Freddie Ljungberg Makes Move To MLS

The Seattle Sounders FC, MLS’s newest team, has announced the signing of former Swedish International star Freddie Ljungberg. Ljungberg's contract is for $2.5 million per season, and under MLS regulation, only a portion of Ljungberg's salary will count against the club's salary cap next season.

Ljungberg is 31 years old, stands at 5' 9" tall, and weighs 162lbs. Although small in stature, Ljungberg plans to do big things for Seattle and for the MLS. Many people thought the flashy midfielder could have continued to play in Europe for another 3-4 years, Ljungberg felt this was the right time to make the move.

"I figured if I'm going to take MLS seriously and want to make it a really good league and develop it, I should come now and not in three years' time," Ljungberg said.

Llungberg, a former Calvin Klein underwear model, was impressed that Sounders FC have already sold 17,000-plus season tickets and expects an electric atmosphere at the start of the season.

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Game Review: FIFA Soccer 2009

I Went out and purchased Fifa Soccer 2009 yesterday, so I figured I’d give the Total Pro Sports readers my review.

I switched to Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) in recent years. Even without the licenses and variety of teams that Fifa has, the game play was in a class of its own. I still continue to purchase Fifa every year for the simple reason that PES doesn’t come out in North America until months after Fifa.

This year’s game has really impressed me so far, and for the first time in recent years, I’m not sure that PES will be better.

Game play 8/10

Fifa’s 09 game play has improved a great deal from recent years. This year Fifa soccer 2009 offers more of the pro evolution feeling. The game play is quicker, and players react to what is happening on the field, rather than simply running to where they are programmed to move. The game is simply more entertaining compared to recent years.

One major difference you will notice instantly in FIFA 09 soccer is how realistic the tackling is now. Sliding tackles are great in the game! They are very convincing, and the bounce / deflection of the ball after the tackles is lifelike. Hand balls are even called in this game, something I never really seen in any soccer title in the past. Players react to tackles as they would in a normal footy match, and injuries are in-accordance with the tackles.

Skill moves work better this year as well.

Visual 9/10

FIFA soccer 09 looks better than ever. It’s the attention to detail that really impressed me in this year’s installment. The players look crisper, and their movement is less robotic then recent versions. The grass moves as the ball is moving through it, but keep in mind you won’t really notice this when playing on the classic telecast camera view. Players also get dirty as the game goes on, or they perform slide tackles.

Other Features:

Not sure if this is available on all platforms, but EAsports will be monitoring different leagues and players from around the world and offering weekly updates to reflect transfers, and players current performance. From what I know thus far, EA is offering this service for one league of our choice for free and if you wish to have other leagues, there will be a fee.

Overall 8.5/10

If you are a regular Fifa Soccer 2009 enthusiast, you should not be disappointed with this year’s version. If in recent years you have switched over to Pro Evolution Soccer, this may be the year you come back to your soccer gaming roots. Fifa 09 has the potential to give Pro Evolution a serious run for its money, and may once again claim supremacy on the pitch.

King Of The Castle - Top 4 Soccer Leagues In The World

Total Pro Sports - The title of top soccer league in the world is subject to a great deal of opinion and debate.  Unlike the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL which generate the highest revenues for their respected sports and in-turn are able to offer the most enticing salaries to attract all the top talent from across the globe, the game of soccer is much different.

Nearly all European countries have successful, revenue generating soccer leagues; the most popular being the Premiership (England), La Liga (Spain), Seria A (Italy), and Bundesliga (Germany).  These leagues are able to attract and bid for top talent from all continents, especially South America which is known for producing some of the highest quality, most exciting soccer players in the world.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and therefore it makes sense that the amount of quality talent available would far exceed that of football, basketball and hockey.  Think of it like picking grapes to make wine, where the grapes are athletes and the wine is the league.  One vine might contain enough quality grapes to make one good bottle of wine, but a vineyard will produce enough quality grapes to make many good bottles of wine.

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The Future Looks Bright For The MLS

Major League Soccer also know for short as the "MLS" was founded in 1993, as part of a bid for the US to host the 1994 world cup.  The league began in 1996 with a total of 10 teams, and many critics did not give the league a chance of survival from the start. Twelve years have passed, and Major League Soccer is still alive and kicking.

The league has expanded to 14 teams, 13 in the US and 1 in Canada since '96.  Major League Soccer will continue to expand to 15 teams next year (Seattle), then to 16 teams in 2010 (Philadelphia).  The league also plans to bring another team to Ottawa, Montreal or Vancouver in the near future, and with more expansion expected, the league plans to search for more foreign players to fill out its rosters.

