Striker by LASA Ezine

LBJ Soccer Three Years of Division Dominance Brazil 2014: What to expect from the next World Cup

BIOS

and

Mission Statement

LUIS LOPEZ

MILAN RIVAS

Favorite Athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo Favortite Sports Team: Real Madrid Best Soccer Experince: Beating three defenders, and then putting in the game winning cross in a tournament game. Favorite Celebration: “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” dance, made famous by Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo. Three Words That Describe Me: Smiley, Estatic, Swag

Favorite Athelete: Arian Foster Favorite Sports Team: Netherlands National Soccer Best Soccer Experience: Shooting the winning penalty kick in Austin’s middle school championship Favorite Celebration: Victor Cruz’s Salsa Three Words That Describe Me: Tall, Sarcastic, Active

“Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.”

“Every disadvantage has got it’s advantage,” --Johan Cruijff

--Cristiano Ronaldo

Mission statement:

Raise local interest and awareness for regional and international soccer. SEBASTIAN TANAKA “Never say never”

--Justin Bieber

Favorite Athlete: Usain Bolt Favorite Sports Team: Manchester United F.C. Best Soccer Experience: Saving the final penalty of the State Cup final match vs Houston Dynamo and winning first place Favorite Celebration: “Why Always Me?” performed by striker Mario Balotelli Three Words To Describe Me: Athletic, Funny, Happy 2

GABRIEL SLAGADO “I wonder why man was put on this earth. Why are we here? “Tiger Food” --Calvin and Hobbes

Favorite Athelete: Tim Duncan Favorite Sports Team: San Antonio Spurs Best Soccer Experience: Coming back from being down four-zero in the last 10 minutes of a game. Favorite Celebration: Screaming like an idiot Three Words That Describe Me: Energetic, Quick,

Enthusiastic

Table of Contents 4 Best Selling Jerseys and Cleats 6 LBJ Soccer 8 Youth Soccer in Austin 9 Austin Aztecs 10 UT Women’s Soccer 12 Barclay’s Premier League 13 La Liga 14 Major League Soccer 15 Liga MX 16 World’s Wierdest Stadiums 17 Famous Commentators 18 Player Rankings 20 Brazil 2014 Preview 22 Celebrations 24 Refs and Rules 26 Formations 27 Soccer Traditions

Most Popular Kits

By Luis L.

1.Real Madrid The beautiful, classic, all white kit of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is the most popular kit around today. Produced by Adidas, this year’s kit is all class, with no gimmicks with its basic white base, and dark blue trim. Some notable Real Madrid players are Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Xabi Alonso, Mesut Özil, and Sergio Ramos.

2.Barcelona The colorful, yet classy, dark red and dark blue kit of Futbol Club Barcelona is very popular world wide. The kit is being produced by Nike, and this is the first year that they went away from the classic stripes(many stripes), with only three stripes this year. Notable Barcelona players are Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Gerard Piqué, and Cesc Fàbregas.

3.Chelsea Whenever you see this deep blue step onto the field, you can’t help but be memorized by the beautiful Chelsea FC home kit. This year, instead of having the trim be the classic white, Adidas decided to make the samsung logo, number, kit name, and trim a reflective gold. Notable Chelsea players are Fernando Torres, Petr Cech, David Luiz, Frank Lampard, and Eden Hazard.

4.Manchester United The classic red and black worn by Manchester United for decades has always looked good, and Nike kept it that way. They didn’t mess with the classic look of the jersey, they just added a few extra designs, such as an alternating pattern on the jersey with two different shades of red that when seen from a distance, the blend perfectly. Notable Manchester United players include Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Nani, Shinji Kagawa, and Nemanja Vidić.

5.USA national team For the 2012/2013 season, Nike reinvented the USA jersey with major changes. The home jersey went from a solid white with a single red slash, to white based jersey with seven horizontal red stripes. Notable players of the US national soccer team are Tim Howards, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, and Carlos Bocanegra. All photos credited to creaative commons

Reigning Supreme

LBJ Soccer’s continued division dominance gives players and coaches confidence for the future. Of the many high school soccer programs in Austin, few compare to Lyndon Baines Johnson High School. Led by Coach Cipriano Martinez, the LBJ boy’s soccer program has stayed atop their division (26-4A) for the last three years, culminating in their latest season. An impressive 13 wins and only two losses has lead to increased interest in the program, in both the comprehensive and magnet programs. Their last season culminated in a trip to the play-offs last year. Though no championships were won, the regular season was considered a major accomplishment for a school, despite its’ diverse population, is not known for athletic prowess. The magnet portion of the school is only a little over 800 students, but contributes players to all three teams, including the majority of players in last year’s varsity team. Though expectations are high for all teams (Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman team), the Freshman team is thought to be especially dangerous considering the number of player who have club soccer experience on the team. Over six of the players are currently playing for a youth soccer club, including Lonestar and Houston Dynamo. All three teams play in regular seasons and tournaments, but varsity players experience the longest season and get to play in more tournaments representing the school. This may be the only instance of varsity players experiencing benefits, as both Junior Varsity and Freshman team members receive full equipment and travel benefits. Martinez’s personal approach when treating his players is to act like they were his children. 6

Seen above, Cipriano Martinez has coached boys’ soccer for over a decade.

