There are some players that carry the greatest burdens of all. The so-called wunderkinds that are expected to arrive at the pantheon of soccer greats and excel there for years. The difficulty in this level expectation is in deciding what is expected of each player and when they will have fulfilled their potential. Not everyone can score the way Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can (in fact none have ever scored at that pace).This has been the shadow following Mario Goetze throughout his still young career. The 22-year-old German has been identified as the next Messi because of his prolific passing and vision as well as his solid scoring.But he has yet to reach that level of indispensability. Throughout last season he was still fighting for a starting position in Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich side; he finished the 2013-14 season with just 20 starts.Now he is as close to indispensable as they come. And that has resulted from his ability to deliver in the clutch. It is that level that has also garnered him his first ever nomination among the 23 finalists for the Ballon d'Or. But does he have what it takes?
Lionel Messi made history when he scored his 70th and 71st career UEFA Champions League goals helping Barcelona beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-0, helping the Spanish club advance into the Round of 16. Barcelona will be joined by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, Ligue 1 champs Paris Saint-Germain and Primeira Liga club Porto in the next phase of the tournament.
Match Day 3 of the 2014-2015 Champions League has come and gone and some interesting narratives have started to appear throughout the groups. Here is a look at how the tournament stands as well as the best and worst teams of the day.
Forty goals were scored on Tuesday, a record for an eight-game night of UEFA Champions League's action that saw Shakhtar Donetsk' Luiz Adriano tie Lionel Messi's record for most goals in a game while Messi got closer to Raul's Champions League career record.
Also, after losing to Poland on Saturday, current World Cup winners Germany struggled yet again ending their game against the Republic of Ireland in 1-1 draw while the Serbia-Albania game is delayed due to a drone interrupting match.
With the 2014 World Cup now in the rear-view, Luke Dempsey's entertaining book "Club Soccer 101" helps new-school soccer fans and sports history wonks learn more about professional club teams from around the world -- including La Liga, Bundesliga, English Premier League (EPL), Liga MX, and Major League Soccer (MLS) -- with his new book further helping them understand the passion of "the beautiful game."
Franck Ribery reiterated on Thursday that he will not play for the France national team again despite the warning issued by UEFA president Michel Platini.
Capitalizing on a surprisingly good run by the Unites States Men's National Team (USMNT) in the 2014 World Cup, as well the recording-breaking ratings for ESPN and Univision, United States Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber discuss the future of MLS and soccer future during Bloomberg Sports Business Summit.
The soccer transfer window gives teams an opportunity to improve twice a year. So where do Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester United rank among the winners and losers of the 2014 summer soccer transfer window? Latin Post.com takes a look.
Xabi Alonso made two huge announcements over the last few days, but only one of them was unexpected. The Basque midfielder announced that he would not only quit his international duty but would also be leaving his current club Real Madrid to try his fortunes with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. Latin Post.com takes a look at why Alonso will be missed by Real Madrid.
The 2014-2015 Champions League group draw took place on Thursday with a number of historic sides meeting in the initial stage of the tournament, and defending champions Real Madrid came away looking good. Latin Post.com breaks down some impressions from the draw.
The UEFA Best Player in Europe award will be presented on Thursday. The finalist are Manuel Neuer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Arjen Robben. Which of these superstars will take home the coveted prize? Latin Post.com takes a look at the favorites and predicts the winner.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola snubbed the traditional handshake after his club absorbed a 2-1 loss during the Major League Soccer All-Star Game on Wednesday night in Portland, Oregon.
In 2013-14, Bayern Munich was expected to be the team to repeat its treble feat from 2012-13, but were met with defeat. Yet things might be different this time around for Bayern Munich. Latin Post.com breaks down why Bayern Munic could go all the way in Champions League this season.
The Champions League qualifiers are currently underway with a number of teams looking to find their way throughout the playoffs and into the group stage. While some of these sides could surprise, the likelihood of any emerging as major title contenders is unlikely at best. Latin Post.com predicts the top teams most likely to make deep runs in the tournament.All this means is that the teams most likely to win it all are already qualified. Here is a look at the teams most likely to make noise at the European showcase.
Real Madrid officially announced last week that German star Toni Kroos would be joining the club. The former Bayern Munich star adds tremendous depth to Real Madrid's the midfield and gives coach Carlo Ancelotti a diverse array of tactical options.
And then there were eight. The final eight teams in the Champions League have been revealed and it has become increasingly clear that this tournament will be one of the most hotly contested in years. Which team is the favorite to win the tournament?
Bayern Munich will head to the quarterfinals of the Champions league after taking down Arsenal 3-1 over the course of three legs. Many have anointed this team the favorite to repeat as Champions and it is hard to ignore that possibility. Under Pep Guardiola, the team has found efficiency in its passing and use of speed that has somehow eclipsed even the loftiest form under Jupp Heynckes. But is the success sustainable this year? Or is there another team that can take down the mighty Bavarians.