In 2007 the league made international soccer news, as the LA Galaxy signed England international star and former captain David Beckham.  The league has showed its dedication to grow and attract the world’s top international talent with the introduction of the “Beckham Rule”.  The rule allows any team to sign any player to any amount of money it so chooses and that player's salary will only count as $400,000 against the league salary cap.  So soccer fans across North America can be excited for the potential of proven world class players playing for their home cities.

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European Championship Quarter Final Preview

The Quarter Finals of the European Championships starts tomorrow; here is how I think it will turn out:

Thursday, June, 19th

Germany vs. Portugal

The game: Look for Germany to win a close one, even though the Portuguese have looked unstoppable at times. The Germans have hit their stride and will be tough to beat.

The pick: Germany

The Score: 3-2

Friday, June, 20th

Croatia vs. Turkey

The Game: Coming off a stunning upset against the Czechs, Turkey appears poised to make some noise. However, Croatia looks to continue their solid play against the overmatched Turks.

The Pick: Croatia

The Score: 3-0

Saturday, June, 21st

Netherlands vs. Russia

The Game: The well rested boys in orange should easily beat this Russian squad. They have been the class of the tournament so far and Russia will likely be eliminated.

The Pick: Netherlands

The Score: 2-0

Sunday, June, 22nd

Spain vs. Italy

The Game: On paper this looks like a very tight battle, as both nations boast some of soccer’s biggest stars. Even with Italy missing two of their top midfielders in Pirlo and Gattuso, the Italians should take this one.

The Pick: Italy

The Score: 2-1

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Why only against the Azzurri?

Someone left this interesting comment on "Don’t Cry. It’s Euro Time!!" and I have some thoughts about it.

I agree totally with this Italian soccer fan, I truly feel that ref's have made some crazy calls against the Azzurri. I was watching the game against the Dutch the other day and couldn't believe that Toni's goal was called back because he was offside.

Sometimes I think to myself are these referee's paid off, or are they just reacting to the play to soon. I really don't know? I dont't want to sound biased here, but, I am also an Italian soccer fan. I just don't understand how missed calls consistantly go against them. I can understand once and a while, everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes. But, every single game you can find 2-3 missed or blown calls.

One of the worst calls that I can remember was from the 2002 World Cup in Korea, when of course they were facing the Korean's and Totti recieved a red card in the box. He was clearly taken down by the other deffender and if any call should have been made it should have been against the Korean player. But, of course the Italians can't win this game because it's being played in South Korea! Make sense now? Let's just not make it so obvious.

Maybe they have to install replay's in the game, it only makes sense I think. The MLB is now going to start. Why not everyone else?

On the eve of Italia’s final round robin game of the Euro tournament, I can’t help it sit here wondering how many calls the referee will incorrectly make against Italy tomorrow.

I am an avid soccer supporter, and I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to my country. I know that the Azzurri cannot win every game, and when they are outclassed on the field I am the first to clap my hands and applaud their opponents. I just can’t stand having games decided by calls that even amateur officials referring rep. soccer games can make. These referee’s are professionals, and I don’t have an ounce of sympathy for them when it comes to blowing calls in international tournaments. They are well compensated, they are well trained, and the game is fairly simple to officiate. If a player is behind the defense, he is offside, and if he is not, THEN PLAY ON!
In all sports referees have a significant impact on the game, and in most cases games can and have been decided by blown calls, but my question is, why oh why does it always happen to the Azzurri? How is a player hurt and laying behind the net, not even in the field of play, playing people onside? UEFA didn’t even know the proper ruling in that situation, oh wait a second, the referee didn’t allow him to go off the field so he is still in the play, COME ON! GIVE ME A BREAK! If anything he should be applauded for leaving the field on his own and allowing the play to continue.

Let us just hope and pray that tomorrow the better team wins, and all the Italian fans will not be left with their hearts on the ground and a taste of dirt in their mouths.

For all you Azzurri haters who say we are babies and are just finding excuses for losing, please watch the footage at link below; cause their is nothing stronger then video evidence.

Bad refereeing against Italy

To all Italy Fans and gamblers!

I got into this argument yesterday with a degenerate buddie so I decided it was a great post and life lesson for all gamblers out there. We wont name names here but well call this person "Don Carbs".

I called up "Don Carbs" last night to see what was going on and if he had made his way to some crazy party I was also invited to go to. When he answered I heard no noise and it seemed to be very quiet! So I proceeded to ask where he was? It seemed to me as something happend or something was wrong, all he said was he didn't want to talk.

I stopped took the phone off my ear and had to look at the name on the screen, "Don Carbs" it read, ok so I called the right person. I said are you upset Italy lost, he said "yes". I proceeded to call him a donkey and a whole other bunch of names that I would rather keep off this post. All Don Carbs said "they had to win!" I knew from those words "Don Carbs" had placed a wager on Italy for some stupid reason. All I said was how much? the phone went silent! he never responded. Lets just say, I've known him for a while so just by that I know he lost what some people could use to put as a down payment on a car. I just don't mean a Pontiac Sunfire, I mean a BMW 5 series!

