Well, Bill W2, you found a crazed fan!

I don’s know if there is a level that describes my level of “serious”. I am originally from Argentina, you can see me and my grandson in our Argentina jersey’s in my profile pic, so by definition I am deeply serious! I have played since the age of 7, I tried out for pro teams in Argentina, and have played, still play, organized amateur soccer. My daughters led me to coaching, which I have done now for over a decade and have several coaching licenses and NYS championships……couldn’t love this game more. Have had the fortune to meet Pele, Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Diego Maradona (thus my profile name) and several others….

Though they are less known here, Boca Juniors from Argentina are my favorite team, with many international cups won on par with better known Milan or Real Madrid both of whom they beat in world club championship finals. Our stadium is know nas “La Bombonera”, or candy box, was just selected as the best place to see a game and is listed in the 100 places you must see before you die. My European teams are FC Barcelona (your wife has a good eye!), Man City and Inter MIlan. When I travel for work, my schedule usually revolves around the soccer schedules of the places I am visiting…..I watch a lot of soccer, not much MLS though.

As for the MLS, I agree there has been great improvement and much more to do. I would respectfully have to disagree that it is on a path to be one of the best leagues….maybe fun to watch and exciting locally, but the MLS cannot match up competitively until they play the real international club tournaments…in the America’s that is the Copa Libertadores, the equivalent of the Champions League in Europe. The winners of those 2 tournaments then play each other for the world club champion….upcoming in December. Mexico and its teams became powerhouses in the region once they agreed to play that tournament. With all due respect, the US in general can’t get better by playing teams from Trinidad. Same is true for the national level. It’s good they are now playing the Copa America, but they chose to sit the last one out.

Nice to find a fellow fan, great post……we have a big game coming up Saturday in Spain, Barcelona v Real Madrid! So who yells …GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAL in the family?

Roberto

Bill, what a great Pic…..what I’d give to play a game there…..!!!

I do agree MLS have created a great spectacle, light years ahead of the old NASL….genius to bring some big names, gives you a famous player to follow! I’m speaking more from the competitive stand point…and it has a lot to do with the farm systems too. Boys in Europe or Latin America head off to be “formed” at 12/13 and sign contracts by 16…..I can’t imagine US parents sending their 12 yr olds to live for soccer…..I guess they do some of that in hockey.

Great to know there is another fan out there….surprised the all the Europeans haven’t chimed in.

Be well

Roberto

Bill W2, it was a great game! Exciting! Bad weekend on the European circuit for me, Man City lost and Barca tied….

Champions league up the next couple of days!

Be well,

Roberto

Hi

I guess I don’t really count as a “fan” but living in Germany (in Bavaria, no less), it’s simply a part of life. I go to local games sometimes and watch CL games on TV, read the results, and can chat superficially about the weekend matches (but, being American, I honestly don’t understand the game 100%, lol). My daughter, however, has a crush on Thomas Müller 😉

Hi Football (I.e. soccer!) fans!

My team, here in the UK, is Bristol City! We have had our ups and downs over the years: got promoted in the 2014/2015 season: found the new division (the Championship) a tough step-up, but we hope that, with our new manager, we are on our way further up!

(My other team is Barca: even saw them play a couple of years ago when on holiday in Spain: 8-2 winners against Santos in the Pre-season Gamper trophy!)

Rich F

Hi Guys,

I did something dreadful in a former life and was made to suffer by being a Southampton (Saints) fan since I was knee high to a grasshopper. We have definitely been up and down in our lives and some people say that the only thing in our trophy room is the carpet. Not strictly true as we did win the FA Cup, a six aside competition and the Jonhson’s Paint Trophy. Not quite Manchester United!

I have really given up on football. The players get paid too much (they can only kick with one foot most of them), the fans have to pay too much to get in and there are too many dives in the penalty area. Having said that we are starting our little grandson off early. The attached picture was taken at his christening! His dad is Canadian and, fortunately, there aren’t too many ice hockey rinks near us!

