By the age of 24, Miguel Almirón was champion in Paraguay, Argentina and the US. Now he’s facing his greatest challenge at Newcastle
Tag: mls
Why Major League Soccer needs Wayne Rooney far more than Zlatan Ibrahimović
When the City of Angels heard it would be adding Zlatan Ibrahimović to its medley of celebrities, the football world was sent into a frenzy. A return from what might have been…
Wayne Rooney and the surprise England return
Wayne Rooney will make a surprise return to the England set-up after the FA decided to honour the former national team captain in a friendly against the United States this month. Rooney,…
Bradley Wright-Phillips and the making of an MLS legend
As the ball squirmed under the arms of DC United goalkeeper David Ousted, the travelling New York Red Bulls fans knew they were witnessing a moment of history. Bradley Wright-Phillips, the one…
Josef Martínez: the Venezuelan hotshot breaking MLS records and raising eyebrows for Atlanta United
Speed, strength, accuracy and a fair amount of deception are all part of a good baseball pitcher’s arsenal. Atlanta United’s Josef Martínez displayed some of these traits as he threw a few…
Wayne Rooney, Major League Soccer and supporting a team that doesn’t care about winning
It was obvious that Kobe Bryant had lost it in his final season as a Los Angeles Laker. Despite averaging 15.7 points a game, Bryant shot a career-low 31.5 percent, even leading…
Why don’t most Major League Soccer franchises play their academy starlets?
AMONGST THE FURY of zLAtan deservedly gripping Major League Soccer, a few storylines went unnoticed in the country. Chicago Fire spent millions of dollars on Bastian Schweinsteiger, one of the league’s most…
Emperor Cuauhtémoc Blanco
This feature was originally published in the Mexico issue of These Football Times magazine. Consider supporting our wholly independent work and bag yourself a timeless magazine that’ll bring your coffee table to life.…
How a culture of producing athletes and accepting mediocrity turned me off the US game
WHEN THE US lost to Trinidad and Tobago in October 2017 a classic debate about football in America came to the fore. Would the failure to reach the World Cup effectively kill…
Major League Soccer and the lasting legacy of Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair
IN 1893, the World’s Fair: Columbian Exposition was held in the city of Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ maiden voyage across the Atlantic. Officially shortened to the Columbian…
Thierry Henry and the rise to become the modern striking blueprint
Growing up as a Manchester United fan in the era of the Arsenal Invincibles, I perhaps would have been excused for disliking Thierry Henry. The Frenchman was the archetypal player to strike fear…
Welcome to the manufactured but appealing world of Los Angeles FC
WHEN YOU THINK of Los Angeles, what do you think of? Most would probably name Hollywood, celebrities, and a sense of how the other half live. Los Angeles carries a glamorous reputation…
US Soccer and the re-imagining of an elitist culture
When I was 15 I moved from my wealthy suburban club to play for a Croatian side in the city of Chicago. Not only was the creative style of play more suited…
Why Major League Soccer is looking to Sweden for a boom in quality
DURING THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY, 1.3 million Swedes set off for the United States, leaving northern Europe’s largest country in order to start a new life. Such was the…
Spencer Owen and Hashtag United: the revolution will not be televised
SPENCER OWEN’S ‘SPENCER FC’ YouTube channel boasts almost two million subscribers. That’s a lot of people. The online activities of this charismatic West Ham fan include video blogs based around the loyal…
Columbus Crew, Major League Soccer and relocating the idea of the community football club
IN ACT 1 OF SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT, we’re introduced to the character of Orsino, and the pursuit of his idealised Olivia. In a noble speech, Orsino’s love of Olivia seems to be…
Meet Paul Lapointe, the man aiming to shake up the American game as USSF president
Paul Lapointe is a candidate for USSF president, looking to making widespread changes for a better future for the American game. Join host Jim Hart and senior writer Jon Townsend as they…
Deconstructing the American game and the problems so many thought never existed
FOR THE AMERICAN GAME AT-LARGE – from every conceivable angle – nothing is what it seems. A diverse country with vast amounts of resources and a well-established sporting infrastructure has ensured these…