I said to Don Carbs why would you bet Italy, when that's your team? Haven't you heard of the number 1 rule in sports betting? "NEVER BET YOU FAVORITE TEAM!" Again he responded like a true donkey degenerate, "But they had to win". Sometimes it just doesn't sink.

I really don't know how many times I have to tell people this and how it doesn't process in there heads, "NEVER BET YOU FAVORITE TEAM!". How can you bet on a team you like? don't you think they are always going to win? Remember a team never has to win, anything can happen in sports.

The morale of the story is "NEVER BET YOU FAVORITE TEAM!". Just go watch the game and cheer for your team to win cause you like them not cause you have money on them. This will save all you degenerates out there some money! �

Don’t Cry. It’s Euro Time!!

Its a great time every four years.  People from all over Europe, and all over the world beomce one with their European country of origin (that is if they have one) and cheer them to victory or cry with them in defeat (poor Ronaldo...and if you want more great pics like this one, just google Cristiano Ronaldo crying pic).  While this month long tournament has produced several upsets and suprises, i have decided to try and make some pics in this preview to the UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2008.

For each group i have placed the teams in the order i believe they will finish, giving a brief description and reasoning behind each.  The odds of each team are beside their names (odds based on those from betus.com).  I will also provide some key players for each group and some others you might want to look out for.  In the end i will give my predictions for the final four, final two and champions, as well as best bets to lay the money on and my on potential sleeper, which i like to call "This years Greece".  Enjoy.

Group A:

Portugal (7-1):  After a disappointing finish to the last Euro, Portugal will be out for revenge.  Their group doesn not pose any real threats to them and they should be able to come out on top led by the superior striking abilities of Ronaldo and midfield playmaking of Deco.  A tie versus the Czechs or Swiss is a possibility, but anything other than first in the division would be a disappointment.

Switzerland (28-1): Not the most talented side, but with the home crowd behind them, i think they will be able to do enough behind striker Alexander Frei and their rising star in teh midfield, Tranquillo Barnetta to squeek into the second spot in the division.

 Czech (18-1): The have one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Petr Cech, but they may not be able to overcome the loss of Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky.  Milan Baros and Jan Koller will need to be in top form if they are to make some noise in this tournament.

Turkey (40-1): Captain and Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu will try and lead his team into the quarterfinal round, but that task may be to tough of a hill to climb for a team without much star power.

Key Players:

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal: The Manchester United star has been on a tear leading his club side to victories in the Premier league and UEFA Champions league.  Can he do the same for his country?  Many believe now is his time.

Tranquillo Barnetta, Swiss:  The 23 year old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was one of the top young prospects in the '06 world cup and after scoring 2 goals in a 2-1 defeat of the Netherlands last August, many feel this is his time to rise up.

Petr Cech, Czech: Considered one of the top goalies in the world, the Chelsea goalkeeper will look to keep the ball out of his net and allow his team to win tight, low scoring games.

Nihat Kahveci, Turkey: The Villareal forward was big for his country in qualifying scoring the deciding goals in their last two games, and was the top scorer for his club side as they finished second to Real Madrid.

Young Guns to watch out for: Martin Fenin, 21, Czech. Joao Moutinho, 21, Portugal. 

Group B:

Germany (4-1): The early tournament favorites will be a tough team to beat.  With talent all the way accross the field, the Germans have the ability to score and prevent others from scoring.  With Klose, Podolski and Gomez pressing up front, Ballack and Schweinsteiger controlling the midfield, and Lahm on defense, it is no wonder they are the consensus choice to win.

Croatia (12-1): A first game against a weak Austria side should help them build confidence.  Enough to allow them to take the important second seed in the group.  Without their top striker Eduardo da Silva, they will need Ivica Olic to step up big if they expect to get any further.

Poland (50-1): A first match date with Germany should set them back early and they may not be able to recover due to a lack of star power up front.  Veterans Zewlakow and Krzynowek will have to hold the fort if they expect to advance.

Austria (100-1): The Co-Hosts are not expected to do much and should be nothing more than stat builders for more formidible teams like Germany and Croatia (This is why someone like Klose from Germany would be a good bet to win the Golden Boot).

Players to Watch For:

Lukas Podolski, Germany: The 23 year old Bayern Munich forward has been a rising star since joining the intenational squad and after an impressive world cup, great things should be expected of him.

Miroslav Klose, Germany: Another possible golden boot winner, the Bayern Munich star has averaged about a goal every other game in his international career.