By Milan R.

2013 Spring Schedule

Date Jan 5th Seen below are the LBJ Jaguars taking on the Travis Rebels in a play-off match last year. Photo credit and special thanks go to Becky Gdula

With his approach, Martinez knows he can both reward his players for good behavior, while still holding them to the standards of character necessary for a functional team. This strategy, along with Martinezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on physical fitness has lead to tons of success in play around Austin, especially in division. With Martinez only seven wins away from an even 100, the program certainly shown itself to be effective.

Opponent

Dripping Springs

Jan 11-12 Marble Falls Tournament

Time Location

11:00 AM Dripping Springs TBA

Marble Falls

Lockhart

7:30 PM

Lockhart

Akins Tournament

TBA

Jan 25

Lanier

6:00 PM

Noack #2

Jan 28

Reagan

6:00 PM

Nelson Field

Feb 1

Travis

6:00 PM

Nelson Field

Feb 6

Crockett

6:00 PM

House Park

Feb 9

McCallum

9:00 AM

Nelson Field

Feb 16

Eastside Memorial

6:00 PM

Nelson Field

Feb 19

Lanier

6:00 PM

Nelson Field

Feb 22

Reagan

6:00 PM

Noack #1

Feb 25

Travis

6:00 PM

House Park

Mar 1

Crockett

6:00 PM

Noack #1

Mar 4

McCallum

6:00 PM

House Park

Mar 18

Eastside Memorial

6:00 PM

Nelson Field

Jan 15 Jan 17-19

The first couple of days of practice are known to be especially rough on new players and freshman, as the first week has a special emphasis on fitness and many players fresh from middle school are not ready for the transition. With over 100 applicants to play this year, Martinez knows he has a program for the future. Right now, all Martinez and his players want to focus on is the upcoming season. No game can be taken for granted, and any mistake can lead to a year of work wasted. While underclassmen and junior have years after this to play soccer, for the class of 2013, this may be the biggest soccer opportunity of their lives. Focus on the field, and you can have fun afterwards. This is the message Martinez preaches to his players. Without focus, nothing can be accomplished. Above all, the jaguars want to win. Their coach is thus a perfect match, and his players know it. With their history of division dominance, the LBJ Jaguars can be sure that every team in their division will be gunning for them.

Starting Early Youth Soccer: Austin

By Gabriel Salgado

Being a soccer mom Having a daughter who plays of two kids and the assistant select soccer (soccer in club director of the Soccer Shots at teams), Mrs. Furgeson truly unAustin, Texas, Brooks Furgeson derstands the competitiveness is very busy. and commitment kids Soccer Shots is a have toward soccer program playing soccer offered to 2 to 8 as they get year old kids older. And through out as the soccer Austin in commitment from kids “ramps daycare centers, schools, and -Brooke Furgeson up”, so does the parks. financial commitment. “There is so much She says, “select soccer competition coming later,” she in Austin can cost $2500 a year, says, “our goal is to have a proand that’s not including gear, or gram...that will give [the kids] travel, or tournaments.”There a positive first experience that are three main divisions to builds confidence and builds select soccer. And Division one

“What’s so exciting to me about soccer is this unifying democracy building possibilities.”

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Soccer Shots Logo

contains different layers of competitiveness, such as premier league level teams that play in different states a lot of the time. And other levels where it is not as competitive in an area radius of a few counties, or one begins to see Olympic development. “I highly recommend more youth soccer!” She said, “What’s so exciting to me about soccer is [the] unifying democracy building possibilities...[it brings] people together in really a positive influencing experience.”

To learn more about Soccer Shots go to http://www.soccershots.org/

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Kids playing Youth Soccer

Wonder Women by Sebastian Tanaka

On July 17, 2011, the United States Women’s National Team played against Japan in the Women’s World Cup Final. And lost. After 120 minutes of standard play and two goals from each team, the game went into penalties. Japan made three and USA made one, ending the game and crowning Japan as the winners. A year later and Japan and USA are again playing each other, this time in the Olympics final match. Throughout the past twelve months, the US team had been working hard and training to win the Olympics. And on August 9th, all of that hard work paid off, beating Japan 2-1 and showing that they are the best women’s team at the moment. Carli Lloyd, a center midfielder, shown below scored both goals and led her team to victory.

Photo used under creative commons

Burnt orange all the way

The UT womens soccer team is out to become as dominant as the football program. By Luis Lopez

When ever you hear University of Texas (UT) athletics, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the prestigious football program being ran by Mack Brown. New UT womens soccer team coach Angela Kelly is out to change that thought. In her first year as the head coach, she made school history by ending the season 4th in the Big 12, the best finish ever. The longhorns ended the season going 8-10-2, including out of conference play, and they also never lost a conference game. The team is also highly decorated individually with having three all Big 12 selections from midfielder Kristen Cummins, midfielder Sharis Lachappelle, and goalkeeper Abby Smith.