I couldn’t watch American Football as it stops and starts too much. I did used to sit up late (to watch the Super Bowl) when my son was keen and took him to the first game in England with a college football team. My son used to write to Mick Luckhurst who was a kicker for the Atlanta Falcons having played Rugby (another stupid game) in England as a boy.

Cheers,

Andrew

Well, now this is serious talk. I was born in Lima, Peru and played since the age of 5 (Calichines), also played Varsity College. Attended the infamous game in Lima’s Estadio Nacional (Coloso de José Diaz) between the then amateur national teams of Argentina and Perú, where “Kilo” Lobatón scored the tying goal for Peru on Augustín Cejas (who would go on to become with Racing de Avellaneda Argentina’s first world champions defeating the Glasgow Rangers – Scotland – in what is today the International Clubs Cup). My uncle was a surgeon and at that game in Lima an Uruguayan referee disallowed the goal, which prompted “Negro Bomba” to jump onto the field in pursuit of the referee. What ensued was one of the worse tragedies in the history of soccer, the police shot teargas bombs into the North and South stands, but the stadium’s doors were closed to prevent individuals to enter without tickets. My mother was pregnant with my sister, over 300 people died asphyxiated against the doors, the panicking crowds turned violent and hung a policeman from a tree in the park adjacent to the stadium. We were lucky to get out alive because my uncle had to attend to the wounded and dying. Argentina by the way won and went to the Olympic games.

I attended the “Bombonera” in 1969 for the qualifying match between Argentina and Perú. Argentina needed to win and Perú’s Oswaldo “Cachito” Ramirez scored two goals on Augustin Cejas; 2 goals from the locals were not enough and Perú went on to Mexico 1970. The stadium was quiet, the streets were dead, the country in mourning. When we arrived in Lima the party was still going on all over.

I have attended so many games it seems endless, but the one I remember the most is when my wife and I went to Mexico 1986 (had a friend who had bought a suite in the Azteca in 1969) and we saw Diego Armando Maradona score the second goal against England (despite the first goal’s controversy – Hand of God, etc.), even the British broadcasters were in awe after the dribbling spectacle of getting past seven English opponents including the outstanding goalkeeper Peter Shilton. After the game we went to an Argentine restaurant (with VIP invitations) and met Maradona – what a player!!!

Met Pelé also, and still hold a USSF National Coaching license – in 1987 I hosted a clinic in Albuquerque and brought in Teófilo “Nene” Cubillas. Met Mr. Daglish when he coached Newcastle United (my wife’s grandmother lived in Newcastle Upon Tyne then) and attended their practice sessions where I met Faustino Asprilla (Colombia). After the practices in the old “Cricket Club” we went to St. James Park where Arsenal defeated Newcastle United.

I could fill this entire site with more soccer memories, but I won’t.

On the MLS, suffice it to say that the youth of this country need better coaching and “street” exposure to the game, they need to play “street ball” on their own. The best players in the NBA, NFL, etc. don’t go to pre-programmed 2 hour practices dropped off by Mom (or significant other). They play in the streets, the public playgrounds and pay errors with blood. The same in South America and Europe, players are already “targeted” for the Pro ranks at 12 and 13 years old while our youth is barely treating their pimples. We have a very long way to go and importing recycled stars is not the answer.

Fan of River Plate (beautiful stadium), while also liking Boca’s tradition (this dichotomy is like being a fan of the Lakers and the Celtics at the same time). I like Barcelona but will not forget the marvelous Real Madrid with Alfredo DiStefano (La Saeta Rubia). I like Manchester United for their “Garra”.

Cheers,

Richard

Hi bill, I italian And of course I love soccer. You know italian people is interested in soccer And nothing else ??.. I’m super fan of Juventus
Gladed to see an increasin interest in the states.. How does Pirlo play.. In mls?
Cheers
Ale⚽️⚽️⚽️