México Men's National Team
whodat
wed 8/5/2009
(image via www.femexfut.org.mx)
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores!
Players to watch:
Cuauhtémoc Blanco
He won't be the fastest player on the field, but "Cuauh" may be the most skilled. Now 36, Blanco is back to spark México's offense with his one-of-a-kind creativity.
Andrés Guardado
Short, fast and explosive, Guardado is capable of unleashing his blistering long-range shot whenever he gets space, making him one of México's most exciting players.
Giovani Dos Santos
Only 20 years old, Dos Santos is always dangerous with the ball at his feet. A skilled passer, Giovani can split defenses apart with his precise touches and flashy moves.
Carlos Vela
A quick and agile striker, 20-year-old Vela has shown he can be a lethal finisher when paired with fellow U-17 World Cup champ Giovani Dos Santos.
Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa
Lanky goalkeeper Memo Ochoa has appeared in TV commercials, video games and magazines, but he's finally cemented his starting job after an impressive Gold Cup.
México's biggest star will sit out due to a calf injury sustained during Barcelona's U.S. tour versus the L.A. Galaxy, Seattle Sounders and Chivas of Guadalajara.
Roster
Goalkeepers
Guillermo Ochoa Club: América (Mexico)
José de Jesús Corona Club: Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Defenders
José Antonio Castro Club: Tigres (Mexico)
Aarón Galindo Club: Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)
Efraín Juárez Club: UNAM (Mexico)
Jonny Magallón Club: Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)
Rafael Márquez Club: Barcelona (Spain)
Ricardo Osorio Club: Stuttgart (Germany)
Carlos Salcido Club: PSV Eindhoven (Holland)
Oscar Rojas Club: América (Mexico)
Midfielders
Cuauhtémoc Blanco Club: Chicago Fire (MLS)
Israel Castro Club: UNAM (Mexico)
Andrés Guardado Club: Deportivo La Coruña (Spain)
Gerardo Torrado Club: Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Forwards
Nery Castillo Club: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Guillermo Franco Club: None
Alberto Medina Club: Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)
Giovani dos Santos Club: Tottenham (England)
Miguel Sabah Club: Monarcas (Mexico)
Carlos Vela Club: Arsenal (England)
Follow all the action on mun2.
U.S. Men's National Team
whodat
mon 8/3/2009
"Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land, God bless the U.S.A."
Players to watch:
Landon Donovan
A seasoned veteran at the age of 26, forward Landon Donovan scored a goal against México in the 2002 World Cup and is looking to score more goals at the Azteca.
Tim Howard
The USA's top goalkeeper, Howard will build on his impressive play in the FIFA Confederations Cup, where he was awarded a Golden Glove for best keeper of the tourney.
Oguchi Onyewu
At six-foot-three, 180lbs, defender Oguchi Onyewu intimidates with his physical power and strength in the air, cutting an imposing figure anywhere on the field.
Josmer "Jozy" Altidore
Nineteen-year-old Altidore is being touted as the "future of U.S. soccer." Tall, strong and fast, Jozy poses problems for any defender who dares to go one-on-one.
Carlos Bocanegra
A cagey defender known for hard tackles, Bocanegra has been a part of many U.S.A-México battles, bringing years of experience to the U.S. defense.
Roster
Goalkeepers
Brad Guzan Club: Aston Villa (England)
Tim Howard Club: Everton (England)
Defenders
Carlos Bocanegra Club: Rennes (France)
Jonathan Bornstein Club: CD Chivas (MLS)
Steve Cherundolo Club: Hannover 96 (Germany)
Jay DeMerit Club: Watford (England)
Chad Marshall Club: Columbus Crew (MLS)
Oguchi Onyewu Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Jonathan Spector Club: West Ham United (England)
Midfielders
Michael Bradley Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)
Ricardo Clark Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Clint Dempsey Club: Fulham (England)
Benny Feilhaber Club: AGF Aarhus (Denmark)
Stuart Holden Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Jose Francisco Torres Club: Pachuca (Mexico)
Forwards
Jozy Altidore Club: Hull City FC (England)
Conor Casey Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Brian Ching Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Charlie Davies Club: FC Sochaux (France)
Landon Donovan Club: LA Galaxy (MLS)
Follow all the action on mun2.
extra extra large
daily dos
thu 7/2/2009
Mexican-American soccer player Edgar Castillo, who plays professionally in México, says he's considering switching sides and playing for the U.S. national team. Castillo has already played for El Tri but is still eligible to play for the U.S.
the ball is round
daily dos
thu 6/25/2009
The U.S. soccer team upset Spain in the FIFA Confederations Cup, defeating "La Furia" 2-0 and ending the European champion's 35-game unbeaten streak.
movin' on up
daily dos
fri 6/12/2009
England's Manchester United has agreed to sell fútbol superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to Spanish giants Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee of $131 million.
