In the past three days, the soccer world has been flooded with terrifying stories of soccer-related bombings, Nazi chants, and even an attempted choking on an airplane. Although I haven’t been following the sport of soccer for very long, this burst of soccer-related violence and hate is both unexpected and depressing. But if anything, these recent events of violence… Read More »
With the start of the 2015 Major League Soccer (MLS) season and the newly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement, there are many notable things going on for soccer in the United States. Specifically, it is important to note the increasing presence of foreign soccer stars playing in the MLS. Now more than ever before, foreign players are scattered throughout the… Read More »
With the beginning of the MLS season rapidly approaching on March 6, the threat of a Major League Soccer (MLS) players’ strike is becoming increasingly likely after the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expired on January 31, 2015. The major issue currently being discussed is the idea of free agency, as the Major League Soccer Players Union (MLSPU)… Read More »
For the past decade, China has been considered a rising power in political, economic, and numerous other spheres. But in terms of men’s soccer, this country performs dismally at best. For most Chinese citizens, China’s performance in men’s soccer is considered a national embarrassment. Currently, the Chinese Men’s National Team is ranked 96 – for… Read More »
As Andrei Markovitz’s classic article “The Other “American Exceptionalism” – Why Is There No Soccer in the United States?” makes clear, individuals have long been debating the reasons for the U.S.’s lack of interest in soccer. One of the statements made in Markovitz’ 1988 article struck me, as he wrote that “soccer’s marginal existence as… Read More »
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