The team clebebrating a win against SDSU

Photo credit to austinpixles.com

The famous logo of UT, the burnt orange longohron.

Kristen Cummins and her team trying to score of a set piece.

Photo credit to austinpixles.com

Super Seniors Kristin Cummins Position- Midfielder #8 Class- Senior Bio- Kristen Cummins was born October 27, 1991, in Lewisville Texas, and attended Lewisville high school. She graduated high school in three years and is currently majoring in government. Notable achievements by Kristen are being part of the All Big 12 first team, 2012 Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior CLASS Award nominee, 2011 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team, 2010 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 5), 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District 6 Second Team, 2010 Academic All-Big 12 First Team. She also ended the season with 4 goals, and 4 assists.

Photo credit to austinpixles.com

Hannah Higgins Position- Forward #5 Class- Senior Bio- Hannah Higgins was Born on Feb. 7, 1991, In Flower Mound, Texas. During her collegiate career, she has gained many awards such as being a 2012 Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior CLASS Award nominee, 2011 All-Big 12 Second Team, 2010 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team, 2009 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (Oct. 19), 2009 Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. And during her time at Flower Mound high school, she was a two sport athlete with being a track star. She won the district championship with winning the 100 meter hurdles and long jump, and placing second in the 200 meter race.

Photo credit to austinpixles.com

Photos credited to creative commons and austinpixles.com

BPL: Being the Premier of the World By Milan R.

What many consider to be the most competitive and lucrative league in the world, the Barclay’s Premier League utilizes its advantages. English fans are known for their passion, both at home and abroad. The BPL has managed, for the most part, to avoid fan violence while still seeing great fan turnout and ticket sales. With total revenue in 2011 equalling close to $2 billion dollars, and 13.4 million people visiting Premier League matches, the BPL is certainly doing well for itself. While the BPL may not have the top one or two players in the world, it is renowned worldwide for it’s competitiveness. Despite the recent dominance of the Manchester United soccer club, if you look to the BPL’s history, stretching back to 1991, the win-

ners have been varied, with five different teams having claimed a championship and nine teams having been runners-up. Originally established to bring more money into an English league plagued by poor atPhoto used under Creative Commons tendance and a dwindling revenue source, the BPL has managed to be in the top soccer league in the world in total revenue. This stat is dominated by American sports like football and baseball, and the first European team is the Barclay’s Premier League. Also known for its wide range of international players, the BPL features 300 international players from 68 nations (visitbritain. com). This is out of the league’s 522 players, making the total percentage of foreign players in the Premier League 59.4%. The BPL is topped by Wigan Athletic in this category, Runners-Up with the club having over 86% of its players Arsenal coming from outside of the UK. Arsenal With a total of $2.6 billion going to Liverpool player salary in 2011 (BBC News), players are finally seeing revenue rising to meet the wild Arsenal increase in ticket sales and viewership that Chelsea has come in recent years. Because player salArsenal ary makes up over 70% of league income for Manchester United the first time ever, many people are cautionChelsea ing clubs in England to make sure spending does not get out of control. Either way you Chelsea look at it, the Barclay’s Premier League is a Liverpool smashing success.

Past Premier League Winners 2000 Manchester United 2001 Manchester United 2002 Arsenal 2003 Manchester United 2004 Arsenal 2005 Chelsea 2006 Chelsea 2007 Manchester United 2008 Manchester United 2009 Manchester United 2010 Chelsea Manchester United 2011 Manchester United Chelsea 2012 Manchester City Manchester United 12

La Liga

Home of the greatest rivalry in soccer, and the two best players in the world. By Luis Lopez The Primera División (First Division) of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LFP), commonly known as La Liga in English, is one of the best leagues in the world, and is home to the most watched sports rivalry of all time. The league is composed of 20 teams, with the bottom three teams of the standings moving to Segunda División each year, and the top three of the Segunda División standings moving up to La Liga. The league was created in April 1927, and ever since then, the three powerhouses of La Liga have always been Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao. These three teams are the only ones not to have been demoted to the Segunda División. Pep Guardiola, a Barcelona Legend as a player and manager.

Not only is La Liga home to some of the best clubs in soccer, La Liga is home to the best players in the world too. There have been the historic icons such as Raúl, Roberto Carlos, Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinhio, and David Beckham. It also is home to the best players today such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Andrés Iniesta, Falcao, and Xavi. The league is so stacked with talent, that eight of the last ten winners of the FIFA Ballon d’Oro (FIFA world player of the year) have been from La Liga.

El Copa del Rey trophy. Raúl is the all time leading scorer for Real Madrid, he is also has the most caps for Real Madrid.

For the past 3 years, every time El Clásico comes around, everyone is looking at Messi and Ronaldo.