Darijo Srna, Croatia: The Shakhtar product is lethal from set plays and will need to display that if his team is to succeed.

Young Guns to watch out for: Mario Gomez, 22, Germany. Erwin Hoffer, 21, Austria.

Group C:

Italy (13-2): Comming off of their World Cup Victory, the Azzuri will be out to prove that '06 was not luck.  With the top goalkeeper in the world in Gigi Buffon and a stellar back line, Italy will be a tough side to score on.  The loss on star defender and captain Fabio Cannavaro will hurt, but expect replacement Giorgio Chiellini to fill in confidantly.  The Azzuri will also have a full arsenal of attackers led by Luca Toni and their midfield looks similar to that of their World Cup winning side.

France (8-1): Out for revenge, they have built up quite the rivalry with the Italians over the past decade.  The French are stacked at every position and have so much depth that they left several stars off their roster including Juve striker David Trezuget and Roma's Ludovic Giuly.  But with players like Henry, Benzema, Viera and Malouda, those players should not be missed at all.

Netherlands (12-1): A team not short of star power, but unfortunatly they are placed in a division with two teams that have more than they do.  With players like Kuyt, Robben and Sneijder, they have the potential to finish in the top two and move on, but they will need to come together as a team early and often.

Romania (40-1): In any other division they could be seen as a strong second place contender, but in this group they will be hard-pressed not to finish last.  With Adrian Mutu leading their attack they will need to fire on all cylinders and play strong defensively if they are to have any chance of advancing.

Players to watch out for:

Luca Toni, Italy: Proving himself to be one of the top strikers in the world, Toni was a force with Bayern Munich in the German league as he scored 24 goals in 31 league games.

Franck Ribery, France: Expected to be the one who takes over the role formerly held by Zidane, the flow of the French game is expected to go through the feet of the Bayern Munich midfielder.  Possibily the ugliest player in the tournament, he is expected to carry a heavy load.

Wesley Sneijder, Netherlands: Previously pited in a defensicve role with his international squad, the Real Madrid midfielder is expected to be on the attack often in this tournament.

Adrian Mutu, Romania: Overcomming previous drug problems, Mutu is on the rise again dominating with club team Fiorentina and scoring 17 goals in his last 20 qualifying competitions with the international side.

Young guns to watch for: Alberto Aquilani, 23, Italy.  Karim Benzema, 20, France.

Group D:

Russia (28-1): Not given much of a chance in qualifying, Russia did the unthinkable in ousting powerhouse England and taking the second and final spot in their qualifying group.  With several players from club side Zenit, which won the UEFA Cup, this team has some firepower and may also possess that knack for winning.  They might just be the underdog betters are looking for.

Spain (6-1): Always recognized as a great team on paper, they have often failed to produce on the field.  Spain will be looking to change that with one of their most talented squads in recent memory.  Led by the attack of Fernando Torres and David Villa, and with Cesc Fabregas at midfield, this could be the year Spain gets the monkey of its back.

Sweden (40-1): Not short of strength up front, Sweden will be a tough team to keep off the scoreboard.  With star striking abilities from Ibrahimovic, Larsson and Allback, they can move on if they can keep piling on the goals.

Greece (28-1): the defending champions are back and with what some say is an even stronger team.  But the one thing they wont have is the element of suprise.  They do however have key players such as Dellas and Basinas returning to help them repeat as champions.

Players to watch out for:

Fernando Torres, Spain: The 24 year old Liverpool striker is in top form finishing in second behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo for England's footballer of the year award.  Scored 23 goals in the Primeir league and 6 in the Champions League.

Cesc Fabregas, Spain: The 21 year old Arsenal midfielder has yet to score for his international side, but expect much of Spains ball movement and pace to go through him.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden: The talented 26 year old Inter forward had two goals in the last Euro, including a late one against the Azzuri that wold eventually be the one that moves them on and leaves Italy behind.

Young Guns to look out for: Igor Akinfeev, 22, Russia.  David Silva, 22, Spain.  Vassilis Torosidis, 22, Greece.

Final Four: Italy def. France   -   Germany def. Portugal

Finals: Italy defeats Germany and just like France did in '98 and 2000, Italy wins the World Cup and two years later, the Euro.

The top Goal Scorer will be Miroslav Klose of Germany after he scores early and often against a weak Austria side.

Best Bets: With their odds at 13-2 and 8-1 respectively, Italyu and France are great bets.  Which ever team, if both, advances will be in top form after facing tough competition in the qualifying rounds.

This Years Greece: I would go with Russia.  High after ousting England in qualifying, they will be looking to continuing their high scoring and coach Hiddink has proven he can lead lesser know clubs to strong performances just as he did with South Korea and Australia.  At 28-1 they aren't a bad dog.

Good Luck and enjoy the games.