Derby games are incredibly significant. Pronounced as "darby," these games go beyond simple rivalries between top teams. These are games based on local pride. In soccer, there are top matches like Spain’s El Classico between La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona FC. These two teams not only represent the best of their league but also their political dichotomies. However, this rivalry is not a derby since Barcelona and Madrid are essentially a whole country apart from each other. Derbies are white-hot local battles between two teams that usually occupy the same city or general area. In America, you can consider the MLB matchup of the Chicago White Sox and Cubs as a derby. The same could have been said about the NFL games between the San Francisco 49ers and the then Oakland Raiders before the Raiders packed up for Las Vegas. But in soccer, these games manifest into something grander than a regular game. Whoever wins a derby gets to have bragging rights over their in-town inferiors.
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In the old days of soccer, referees had to purely judge the game on their ability to make split-second decisions among the chaos and violence of bodies clashing and a small, white and black ball flying through the air. Today it's a much different story. Cameras lined across stadiums record the action from myriad angles capturing every moment in HD and slow-motion. This new system is the encroaching eye of the sport, looming overhead. It is always aware, encompassing, watching. Fans are wary of its presence. Referees are befuddled by its complexity. Teams are incredibly frustrated every time the action stops so that Big Brother can decree what exactly happened. Is the implementation of this new technology a boon to the sport that helps officials make accurate decisions? Or is this forceful integration a sinister plot to kill the magic and drama of soccer.
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The hardest job in soccer doesn't belong to the players, coaches, or staff. Their jobs are easy because as long as they do well, the fans will continue to show their love and support. Their weekend battles are a cakewalk compared to the real soldiers who must shoulder the blame no matter the outcome. Millionaire playboys and top-dollar execs have nothing on the true heroes on the pitch. They are loved and hated, but mostly hated. They shoulder the blame for every loss. No harder soul with the thickest skin exists on the field of battle beside the referees who don the loudest of colors and conspicuous of uniforms so that everyone in the stadium knows exactly where to target their anger.
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So now we return to the song of cleats and goalposts. If you ever felt that the writers of HBO's Game of Thrones wronged you, then you can relish in the annual battles for Europe's top prizes. I'll agree, it ain't like Westeros, but there's still an absolute buffet of drama and heartbreak to witness this season. It's all the joy of watching absurdly rich houses battle each other for supremacy without the fear of continuity being thrown out of the window.
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This week I am writing about the 2019 Women's World Cup, which starts next Friday. Twenty-four teams will play in two phases starting with a round-robin style group stage where the best of those teams will move on to a knock-out tournament stage. The United States are in Group F with Thailand, Chile, and Sweden. France and Korea open the festivities on Friday and then the United States have their first match on June 11 against Thailand. It's going to be an exciting month of soccer and this will be your primer for the 2019 Women's World Cup. I'll walk you through the tournament format from the group stage to the tournament and help you get to know the women who will be looking to repeat greatness. So find your favorite reading spot and get to know...
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The European Leagues are now wrapping up their domestic seasons. This means that only one more big game remains and that is the oft-written about UEFA Champions League Final that I've been mentioning in this Newsletter. The final takes place next weekend, Saturday, June 1, 2019 when English Premier League teams Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur compete for the championship in Madrid, Spain. The reason I love this championship so much is that it's what got me truly into the sport. Way back in 2008 I was a fresh-faced college student visiting London to study a whole bunch of history, writing skills, and literary classics. It was a time when I was maybe a little more concerned with being a lush and a degenerate, but we all have our moments. The summer of 2008 gave me a real taste of how passionate people feel for the sport of soccer. This week, you get to learn…
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FIFA is more than the title of the popular soccer video game series. It’s the governing body that makes the soccer world go ‘round for better or for worse. Without structure, you wouldn’t have the kind of cooperation that happens between nations that compete against each other or within their domestic leagues. Thanks to my unique professional experience, I’m able to break down these levels of governance and provide insight into the wild world of Association Football.
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