Los cuatro grandes.
Giovanni Alcocer: www.extracancha.com
Hasta la saciedad se ha dicho que Cruz Azul, América, Pumas y Guadalajara son los equipos grandes del futbol mexicano Mucha gente ha puesto en tela de juicio esta afirmación: Toluca, por ejemplo, tiene más campeonatos que los pumas; Pachuca estuvo apunto de conseguir la misma hazaña.

In Part 1, I described how the 2006 World Cup drew me into football. With the World Cup finished, I was hungry for more. I turned to the English Premier League to slake my thirst...

Part 2: Inhaling the Premier League...

When the World Cup ended I went into withdrawel.

As it seems is now legally required of footballers, Fernando Torres has an autobiography coming out titled "El Nino: My Story". The Mirror was able to get an early look at the book, which details his transition from Madrid to Liverpool, and they share some choice passages.

On learning a new language:

"Two people were vital during my first few days in the city: Rob and Alan, the English teachers Liverpool laid on for me.

Back in the 1950s and 60s, the Southend Odeon was THE place in south Essex to see not just nationally, but internationally famous acts and groups. Doubling up as a cinema and an auditorium, the Odeon - on Southend High Street - was consistently putting on major shows and acts to more than 2,000 people at a time.

"Liverpool have The Beatles and Manchester have Oasis. I think Manchester has the better band."
Cristiano Ronaldo is not such a big Fab Four fan.

"I don't like John Terry and I never have. He's got funny eyes and he's a cry baby. He's also a Cockney."
Man City fan Noel Gallagher is uncharacteristically outspoken as he list the reasons why he doesn't want John Terry at Eastlands.

My brother has had my brain racing since last week when he asked - What are your top 5 all-time Beatles Songs? Of course he knows my love of Top 5 lists - and The Beatles are the best music...

Wednesday night marked the debut of the best woman footballer at Santos. In a friendly match, her club defeated Comercial from Mato Grosso 10-0, and she scored twice. The most remarkable, however, was how she drove fans crazy, as if she belonged to The Beatles. Even the players of Comercial took pictures with her, as you can see it.

What a bizarre story I came across the other day. Here's a sample:

BEATLES legend John Lennon was once a talented footballer with dreams of playing for Liverpool.
The band's original drummer Pete Best has told how Lennon, shot dead in 1980, always had a ball at his feet before the band found fame.

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel hopes to show next season that he is ready to fulfil his potential.
The Dutchman was regarded as an exciting prospect for the future when he arrived at Anfield from Ajax in 2007.
He has shown glimpses of his ability but has struggled to hold down a regular starting spot and realises it is now time to deliver.

Everyone gets a Michael Owen brochure. But who really needs one? Will everybody stop linking JT to Man City? Lorient unveils a horrendous new kit. So we counter with your favorites. CR9 is the new Beatles. A big American gets a big move.

As Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard is apparently taking new teammate Glen Johnson under his wing and helping him adjust to his new home. The following is a transcript of one of their recent conversations.

Gerrard: Feel free to ask me anything you may be pondering about, Glen.

Ives had a pretty cool idea the other day. Instead of bringing in an outside team for a exhibition in the MLS all-star game, how about this:
American MLS stars (Landon, Keller, etc.) v. World MLS stars (Blanco, Ljungberg, etc.).
Take a look at the link for some full teams...
Now the other links:

• Portsmouth takeover done.

Dimitar Berbatov is enjoying his first pre-season as a Manchester United player and described the reaction towards the squad as being like that towards The Beatles. Sir Alex Ferguson says it's not just the new players who are taken aback by the reaction but the more experienced and even himself.

"But its not just them," Fergie admitted.

Did you know that between 1898 and 1935, the Southend area was home to 30 cinemas? Entertainment really boomed in this town - first the silent movies, then black and white flicks, the live acts and then colour film.
Many auditoriums were grand and lavish inside. The Astoria on Southend High Street - which opened four years before the start of World War 2 - seated an incredible 2,750 paying customers.

I don't know what Fergie has been drinking or smoking, but whatever it is it appears to have affected his memory because his comment that Liverpool has always been the derby is totally way off beam. Fergie doesn't like Liverpool, that much is clear - and neither do the Red Army. However, while we despise most things from the wrong end of the East Lancs Road (Rooney and the Beatles excluded), the

I had some other topics to write about today, like Oscar De La Hoya's retirement or the Dynamo's Soccer Night Out promotion. But then I remembered what today is. If you are reading this you are in no doubt a soccer fan. And if you're a soccer fan then you should know today marks 20 years since the tragedy in Hillsborough.

Ascot United 2 Wokingham & Emmbrook 1 - Hellenic League, Division 1 (East)
Hellenic League
Ascot is a small town within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting.

Goldenballs launches his new Armani ad One would imagine The Beatles occasionally got tired of writing new songs only to have them drowned out by the screams of young women whenever they tried to play them. Likewise David Beckham. Well, he hasn't written a new ditty, but he did want to tell everyone how high confidence [.

Last year, Tim tried valiantly to chronicle the downfall, but gave up a week in. He hadn't yet even gotten to this one, but I don't know if any of them hold a candle to this one, Ode To A Koala Bear.

Yes, you read that correctly. Ode To A Koala Bear. Proceed with caution.

What's even scarier is that this piece of crap is the B-side to his hit duet with Michael Jackson, Say Say Say.

"Liverpool have The Beatles and Manchester have Oasis. I think Manchester has the better band."

Cristiano Ronaldo showing why he is better off playing football.

Hay partidos electrizantes y que no se pueden perder para los aficionados del Liverpool FC, uno de ellos es contra el Manchester United y hay otro que es el derby del puerto que vio nacer a The Beatles: contra el Everton.

Nando's caterpillar needed fine-tuning

Terrific, feature-length interview with El Nino on Liverpool's official website today, in which he manages to mention John Lennon, The Beatles and Albert Dock. No mention for Jimmy Tarbuck or Cilla though the times, they have a changed.

Green Fields of England was written in support of England at the World Cup in 2010. In the lyrics we hoped to capture and celebrate, the pride that an Englishman has for England, its character, and its football team.
This song is for England, not the UK or GB. My late Grandfather did serve in both world wars, and that line is for him.

La vida de Miguel Ángel fue fascinante. En realidad, todo lo que haya sucedido en una época tan prolífica para el arte y la cultura como el Renacimiento merece ser conocido. No es mi intención aburrirlos ni desviarlos de tema, pero lo visto esta noche me recuerda mucho a mis años como estudiante de primaria y a esas esquivas clases de Historia del Arte para cualquier adolescente en proceso, con otras preocupaciones lógicas en la mente.