with Sportel's Chief Executive Laurent Puons. In this interview, conducted by World Soccer Talk's Kartik Krishnaiyer, learn about the evolving mission of Sportel. Plus, see how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Sportel's meetings and […]

The costs to watch all the European, North American, South American and international soccer leagues piles up. Many different cable companies and streaming services are now available with different media rights. Soccer fans get confused with the time-consuming hassle finding the cheapest way to watch the beautiful game. This is even more complicated when fans […]

The current situation in Ukraine put the geopolitical world on edge. Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack on the neighboring country stymied peace in Europe. While the issues are far more important than soccer, the ramifications carry over into sport. After all, competitions like the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Euros bring millions of […]

The UEFA Champions League exudes drama. It is unpredictable and exciting. Plus, it produces storylines that can be as short as a span of minutes or stretch across the entire season. Clubs from across Europe could go on miracle runs. For example, Ajax in 2019 reached the semifinals, knocking off Real Madrid and Juventus in […]

Dušan Vlahović's arrival at Juventus is the latest major move among the great talents in the soccer world. The nearly $90 million transfer sum paid by the Old Lady to Fiorentina carries considerable pressure for the 22-year-old Serbian. Part of Juventus's reasoning in acquiring the striker is his dominance in Serie A. Oftentimes, players jump […]

Starting in 2023, the US Soccer media broadcast rights are back in-house. As part of the Federation's offer to broadcasters, US Soccer included the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. This strategic decision features one of the oldest domestic cup competitions in the world. However, it is also among the most obscure. This inclusion represents a […]

On February 6, Senegal won its first AFCON title by beating Egypt on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes. Among the storylines going in was the duel between Liverpool teammates Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah. Many consider Salah the greatest African talent of the last five to 10 years. However, it his Anfield teammate takes […]

Mark Flekken plays an integral role in the success of SC Freiburg this season. After 21 games, Freiburg sits just outside of the Champions League positions at fifth with 33 points. Qualification for Europe's biggest club competition would be a first for the Breisgau-Brasilianer. In 2018, Freiburg finished their season at fifteenth in the Bundesliga. […]

In 2021, Jonathan Bond debuted with the LA Galaxy with seven wins in the club's first 10 games. At the halfway point in the season, Bond started in each of Galaxy's 17 games. Back then, Galaxy sat on 31 points. Additionally, that was without the extended absence of Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez. The Mexican international missed […]

North Africa's dominance in the CAF Champions League is especially prominent over recent years. Egyptian side Al Ahly's back-to-back titles is just the beginning. From Cameroonian club dominance to Al Ahly’s impressive successes, the CAF Champions League produces remarkable moments. Africa’s premier club soccer tournament developed numerous soccer stars like Vincent Enyeama and Hossam Hassan. […]