El Clásico, is the world’s most watched sports rivalry, between two of the best soccer clubs in the world, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. This historic matchup has had 221 official matches, with Real Madrid having a slight advantage in wins with 88, and Barcelona having 86, and 47 tied games overall. This rivalry has lasted for 83 years, with the first ever rivalry match being held on February, 17, 1929, which ended in a 2-1 Real Madrid victory. The latest game, on October 7, 2012, ended in a 2-2 draw. The old rivalry has continued today with the emergence of the rivalry between Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, two players who are widely considered the best in the world. All photos used under Creative Commons

The Rise of Fútbol Soccer’s Growth in America. By Milan Rivas Started in 1996, originally as only a part of the United States’ World Cup bid, MLS has grown to be 5th biggest league in the U.S. MLS is currently composed of 19 soccer clubs, from the nine teams that originally composed Major League Soccer to the Montreal Impact, who joined in 2012. Soccer in the United States goes beyond just MLS. The World Cup, the world’s biggest soccer competition, was more popular than ever in 2010. With American ratings 68% higher than in 2006, resulting in 24.4 million viewers just in the U.S., North American soccer has taken off. This, combined with NBC’s purchase of television rights to the Barclay’s Premier League for $250 million dollars, clearly shows that Americans have many more ways to get their soccer fix that MLS. Not to say that the MLS has not seen success in recent years. Beginning as a league

Art Credit Bill Turianski www.billsportsmaps.com Used with Permission by Bill Turianski

of only 10 teams, with no teams having a soccer-specific stadium, the MLS certainly has changed.

“There is no chance (MLS) will survive. Absolutely no chance whatsoever.”

-Nye Lavalle

Surprising many, the MLS has grown in the United States with a rate not seen in other sports. Especially in the last six years, MLS has started to have activity in the U.S., but also real profitability. Increased money in the league has rewarded not only players, but coaches, managers and stadium staff. With more money to be made, clubs have built their own stadiums, resulting in every team but one having its own venue. Soccer in America is bigger than ever.

Gooooooooal

Home to some of the craziest fans in the world is Liga MX.

By Luis Lopez

Established in 1943, Liga MX is the top level of proffesional soccer in Mexico. The play style of this leauge is like no other, with the high pace dribbling and short passing, this league has a copious amount of goals and exciting plays. But what truely makes this leauge special, are the die hard fans, and I mean that literaly in some cases. In a country where gangs and drug cartels control neighboorhoods, supporting your team in a wonrg place could mean death. Rivalries are so intesne, that often during rival games such as Gudalajara vs. América, or Tigres vs. Monterrey, that riots and bar fights are common after games. Club name

Manager

City

Nickname(s)

América

Miguel Herrera

Mexico City

Atlante

Ricardo La Volpe

Cancún

Atlas

Tomás Boy

Guadalajara

John van’t Schip

Guadalajara

Cruz Azul

Guillermo Vázquez

Mexico City

Chiapas

José Guadalupe Cruz

Tuxtla

León

Gustavo Matosas

León

Moreila

Rubén Omar Matosas

Moreila

Monterrey

Pachuca

Víctor Manuel Vucetich Gabriel Caballero

Puebla

Carlos Poblete

Puebla

Las Águilas (The Eagles) Los Potros de Hierro (The iron colts) Los Zorros (The Foxes) Las Chivas (The Goats) La Máquina (The Machine) Los Jaguares (The Jaguares) Panzas Verdes (Green Bellies) Monarcas (The Monarchs) Los Rayados (The stripped ones) Los Tuzos (The Gophers) La Franija (The Slash)

Querétaro

Sergio Bueno

Querétaro

San Luis

Eduardo Fentanes

San Luis Potosì

Santos Laguna

Pedro Caixinha

Corona

Tijuana(won Apertura 2012) Toluca

Antonio Mohammed

Tijuana

Enrique Meza

Toluca

Tigres U.A.N.L

Ricardo Ferretti

Pumas U.N.A.M

Pachuca

San Nicolás de los Garza Antonio Torres Servín Mexico City

Los Gallos Blancos (The White Roosters) Los Reales (The Royals) Los Guerreros (The Roylas) Xoloitzcuintles (The Aztec Dogs) Los Diablos Rojos (Red Devils) Los Tigres (The Tigers) Los Pumas (The Cougars)

Notable Players

Duvier Riascos FWD- leading goal socrer for Tijuana

Cristian Benitez FWDLeading goal scorer of the leauge, plays for América.

All photos used under creative commons

WEIRDEST Soccer Stadiums

By Gabriel S. Use under creative commons

Use under creative commons

Crocodilos Sports Park

Brazil Eco-stadium

This stadium in Caracas, Venezuela, lies just next to the highway and a cliff. Tough a multi-use stadium, it mainly hold soccer matches and has a capacity of 3,000 people.

This stadium’s chair seats were built on a hill and the dugouts are made with Bamboo and nearly no concrete was used in the process of its construction.

Used under fair use

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Skali Stadium

Singapore Stadium

Approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland, one of the Froe islands’ football teams’ stadiums is located right next to the sea. There’s even a man who fetches balls that fall into the sea.

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This stadium’s pitch lies on a floating platform in Singapore,, Marina Bay. It is made of steel and can hold the weight of 9,000 people. The the seats can hold is 30,000 people.

