World Cup

[ChrisXymphonia]

This team is also really young (a whole bunch of them are between 24 and 26)

And also very important: most of them have played together now in German junior / U21 teams for up to 10 years. This isn't a flash-in-the-pan thing but a case of very good scouting by the DFB (German Football Association), realising there might be something like a 'golden generation' on its way and then acting upon it, honing their skills and building a great team out of them.

[patrick]

congrats to Germany......finally they were the best.
And the best had to win......

[Trane]

As an afterthought....

[Vic2012]

Anyone cath that Man U vs. Real Madrid game yesterday? I was in a pub and that's what was on. Ever since the WC ended I've gone back to not caring about soccer, but I was curious to know what I was watching. I don't understand how all these leagues work so I was surprised to see a team fron England playing a team from Spain on American soil. You soccer experts feel free to break it all down and explain to me how these leagues work. Well, at least FIFA seems to really be trying to keep up the popularity of soccer in the US. I understand there will be more of these games in American cities in the coming weeks.

[NogbadTheBad]

This is a preseason friendly tournament where teams ae making money and getting their brand more global exposure. Don't think of it as a real competition, they just 'invite' the biggest global teams to make the most money. The players aren't taking it that seriously, its a training exercise for them.

[polmico]

International Champions Cup. Friendlies or we'd probably call it pre-season.

The clubs are from 3-4 European leagues, so you would usually see an Italian club play a British club.

Edit: what he said.

[Vic2012]

Ok thanks. So it was sort of meaningless. I guess what I still don't get are teams like Real Madrid and Man U in the same league or are they in their own respective leagues and don't normally play each other? Is there an "NFL" of soccer in Europe? is what I think I'm asking.

[TheH]

Ok thanks. So it was sort of meaningless. I guess what I still don't get are teams like Real Madrid and Man U in the same league or are they in their own respective leagues and don't normally play each other? Is there an "NFL" of soccer in Europe? is what I think I'm asking.

No, each country has it's own league. Also very different from US Sport a Team can be relegated into a lower league (or the other way around)

There are of course international Cups like the "Champions League" or the "Europe League". In these Cup challenges you will see teams
from different countries playing against each other (and these Cups count big time). These Cup games are held during the normal
season while the local leagues go on (of course not on the same days).

[Vic2012]

(and these Cups count big time)

Are these Cups played yearly or once every few years? I know I could Google all this stuff but I really don't feel like reading different websites for hours on end, so I'd prefer just ask you diehard fans (especially you Europeans).

[NogbadTheBad]

No, each country has it's own league. Also very different from US Sport a Team can be relegated into a lower league (or the other way around)

There are of course international Cups like the "Champions League" or the "Europe League". In these Cup challenges you will see teams
from different countries playing against each other (and these Cups count big time). These Cup games are held during the normal
season while the local leagues go on (of course not on the same days).

And in the case of the Champions League this is where the really big money is made. In the good old days just the previous seasons individual national league champion would play in the European Cup (as it was called then), so you'd get the winners on the English Premier League, Bundeslinga (Germany), La Liga (Spain), League Une (France), Sierie A (Italy) and the rest of the European leagues playing to be champions of Europe.

They generate so much money (primarily in international television deals) that they expanded it to include more teams, particularly from the top leagues. You now qualify for this tournament if you finish in the top 4 in England, Spain, Germany & Italy. Smaller leagues like Scotland & Norway only get one team (the previous seasons champions) qualify. It's a huge money grab for UEFA and the European top teams.

The other great thing about European soccer is relegation where the teams who finish bottom of the league each season get demoted to the league below with other teams coming up. It's like the Royals dropping to Triple A with a Minor League team coming up to replace them. It makes the whole season exciting, no playing to get high picks in the draft (of course they have no draft), with teams at the bottom battling desperately to avoid the drop. Last season in the EPL Sunderland were dead and buried with about 6 weeks ago but managed to get results against Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea to get out of trouble. It was wonderful stuff.

