NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Young teams from the U.S. and Mexico got their first taste of the cross-border soccer rivalry Tuesday and the advantage clearly went to the Americans.

Defender Matt Miazga seized on the emotion of the moment to bait Mexico's Angel Zaldivar into a red card and four minutes later teenager Tyler Adams scored the game's only ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Galaxy have long been the model against which the rest of MLS measured itself.

They have won the most titles and the most games. They fielded the best players, from Landon Donovan, Cobi Jones and Carlos Ruiz to David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

In short, they have been successful, stable and ...Read more

SEATTLE -- After weeks of back-and-forth discussions between his representatives and the Sounders, star forward Clint Dempsey on Wednesday morning announced his retirement at age 35.

Dempsey leaves tied for the team's all-time goals record with Fredy Montero at 47 and also as one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform in this country....Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- In the past two weeks we've seen La Liga announce a deal to bring league games to the United States. We've also seen Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt strike a deal to move his team to Austin, Texas.

Two stories, two different leagues, united by a single thread: Soccer leagues don't care about their fans.

Begin with La Liga, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- When Kyle Martino lost his bid for U.S. Soccer president in February, he did not lose his energy to grow the sport's foundations here. He simply needed a new outlet for it.

During his campaign, Martino met Lawrence Cann, CEO of Street Soccer USA, an organization that runs soccer tournaments for underprivileged kids and adults in...Read more

MOSCOW -- How else should one of the most wild, unpredictable and entertaining World Cups in recent memory end, but with one of the wildest, most unpredictable and entertaining finals in recent memory.

France and Croatia followed that script perfectly in a game that included an own goal, a penalty-kick goal, video replay and a goalkeeper gaffe ...Read more

MOSCOW -- To the French national motto liberte, egalite, fraternite you can probably go ahead and add diversite, at least as far as its soccer team is concerned.

Because at a time of rising xenophobia and an anti-immigrant backlash on both sides of the Atlantic, France has made it to Sunday's World Cup final against Croatia with one of the most...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Belgium earned its highest World Cup finish by beating England, 2-0, in the third-place match on Saturday in St. Petersburg. The goals came from Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard, once in each half.

"These players didn't want to rely on talent anymore, wanted to work as a team," said Belgium coach Roberto Martinez, who ...Read more

MOSCOW -- There has never been a World Cup final between such widely disparate teams as the France-Croatia matchup on Sunday.

France is an established soccer power, playing in its third title game in 20 years. With a population of 67 million, it has sent 204 players to the World Cup since 2002, the most of any country. And its national team ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Nothing conveys Roberto Martinez's obsession with his job better than the way he outfitted his Liverpool, England, home while he was coaching at Everton.

Flat-screen TVs hung from the walls on opposite sides of the living room and in the middle stood a sofa, its seats pointing in different directions. Martinez would ...Read more