Transfers, Friendlies, Previews, One Week To Go, The Gentleman Ultra Profiles Internazionale, The Zlatan, Silence in the Favela

Valencia shows the love to Sterling...

Right! It's all speculation and preparation and we're simply a bit sick of it all. Thankfully, we're down to one week until the Big Dance begins. Firstly, we'd like to alert you to a bit of charity. Friends of ours have a lovely World Cup Sweepstakes set up to benefit children in the Yucatan. Check it out here. For $20 you get a team and the chance to win $400. All profits go to Mayan youth. Do it.

Right! Uruguay played Slovenia: Sid Lowe has a scouting report.

Italy played Luxembourg: James Horncastle has a scouting report and there's this video of a Luxembourgian (?) player's ultra-fail at a long throw-in.

Mexico lost to Bosnia in Chicago. Raphael Ramos Villagrana says El Tri have lost their order. Good. Let's hope it stays lost. Wankers.

England played Ecuador down in Miami and things got a little hot. Daniel Taylor was at Sun Life Stadium and filed this report. And Phil McNulty thinks Woy needs to chill out when it comes to criticizing Barkley.

World Cup Previews: Group A

World Cup Previews: Group B

World Cup Previews: Group C

World Cup Previews: Group D

Podcast! Groups A-D Preview! With a week to go until things kick off in São Paulo, AC Jimbo and co run through the 16 teams that make up Groups A-D. Will Brazil be able to cope with the pressure? Can the Ivory Coast finally shine? And should Roy Hodgson drop Wayne Rooney?

The Mill. Plus One. Plus Plus One.

The Zlatan's favorite teammate.

The Gentleman Ultra has another Serie A Alternative Club Guide and it's none other than Inter Milan. Go.

You know we love The Zlatan. That crazy, wigged out, ego-maniac with the massive schnoz. Grant Wahl had a chance to go one-on-one with the Swedish Superstar and took that chance. Apparently, The Zlatan wrote a book and Wahl says it's pretty damn good. Also, the best teammate The Zlatan ever had? Patrick Vieira.

Silence in the Favela: Love and Soccer in Brazil's Best Worst Place.

That's your lot for this Thursday. Keep it tite!

Onward!!

-SSN

No Go For Falcao, Rossi's Gramps Is Pissed, The Most Significant Goal in U.S. Soccer History, Cool Shirts

Hello Hello! Sad news from the Colombian camp where it was announced that Falcao will not be playing in Brazil. There was some hope he'd be able to make it (he was named to the 30-man squad) but in the end his ligament damage was too much to overcome. It's a real shame from the neutral's point of view; we would have loved to see what he could have done on the big stage instead of just in Ligue Uhhhhhhhh.

As noted yesterday, another fellow not going to Brazil is New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi. His Grandfather, iconic winemaker Carlo Rossi, is not happy about it. At. All.

Sports Illustrated has been counting down the 10 Most Significant Goals in U.S. Soccer History (Men & Women). They're finally down to Number One. It's obviously Caligiuri’s wicked strike from 1989. Grant Wahl handled the recap on this one. Links to the other nine can be found on the left side of the screen.

Jame Milner. Boring, boring James Milner. Not so fast, says Phil McNulty!

We talked a lot of Qatar yesterday. Here's one more piece from Bond. David Bond.

It is Tuesday and that means Monday Musings from Gab Marcotti. Today Gab is gabbing about Qatar scandal implications, Rooney's status and Spain's squad.

Quite scary, indeed...

Oh, boy. The Mill. Plus One.

Need a T-Shirt? These are pretty sweet. We'll take Netherlands 1998, thank you very much.

We know the stars who will be at the World Cup, but who might surprise us? Here are six lesser-known dudes who could have a good Brazilian run.

We out!

Onward!

-SSN

Qatar World Cup Thrown Into Doubt, USA Defeat Turks, Transfer Rumors, World Cup Previews, Italy Squad, Germany Squad, The Honigsteins, David Villa To New York

Clint thinks this Turkey defender is zooted...

What a glorious Monday! 

As everyone who cares knows, it's completely asinine to hold a World Cup in Qatar and the only reason it was awarded to said country is because of bribes. Here's the latest on the brouhaha that will hopefully lead to a new host nation for 2022.

Qatar 2022 World Cup corruption scandal explained

David Conn: FIFA's facades being stripped away

Qatar World Cup 2022: Fifa investigator to meet organisers

Owen Gibson: World Cup raising Qatar's profile for all the wrong reasons

Ian Rodgers: FIFA must address allegations

You want transfers? Speculation? Hearsay? Here: The Mill. Plus One. Plus Plus One.

The U.S. looked a lot better yesterday in New Jersey. The defense was ass but it was a few guys who hadn't played together. Jozy looked better. Chandler looked awful. The Yanks won 2-1 and that leaves only the Nigeria match between them and Ghana. Here's some additional info on yesterday's affair:

Grant Wahl: Three Thoughts

Kevin McCauley: Five Observations

Jeff Carlisle: Chances abound in U.S. win

Sean Davis: Altidore rising, Chandler struggling

Friendly Win vs. Turkey Raises More Questions Than Answers

It looks like...England...have arrived...in Miami...YEEEEAAAAHHHH!

The England squad has arrived in Miami and Phil McNulty says they've been able to stay under the radar so far. Just as long as they don't piss off a certain Horatio Caine...





Here's your final 23 for Italy. You'll notice that New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi didn't make the cut. Too bad, pal.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (PSG), Mattia Perin (Genoa).
Defenders: Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorigo Chiellini (all Juventus), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Ignazio Abate, Mattia De Sciglio (both AC Milan), Matteo Darmian (Torino).
Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio (both Juventus), Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti (both Paris St Germain), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Marco Parolo (Parma), Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina).
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli).

Want more Italy? How about the secrets behind the players. Ooooooo...

We've gotten Paolo's round-up of Serie A, Sid's round-up of La Liga, and now it's time for Raphael's round-up of the Bundesliga. It's The Honigsteins!! Despite Bayern’s procession to the title, there was still plenty of unpredictability, from Hamburg’s struggles to Hoffenheim’s headless mascot and Leverkusen’s phantom goal.

Sticking with Germany, they're down to 23 as well and only named one striker! And it's Miroslov Lose who will turn 53 next month. Wow.

Remember Bojan Krkic? What happened to that guy? He was supposed to be the next great Barcelona wonder-kid. The next Messi. What went wrong? Where the hell is he now? Ajax? Geez.

And finally...West Ham are celebrating The Treble in style! Wait, what treble? Three wins over Spurs this season? Oh. Congrats. (cue sarcastic clapping)

Onward!!

-SSN