Aalesund Old Stadium This arena, in Aalesund Norway contains no stands and the spectators stand on the cliffs to watch the soccer matches. 16

WACKO Commentators

By Gabriel S. Use under creative commons

Use under creative commons

Paul Merson When you see this guy get over exited you will too. He has a great attitude and you sure will enjoy it when you se him commenting in close matches.

“El Bambino” Pons Not every day will you hear a soccer commentator sing, unless you listen to “El Bambino” Pons. This Argentinian will surely give you a nice tune to listen to when you see your favorite players score.

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Crudeli Tiziano This man may be too passionate about soccer for his own good. An Italian sports journalist and television presenter, when he’s broadcasting for the AC Milan channel, you can see how true of a fan he is. Even if you have to cover your ears as he screams himself red.

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Chris Kamara Well known for his gaffes and very odd phrases such as “fighting like beavers” whenever he comments for the Soccer Saturday programme. Any kind fan can be amused by his commentary.

Ray Hudson A former player, Ray Hudson’s commentary make fans cry of laughter. As the most enthusiastic commentator in all of sports, his exaggerated and excited metaphors of plays and players keep the audience enjoyed.

Best of the best

By Sebastian T.

Many people debate who are the best players in the world but here are our picks for the top 10 in the world right now with a reason why they belong on this list.

1. Lionel Messi - Forward FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, as of now, and the best that has been seen for quite a while. At the age of twenty-five and in the prime of his career, Messi plays as a forward for the Spanish club FC Barcelona, and is also captain of the Argentinian National Team. With 180 goals in just over 200 games, Messi has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or, the award given to the player who has performed the best in the season, three consecutive years, from 2009-2011. His ball skills are like no other. He has the ability to breeze past the best defenders, and place the ball away from the keeper and into the back of the net from almost anywhere. Combining his balance, speed, and touch, Messi is almost impossible to stop when he puts his head down and runs at the opposing team. Only 5’ 7’’, Messi can still make a fool of any opposition.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo - Forward - Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the most complete players ever, with speed, skill, and an eye for goal. Moving to Manchester United as an 18 year-old, Ronaldo spent six years at the club, building his reputation, before being bought by Real Madrid FC for 80 million pounds, becoming the most expensive soccer player in history. Scoring 109 goals in 121 games for Real Madrid, Ronaldo had won the Ballon d’Or in 2008, and the Premier League title with Manchester United, the same year, and the La Liga title with Real Madrid in 2012. With all skills needed to be one of the best, Ronaldo is not a force to be reckoned with, especially when he is running straight at you on the pitch.

3. Andres Iniesta - Midfielder - FC Barcelona

From when he was a Barcelona youth player to when he won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, Andres Iniesta has always made an impact to the game. Although naturally a center midfielder, Iniesta possesses versatility and can play in many different positions and still perform at his highest level. And although he lacks a physical presence, Iniesta’s technical skill alone is enough to make himself one of the bests.

4. Robin van Persie - Forward - Manchester United

Robin van Persie scored 30 goals in the Barclays Premier League and was the top scorer for the 2011-2012 season. His precision in his touch and finishing, as well as his attacking intelligence, help him find the way to goal. His left foot is one of the best in the business, contributing to the fear defenders all over Europe have him. 18

5. Xavi - Midfielder - FC Barcelona

Xavi is a legendary center midfielder who gets his team playing well. Part of both FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team, it is no surprise that Xavi has won more trophies than any other Spanish player. Creativity, vision, dribbling, and passing skills make Xavi the ultimate playmaker, with almost 200 assists since the start of his professional career. His touch and precision of passes are unlike any other and spending 14 years at Barcelona has made him into an ultimate engine in midfield.

6. Wayne Rooney - Forward - Manchester United

Wayne Rooney is an English striker who plays for Manchester United and is the face of English football. With dribbling and passing skills, Rooney also has the strength and aggression to compete in the English Premier League. Powerful, strong, and unselfish with the ball, Rooney’s ability to pick out a pass or score from a distance is unlike any other. Paired with his passion for the game, which is unparalleled by anyone, Rooney is the one to show you what real football is.

7. Mesut Ozil - Midfielder - Real Madrid

With 17 assists last season, more assists last season than Xavi and Iniesta combined, Ozil, 24 years old, played a supporting role for the Real Madrid, feeding the ball around the pitch and score goals as well. In his prime, and playing on the best stage in Europe, Ozil is part of Real Madrid and Germany National Team, playing as both teams’ starting playmaker. He uses his style and finesse as an attacking midfielder to provide the players around him with perfect opportunities.

8. Vincent Kompany - Defender - Manchester City

Winning the Barclays Premier League with Manchester City in the 2011-2012 season, Kompany is a solid center back, leading and being the base of his defense for both his club and country. Performing dependably and consistently whenever he plays and one of the quintessences of defenders, Kompany is complete with all traits needed to stop the world’s best attackers. With the ability to intercept passes, stop shots and win headers, he is always in control of the situation his team faces, and motivates his team to win.

9. David Silva - Midfielder - Manchester City

David Silva is an attacking midfielder with great touch and dribbling skills, but not the best physical qualities. He has been part of the Spanish squad to win back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the FIFA World Cup 2010. A primary attacking force that helped Manchester City win the Premier League and the FA Cup, Silva is still considered a young player and has a bright future ahead of him.

10. Dani Alves - Defender - FC Barcelona

Although a defensive player, Dani Alves is a player feared for his attacking work rate and pace off the ball. With speed and strength, Alves is suited to play any defensive position, but works best as a right-back, where he can run up and down the line. Born in Brazil, Alves copes well with Barcelona’s play style, using his touch to play in the final third of the field, and show why he is the most expensive right back in the world. All photos used under creative commons

Brazil 2014 World Cup Thirty-two teams. One winner to become the best national team in the world. The Brazil 2014 World Cup. This will be the second World Cup held in Brazil and the first World Cup held in South America for over 20 years. Brazil automatically qualifies, being the host country, while the rest of the teams must play in qualifiers among their regions of the world in order to be part of the tournament. After qualifying, teams from all around the world will gather in Brazil and play at twelve venues in order to determine a winner.

Venues

For the first time in world cup history, the host country will have 12 host cities, which means there will be 12 different venues. Of the twelve selected stadiums, five will be upgraded, five are being rebuilt, and there will be two new stadiums in the cities of São Paulo, and Recife. Estádio do Maracanã

Estádio Nacional de Brasília

Arena Corinthians

Location: Brasília Max occupancy: 70,064 Opened: March 10, 1974

Location: São Paulo Max occupancy: 65,807 Opened: not yet opened, broke ground May 30, 2011

Mineirão

Estádio Beira-Rio

Arena Fonte Nova

Arena Pernambuco

Verdão

Arena Amazônia

João Cláudio de Vasconcelos Machado

Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães

Location: Rio De Janeiro Max occupancy: 76,804 Opened: June 16, 1950(originally), renovated 2006

Location: Belo Horizonte Max occupancy: 62,547 Opened: September 5, 1965, under renovations

Location: Cuiabá Max occupancy: 42,968 Opened: April 8, 1976

Location: Porto Alegre Max occupancy: 48,849 Opened: April 6, 1969, due to undergo upgrades

Location: Manaus Max occupancy: 46,000 Opened: Under construction

Location: Salvador Max occupancy: 48,747 Opened: Is being rebuilt

Location: Natal Max occupancy: 42,086 Opened: Due to open January 1, 2014

Estádio Plácido Aderaldo Castelo

Location: Fortaleza Max occupancy: 64,846 Opened: November 11, 1973, under renovations

Location: Recife Max occupancy: 44,248 Opened: Due to open January 6, 2013

Location: Curitiba Max occupancy: 41, 456 Opened: 1999

Spain 4-5-1

Germany 4-2-3-1

4-3-3 GK: Diego Alves RB: Dani Alves CB: David Luiz CB: Thiago Silva LB: Marcelo CM: Lucas Leiva CM: Ramires CAM: Lucas RW: Hulk ST: Alexandre Pato LW: Neymar

GK: Buffon RB: Abate CB: Bonucci CB: Chiellini LB: Cristico CDM: De Rossi CM: Marchisio CM: Montolivo CF: Giovinco ST: El Sharaawy ST:Balotelli

Play style: Tiki-Taka possession, a lot of short precise passes Player to watch: Iniesta

Play syle: Good organization, fast scoring Player to watch: Ozil

Play style: High pressure, fast counter attacks Player to watch: Neymar

Play style: Strong defense with a balanced offense Player to watch: Balotelli

England 4-2-3-1 GK: Hart RB: Walker CB: Cahill CB: Smalling LB: Baines CDM: Wilshere CDM: Milner LM: Young CAM:Rooney RM:Walcott ST: Welbeck

France 4-2-3-1

Portugal

4-3-3 GK: Rui Patricio RB: Pereira CB: Bruno Alves CB: Pepe LB: Fabio Coentrao CDM: Miguel Veloso CM: Joao Moutinho CM: Raul Meireles RW: Nani ST: Nelson Oliveira LW: Cristiano Ronaldo

Argentina 4-1-2-1-2 GK: Romero RB: Zabaleta CB: Otamendi CB: Garay LB: Insua CDM: Mascherano LM: Lavezzi CAM: Messi RM: di Maria ST: Aguero ST: Tevez

Play style: Slow developing play with a long ball end product Player to watch: Rooney

Play style: Fast paced, when in possesion target man as playmaker Player to watch: Nasri

Play style: High speed counter attack dictated by wingers Player to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo

Play style: Free flowing with fast dribbling and short passes Player to watch: Messi

GK: Casillas RB: Sergio Ramos CB: Puyol CB: Pique LB: Jordi Alba CDM: Sergio Busquets CAM: Xavi CAM: Iniesta LM: Juan Mata RM: David Silva ST: Torres

GK: Neuer RB: Boatang CB: Hummels CB: Howedes LB: Lahm CDM: Khedira CDM: Schweinsteiger CAM: Ozil RW: Muller LW: Podolski ST: Gomez

GK: Lloris RB: Sagna CB: Sakho CB: Koscielny LB: Glichy CDM: Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Vila CDM: Diaby RM: Ben Arfa CAM: Nasri LM: Ribery ST: Benzema

Brazil

Italy 4-1-2-1-2

Goal Celebrations By Gabriel S.

What would you do if you scored the winning goal? Alessandro del Piero Jimmy Bullard

Sticking out your tongue as far out of your mouth as you can is what Alessandro Del Piero would probably call a typical celebration. Some may call it childish but it brings cheerfulness to others, and his tongue will be embedded in the minds of fans forever.

Bebeto

Take out the ‘to’ from his name and you get Bebe--baby in Brazilian. A few days after his third baby was born, Bebeto scored a goal against the Netherlands in the 1994 World Cup. He ran to the sideline with a few team mates and pretended to rock a baby. 22

Obafemi Martins

Stjarnan FC

In 2008, Phil Brown, the manager of the Hull City soccer team gave a lecture to the team on the pitch during halftime. Later, in 2009, after scoring a goal, Jimmy Bullard got his teammates to sit in a circle around him and imitated Phil Brown.

Peter Crouch

No team is more creative than this Icelandic club. Their best celebration of many is “The Salmon”. The scorer casts out a pretend fishing rod. Another player is “caught” and dragged to the “fisherman”. Then the team takes a group “photo” holding the dead “salmon”.

Tardelli’s Scream

Not many people can do the robot, and even less people would be willing to do such a childish dance after a soccer goal. But not Peter Crouch. First tried in 2006, Peter Crouch would keeps doing the robot now and then in big games.

Marco Tardelli’s cry after scoring the winning goal in the 1982 World Cup championship against West Germany is the most memorable scream in the world of soccer. Giving Italy a 2-0 lead with 21 minutes left in the game, he ran to the Italian bench, shaking his fist and screaming, “GOL! GOL! GOL!”As tears poured down his cheeks. He made Italians and soccer players worldwide proud of their passion and spirit of the game of soccer.

One usually doesn’t see gymnastics in a soccer game. But this guy’s flips and spins won’t cease to amaze you if he scores. It gives you a good feeling to see someone so happy he is willing to do back flips and spin around in the air in front of a stadium full of fans.

Brandi Chastain

Scoring the winning penalty kick against China in the Women’s World Cup, Brandi Chastain would sprint to the other side of the field and throw off her shirt. Later, she described the feeling as, “Momentary insanity, nothing more, nothing less”.

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Out with the old, In with the new By Sebastian T.

For the months of July and August, teams are given the chance to buy, sell and trade their players. Here are some of the biggest moves of the past summer transfer window. Robin van Persie Age: 29 From: Arsenal FC To: Manchester United FC Price: £24 million Position: Striker Nationality: Dutch Play style: A left-footed goal scorer who can finish in any type of space

Luka Modric Age: 27 From: Tottenham Hotspur To: Real Madrid CF Price: £34 million Position: Center midfielder Nationality: Croatian Play style: A smart play maker who can be an impact off the ball Alex Song Age: 25 From: Arsenal FC To: FC Barcelona Price: £15 million Position: Defensive midfielder Nationality: Cameroonian Play style: A smart defensive-minded player who acts as an engine in midfield

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Eden Hazard Age: 21 From: Losc Lille FC To: Chelsea FC Price: £32 million Position: Attacking midfielder Nationality: Belgian Play style: A world-class attacker with speed and balance

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Age: 31 From: AC Milan To: PSG Price: £16 million Position: Striker Nationality: Swedish Play style: A striker who uses his dominance and skill to score Thiago Silva Age: 28 From: AC Milan To: PSG Price: £34 million Position: Center back Nationality: Brazilian Play style: A consistent player who leads the defense around him

Why Refs keep Reffing

By Gabriel S. Imagine you are on a soccer field in the middle of a stadium, surrounded by fans of all ages, different and alike. Colors waving in the crowd. A roar of noise buzzing around your ears. Now imagine all that is directed at you, and it is not a sign of reassurance, nor is it applause to congratulate you. But is of insults and accusations. Just because you blew a whistle. Professional soccer Refs have it tough. One may not like what a referee may or may not call, but these people don’t stand on the soccer field for television, or so people can like them. They do it because they love the game of soccer, and wish it to be fairly played. Soccer all over the world wouldn’t be as organized as you see it now if it weren’t for the referees. We must respect their patients and how they have learned to be refs. Wherever there is professional soccer, there are professional refs. With soccer as the world wide sport, there has got to be a requirement for refs to be. Not any one can just pop up and ref a professional soccer match. To be a referee for an official soccer game, a person must have patience with fans players and coaches, and understand the controversy of any call,, especially calls such as off-sides and penalties. A ref has a lot of free-

-dom to call what he wants in matches too, therefore he/she must have responsibility and knowledge of the game and rules. When learning to ref, referees must know hand signals for when false plays occur and how to get other refs attention on a certain play. A ref will needs to have a keen eye to see plays and fouls while they are at a distance from the action the players are doing, so they won’t get in the way of the ball or players. They must also follow the soccer ball as it gets kicked and passed around while making sure other players don’t do anything not allowed in the game. And especially, the ref must have confidence. He/she must be sure of their calls, or someone can easily blame him/her on the call. Refs may not get that much attention except for calls, or have posters of themselves, but they have the spirit of soccer, willing to do this for the game. It is true about refs betting on the games they are going to ref, and rigging the game by calling calls for their team. But refs are still being trained and know not to bet or be unfair. Because that is what refs are for. To be fair, or bring more fairness to the game. Professional soccer refs have it tough. A list of six famous refs are on the next page--

Different kinds of referees Linesmen

The linesmen are the officials that hold the yellow flags. They signal when the ball is out of bounds, throw-ins goal and corner kicks. They also signal off-sides in the games, but their calls don’t take effect without the main refs’ whistle.