[TheH]

Are these Cups played yearly or once every few years? I know I could Google all this stuff but I really don't feel like reading different websites for hours on end, so I'd prefer just ask you diehard fans (especially you Europeans).

They are played every year. Nogbad explanied it quite well.

Some hairsplitting here:

The German league is "Bundesliga"
The Spanish league is La "Primera Division" (but "La Liga" is not incorrect)
The Italian league is "Serie A"
The French League is "Ligue 1"

[moecurlythanu]

Also very different from US Sport a Team can be relegated into a lower league (or the other way around)

It happens here too. For example, the Indians have made a living being the AAA club to develop talent for teams like the Yankees & Phillies for years now.

[moecurlythanu]

It makes the whole season exciting, no playing to get high picks in the draft (of course they have no draft),

Interesting. How is new talent dispersed if there is no draft? The teams with better scouting (or more available caish) sign the young studs and the rich get richer?

[NogbadTheBad]

Interesting. How is new talent dispersed if there is no draft? The teams with better scouting (or more available caish) sign the young studs and the rich get richer?

Well players don't come out of college, typically players are spotted much younger (8 to 12 years old), and recruited in to teams youth systems where they can train and get an education. Alternatively there is a huge pyramid of lower level teams, in England there are 4 professional divisions and many semi-pro levels and amateur levels below that. A player can be transferred up to higher levels from lower for transfer fees, and back down again when they stage to get to old for the top levels. It's a mix of home grown talent coming through the youth system and players spotted at lower level teams and transferred.

If you are playing college level soccer in England then typically you didn't make it as you haven't been spotted by scouts as a talent by the time you got to 18.

[polmico]

So Ian is saying these guys still have a shot, right???

image.jpg

[Trane]

Anyone cath that Man U vs. Real Madrid game yesterday? I was in a pub and that's what was on. Ever since the WC ended I've gone back to not caring about soccer, but I was curious to know what I was watching. I don't understand how all these leagues work so I was surprised to see a team fron England playing a team from Spain on American soil. You soccer experts feel free to break it all down and explain to me how these leagues work. Well, at least FIFA seems to really be trying to keep up the popularity of soccer in the US. I understand there will be more of these games in American cities in the coming weeks.

This is a preseason friendly tournament where teams ae making money and getting their brand more global exposure. Don't think of it as a real competition, they just 'invite' the biggest global teams to make the most money. The players aren't taking it that seriously, its a training exercise for them.

it's more like exhibition games that the NFL or NBA stages in Europe every year, IMHO... hoping to turn on a new market (first as TV attraction, then maybe fior the sport's practices and making adepts in general (I know the NFL still has a European league.... but it's like MSL is doing ... mostly surviving, and some teams making some kinds of money though the Latino crowds...

[Trane]

The Spanish league is La "Primera Division" (but "La Liga" is not incorrect)
"

I also hear Superligua

It happens here too. For example, the Indians have made a living being the AAA club to develop talent for teams like the Yankees & Phillies for years now.

Nope... Imagine that the NY Yankees or the Edmonton Oilers finishing with the worst record in their respective professional sport... they'd have to leave and play next season in the IHL with Kalamazoo hockey team... And wouldn't come back to the NHL until they became the champion of that league

Well players don't come out of college, typically players are spotted much younger (8 to 12 years old), and recruited in to teams youth systems where they can train and get an education. Alternatively there is a huge pyramid of lower level teams, in England there are 4 professional divisions and many semi-pro levels and amateur levels below that. A player can be transferred up to higher levels from lower for transfer fees, and back down again when they stage to get to old for the top levels. It's a mix of home grown talent coming through the youth system and players spotted at lower level teams and transferred.

If you are playing college level soccer in England then typically you didn't make it as you haven't been spotted by scouts as a talent by the time you got to 18.

yeah, most of European countries have similar structures and situations

Don't know how Latin America is functionning, though.

[Vic2012]

Man U vs. Liverpool in Miami tonight. If it's on ESPN I ain't seeing shit.