Soccer, Come on Down: Carey Says You're Gonna Win

Viewership is soaring ahead of all-star game

(NEWSER) - After years of intermittent sniffling, Americans may finally be catching soccer fever, the Wall Street Journal reports: Some 4 million watched the US men’s team almost beat Brazil last month; some 2 million are likely to attend games featuring top European teams this summer; Seattle’s Major League Soccer team pulls in more attendees on average than its baseball team. More»

Turns down millions more to play in Europe

(NEWSER) - David Beckham will be an Angeleno for at least another couple years: The English soccer star has signed a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy, turning down an offer from a French club in order to return to Major League Soccer. That deal, from Paris-St. Germain, was for 18 months and worth $18.7 million. His deal with the Galaxy is reportedly worth just $15 million, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»

(NEWSER) - David Beckham's return to Major League Soccer was booed by sections of the crowd in Giants Stadium as the Galaxy demolished the New York Red Bulls last night, the Los Angeles Times reports. Beckham, under fire for criticizing the US game during his time on loan to AC Milan, failed to score, but played a solid role in midfield and appeared to take the boos in stride. More»

(NEWSER) - Try putting a European soccer match and an American baseball game on split screen sometime and looking at the stands. You’ll notice a bunch of standing soccer fans, and a lot of sitting baseball spectators. Austin Kelley set out to explain that phenomenon for the Wall Street Journal, finding much in the history of the games, and the cultures around them. More»

AC Milan hopes to wrest soccer star from LA Galaxy

(NEWSER) - Soccer virtuoso David Beckham may have kicked his last ball in the US, reports the Los Angeles Times. The midfielder is on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan until March, and the boss of the Italian club has said he would welcome Beckham with "open arms"—and a permanent deal—if he can wriggle his way out of his American contract. More»