Collecting enamel football badges or soccer pins.

The collecting of enamel badges or medals is not a recent phenomenon; however it is only in the last few years that they have received the attention they deserve. Should a collector choose to focus on enamel football badges there are many categories of badges to choose from. Areas of interest include: Premiership football clubs, Championship teams, Division One, Division Two, FA Stewards badges, referees badges, Football Association badges (County FA's etc). Alternatively, you may choose to collect Welsh or Scottish enamel badges. Another option is that of Non-league clubs, these enamel badges can be socially and historically interesting they often highlight connections between sport and local industry. Many older badges can now fetch a premium price while later additions remain affordable. Football is a team sport that is recognised around the world. While football may appear to have a universal meaning the term has been applied to a number of different, but related team competitions. Throughout the English speaking world a friendly rivalry exists due to different kinds of football played. Association football or soccer as it is also known is the most common and widely played form of the game. However, North America is renowned for American football which resembles another form of the game that is called rugby. Rugby football is played in many countries but its associations are strongest in the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Rugby football is divided into two categories or codes Rugby Union and Rugby League.To complicate things further the term football is also applied to Australian Rules and Gaelic football.

www.sportskerlectables.com Enamel badges offer a modestly priced collecting field for anyone interested in social history and sport. They can be displayed relatively easily and decoratively without taking too much room. Enamel badges were not only manufactured for sporting events, indeed their association with sport was probably influenced by their introduction in the work place and political arena. www.sportskerlectables.com

Major League Soccer - Then and Now

With it's primary goal to be the world's most competitive and prestigious soccer league, along with one of America's premier sports and entertainment properties, Major League Soccer is a large part of worldwide soccer news and is making great strides toward accomplishing it's objective. With 6 teams making up the Eastern Conference and an equal number featured in the Western Conference, Major League Soccer is going strong with 12 clubs in only it's 11th season.

However, soccer news recalls that the league has made great achievements since it's inception in 1993. It's inaugural season began in 1995 and soccer news stirred around the new formation of teams, event locations and new players. In 1996, soccer news reported the League's first player draft and spring training. As attendance continued to grow, ESPN began televising soccer news and popularity soared across the nation. During this year, more soccer news reports and members of the media began covering MLS events. Supporters turned out in large fashion to catch a glimpse of their favorite teams and players.

In 1998, Major League Soccer underwent it's first expansion season, which meant big changes for the League. With the addition of two teams, which brought the club count from it's original 10 to the 12, soccer news introduced the latest League members as Chicago and Miami. Both teams proved powerful during their first year as they advanced to the playoffs. The following year, in 1999, Columbus Crew Stadium officially opened as the first major league stadium in the United States that was constructed specifically for soccer. It's presence paid off as thousands of fans packed the house to watch featured competitions.

In 2002, Major League Soccer removed 2 of their 12 clubs from the roster and once again returned to 10 teams. Tampa Bay and Miami were no longer League teams, but were replaced in 2004 with other expansion teams. Real Salt Lake and Club Deportivo Chivas USA joined the League and brought the club number back up to it's current 12 teams.

The clubs of Major League Soccer consist of both domestic and international competitors. With such a diverse roster, players are constantly being featured in soccer news magazines, soccer news televised programs and interviews.

Today, Major League Soccer continues to gain in popularity in the United States and around the world. Cheering fans, exciting competitions and major soccer news coverage are among the many indications that Major League Soccer is here to stay.

SportsNews24h.com offers real time Major League Soccer news and many other sports news including Italian soccer news.

Brazilian men's national soccer team dominance takes a new complexion

Brazilian dominance in soccer takes a new complexion. There used to be a time when the Brazilian men's national soccer team were of average size and build. They were small (shorter), fast and skillful. Diminutive in stature but this did not apply to their technical and tactical abilities.

The team might appear to line up in some formal positional formation and set up. Once the game starts it is an all positions for everybody on the team. They seem to play a 1 (goalkeeper) -10 (field) as all the players are in constant motion and are able to play off of each other at any time. The team members do however have certain defensive responsibilities and are accountable for their respective areas.
They truely understand "the game" and are ready to be spontaneous as well as volatile.
The Brazilian team seems to make the opponents play catch up and defensively throughout most of the contest.
A goal scoring opportunity can come from any where and any one on the field and at any time.
The only thing that you can predict is that the goalkeeper will not leave the 18 yard box to act as a forward and score some goals.

Ronaldinho has just acquired his second FIFA international player of the year award in a row. Does he deserve it? Most definitely.
He is a pleasure to observe as he sets up most of his team mates to lead his current team FC Barcelona to the top of the Spanish "La Liga".

Now add the goalkeeper Dida who has been a major part of his team's successes, in the back and Adriano up front who has seemed to be totally unstoppable goal scoring machine on the forward line for the Italian "Serie A", Roberto Carlos on the left where he still has a command on the free kicks, and Ronaldo the task master who often and still shows flashes of brilliance in the mix and you have a fortress of power and abilities few can match.

I think the ball got rolling with the the introduction of Junior Biano as a defenseman in 1998. With the exception of France his presence was a dominant deterant for other teams.
The latest big man to join him is Lucio

Brazil found mass to be a compliment to all their other strengths. It would appear that they have continued to build from there. The average weight of their national team has increased without diminishing their agility and manouverability. Although not a necessity, muscle mass has been a factor in other team sports. This might be true in modern Futbol as speed has become an over-riding factor to the game in the last 15 years. Most of the elite players are also playing in the Italian and Spanish premier leagues and on similar if not the same teams. They are learning from each other by being rivals and combats as well as compatriots.

Here are the possible candidates for the next world cup roster for Brazil.

Goalkeepers:

DIDA, J?LIO C?SAR, Defenders:

CAFU, CICINHO, EDM?LSON, GILBERTO Melo, JUAN, L?CIO, ROBERTO CARLOS da Silva, Jos? V?tor ROQUE J?NIOR,

Midfielders:

EMERSON Ferreira, GILBERTO Silva, JUNINHO Pernambucano, KAKA', RENATO, Z? ROBERTO,

Forwards:

ADRIANO, J?lio BAPTISTA, Ricardo OLIVEIRA, ROBINHO, RONALDO, RONALDINHO Ga?cho

A team can only be as good as it is a team and is coached as a team.
A team can only be good if all the members play for the team and with the team.
It does NOT matter how many stars you have and how big the egos or the payroll is either. Win as a team and lose as a team.

Steve September of On The Ball Soccer Training has been involved in soccer for over forty years and on three continents.
As a player, player coach and high performance coach Steve wants to share the knowledge and experiences with all people involved in all levels of the soccer scene. Delve into more of the philosophy and information at; http://www.soccertrainingskills.com/SouthAmericanSoccer.html