Fourth Official

This type of ref keeps track of stoppages in the game and substitutions. He/she is also the communicator between managers and refs during the game. 24

A linesman All pictures are used under creative commons

Pierluigi Collina A former Italian Football referee, Collina has been named FIFA’s “Best Referee of the Year” six consecutive times.

Said Bolqola Born in Morocco, Bolqola was the first African referee to officiate in a World Cup final. He died from cancer in 2002.

Gottfried Dienst A Swiss ref, he is one of the only 4 referees to have reffed a European Cup final twice. In 1961 and 1965

William Ling He is famous for reffing the 1994 World Cup final, and calling controversial calls throughout that world cup.

Tofik Bakhramov This Azerbaijan ref is famous for reffing the 1966 World Cup final. A stadium was named after him in his home country.

Jack Taylor Known for awarding two penalties in the first 30 minutes of the 1974 World Cup finals. The first ever, in a World Cup final.

Formations

By Milan R.

Strategy is essential in any sport, and soccer is no exception. Here are a few classic formations that have worked for the pros:

4-4-2 This classic formation, famed for its balance offensively and defensively, has everything you could want. With two strikers and wide midfielders, there is plenty of offensive capability. In contrast, while on defense, the center midfielders have the capacity to tuck in and hamper any attempts on goal by the opposition. Solid defensive play and capable wide midfielders will optimize your success with this formation.

4-5-1

Possession and a strong defense are both provided by the 4-5-1, and counter-attack options are very strong. However, the lack of players upfield, shooting on goal, can have negative consequences. Your striker can be isolated by the other teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defense, leaving you almost no offensive capability. If your team can establish strong wide midfielders, their crosses into the center of the field will give your center midfielders and striker plenty of opportunities to score. This, along with the five midfielders in the 4-5-1, will allow you to hold the ball and frustrate your opponents.

4-3-3 In order to win with this formation, you have to put goals in the net. Having three forwards gives you lots of chances on goal, but at the cost of a strong center midfield. A forward that can score consistently is imperative for success. Having possession for most of the game is harder, leaving the other team more time on the ball. If your defense can stop counter-attacks by the opposition, you have a great chance of winning with the 4-3-3. 26

Traditions

By Milan R.

Soccer is an ancient sport, its origins traceable back to many historic civilizations. It’s only natural that after so many years, some pretty important traditions would form. From the ultimate prize in soccer to measures meant to increase camaraderie, these traditions give game its flavor...

The Trophy

“From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory” -Silvio Gazzaniga

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The result was epic: our current trophy, and the new system that came with it. First presented to Franz Beckenbauer after the 1974 World Cup, the FIFA World Cup Trophy is 11 pounds of solid gold. Due to the tragic theft of the Jules Rimet trophy, each country is now issued their own gold plated copy of the new trophy, but also gets to hold on to the original until the next World Cup. Every winning country has had its name inscribed in the bottom of the original FIFA World Cup Trophy since West Germany in 1974. Spain is the current holder of the ultimate prize in soccer, after winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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Since the institution of the first World Cup, there has been a trophy. In the beginning it was the Jules Rimet trophy, a cup on the arms of Nike, the goddess of victory. After Brazil won its third World Cup, the trophy was given to them permanently. This meant a new trophy was needed.

Jerseys

Made famous by Pele and Bobby Moore in the 1970 World Cup, the post-game jersey exchange has since been established as a way to show respect and camaraderie with opposing players. Though perhaps not the most sanitary of traditions, the jersey exchange is deeply ingrained in the spirit of soccer. Since the jersey of the most skilled player on the opposing team is the most sought after, some players may participate in the jersey exchange every game, while for others it may be a rare occurrence. Either way, the jersey exchange is a clear way to convey respect, no matter what language barriers may exist.

Pennants

An image synonymous with not only international, but club soccer, the flag exchange at the beginning of a soccer match has long been a pre-game tradition. Established officially by FIFA in order to foster better relationships between soccer clubs, the flag (or pennant) exchange has lead to many iconic meetings throughout the years.

These pennants are meant to help teams remember their opposition, hopefully with fond memories. Also known as friendship pennants, every club and national team has it’s own specific design, and in some cases, shape. The most common shapes for a pennant are triangles, shields and crests. Besides being used to commemorate opponents, pennants are also used to celebrate famous victories and championships. Many such pennants are sold on a large scale to fans, producing a large amount of revenue for teams.