David Beckham vs. Yao Ming
versus
tue 4/14/2009
| name | David Robert Joseph Beckham. | Yao Ming. |
| born in | London, England. | Shanghai, China. |
| age | 33. | 28. |
| nicknames | Becks, Goldenballs. | The Great Wall, The Ming Dynasty. |
| height | 5' 11". | 7' 6". |
| weight | 158 lbs. | 310 lbs. |
| sport | Soccer. | Basketball. |
| current team | AC Milan (on loan from L.A. Galaxy). | Houston Rockets. |
| previous team/s | Spain's Real Madrid and England's Manchester United. | China's Shanghai Sharks. |
| position | Midfielder. | Center. |
| American debut | July 27, 2007. | October 31, 2002. |
| better half | Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. | Basketball player Ye Li. |
| sometimes stereotyped as | More celebrity than athlete. | A freakish giant. |
| 2008 earnings | $48.2 million. | $31.2 million. |
| endorsements | Emporio Armani, Gillette, Pepsi, Vodafone, Adidas, Police Sunglasses and Sharpie. | Apple, Visa, Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Reebok. |
| jersey sales | Over 250,000 L.A. Galaxy jerseys were sold before his debut. | Had the sixth highest-selling jersey in China in 2007 behind players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. |
| charity work | Established the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust to raise money to buy wheelchairs for children in the U.K. | Established The Yao Ming Foundation to help victims of the 2008 earthquake in Southern China. |
| the critics | U.K.'s Telegraph: "Any critique of Beckham must begin with two realities: he is a savvy man mindful of his image and how history will regard him, but also a sportsman who just loves the feeling of a ball, preferably motionless, nestling against his right foot.” | Bleacherreport.com: "You’ll never find Yao trash-talking after a glamorous dunk. Nor will you find him complaining over a lack of playing time. Instead, you’ll see Yao be the first to jump off the bench to applaud a seldom-used teammate—even when the game is all but over." |
| in their own words | "I have always looked for challenges in my life. My family… is the most important thing for me, but the soccer is second." - David Beckham. | "I'm just one of the 1.3 billion Chinese." - Yao Ming. |
| at the movies | Goal II: Living the Dream and Bend it Like Beckham. | The Year of the Yao. |
| bet you didn't know | Wears a new pair of shoes every game. | Ming is his first name, his family name is Yao. |
| best video moment | Becomes a klepto in a commercial for Sharpie. | Taller than the Statue of Liberty in a commercial for Visa. |
start ur engines
daily dos
wed 4/1/2009
Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire Mark Cuban is in talks to buy Mexican soccer teams Club América and Club Deportivo Guadalajara. Cuban says he plans to merge the teams to create a super squad.
Smits, Ramirez, Dos Santos, Romero and Bocanegra
halfsie or fullsie
mon 3/23/2009
You may have wondered: are they? A little?
Well, yes. Yes, they are.
Jimmy Smits
Age: 53
Actor known for roles in "L.A. Law" and "The West Wing." Plays Senator Bail Organa in Star Wars Episodes II and III.
Halfsie: Surinamese father and Puerto Rican mother.
Sara Ramírez
Age: 33
Actress known for playing Dr. Calliope "Callie" Torres in "Grey's Anatomy." Won a Tony Award in 2005.
Halfsie: Mexican father and Mexican-Irish mother.
Giovani Dos Santos
Age: 19
Fútbol player who plays forward for Ipswich Town and the Mexican national team. Once played for FC Barcelona.
Halfsie: Brazilian father and Mexican mother.
George A. Romero
Age: 69
Legendary director of Night of the Living Dead as well as Creepshow and Day of the Dead.
Halfsie: Cuban-American father and Lithuanian-American mother.
Carlos Bocanegra
Age: 29
Fútbol player who plays defender for Stade Rennais and the U.S. national team. Once played for the Chicago Fire.
Halfsie: Mexican father.
srsly
daily dos
mon 2/9/2009
Fútbol superstar David Beckham is hoping to leave the Los Angeles Galaxy and stay at Italian club AC Milan, where the 33-year-old midfielder is currently on loan: "[I] want to have a chance of being involved in [World Cup] 2010 and I believe my best chance of doing so is to remain here."
electric relaxation
daily dos
thu 1/29/2009
Actor Diego Luna is set to work on a documentary about Mexican fútbol star Cuauhtemoc Blanco. You can see him sooner in the fútbol drama Rudo y Cursi with Gael García Bernal.
"RiCkY" Says:
