Lasting Legacy: Christopher Ortega
Christopher Ortega grew up on the soccer fields of San Diego and SoCal. When Christopher was a young player, his father, Dan Ortega, coached and mentored him from a recreational level all the way to Nado Select in Coronado. As Christopher grew and his talent flourished, he went on to play for Nomads Soccer Club, Surf Soccer, Arsenal FC, and LA Galaxy Academy. He […]
How APFC is changing the way youth players learn the game in Southern California
I’m sitting with Co Founder of APFC, Bernat Franquesa. His program includes camps, training and private lessons, player video analysis, cognitive virtual reality, European tours, consulting for youth clubs/academies and courses for coaches. Full disclaimer: I have known and spent time on the pitch with Bernat for the past 3 years. His vision is clear […]
ICC Futures Update: LAFC Slammers to Face Barcelona in Semi-Final Sat Dec14
The ICC Futures tournament is rolling into Semi-Finals on December 14th at the IMG Academy in Florida In a re-match of last year’s ECNL championship match, LAFC Slammers faced off against East Coast powerhouse PDA on Thursday December 12th during ICC Futures group play. PDA topped LAFC Slammers in the ECNL final 3-2 earlier this […]
“Talent is Overrated.” A Comparison of Three of the World’s Top GU17 Strikers
At the time of this article’s original publishing, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup was less than 100 days away. The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) will be fighting to defend their world title and earn their fourth star. An easy path to the final does not exist. While the rest of the women’s soccer […]
FC Barcelona to Open World Class Academy in New York
FC Barcelona, one of the world’s most iconic clubs, has announced plans to open and operate a state of the art facility on New York’s Long Island. This will be the first ever fully-owned FC Barcelona youth soccer academy in the United States, and will educate the next generation of American soccer players using the […]
Around the World with a Six Pack
It was a wild weekend back from the international break, with clubs all over the world getting back to business in their respective leagues. Here are six of the best stories from around the globe. Balo’s Brace After saying publicly that joining Liverpool was “the worst decision of my life”, Mario Balotelli found some remnants […]
Why ISIS Declared War on Soccer
By ANDRÉS MARTINEZ It’s not surprising that the crazed “Soldiers of the Caliphate” terrorists selected the France-Germany soccer match at the Stade de France as the central target in their assault on Paris. For starters, the match was a high-profile attraction bringing together 80,000 fans, including French President François Hollande, in a tight space. And, […]