From Joe Roth to Adrian Hanauer to Sigi Schmid to players like Mike Fucito Seattle Sounders FC has been quite clear about their goals for this year. Another US Open Cup title will not be enough. It is a consistent organizational chorus that started at the End of Year Business Meeting and is hinted at in most conversations about the upcoming season.

"You are just on loan Dave..."A SALARY CAP FAR, FAR AWAY
In the most uneventful (in a good way) pre-season of Toronto FC's history, we can't help but gaze into the distance at our next meaningful opponent, LA Galaxy. In one of the shrewdest moves in MLS governance, Galaxy persuaded the league to allow them to use Mexican Pesos as their salary cap currency.

Edson Buddle is back. (Getty Images)

Edson Buddle is back in a LA Galaxy uniform. The deal to bring back one of the league's all-time best goal-scorers happened today.

Buddle rejoins the Galaxy after being released from his contract with FC Ingolstadt 04 on Tuesday. Los Angeles maintained his MLS rights following his free transfer to Ingolstadt last January.

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes says that his side cannot afford to drop any more points if they are to successfully defend their La Liga title this season.

Barca were held to a 0-0 draw against Villarreal on Saturday, a result that now leaves them seven points behind league leaders Real Madrid, who recorded a 3-1 win over Real Zaragoza at the weekend.

Homare Sawa and Lionel Messi won the Women's and Men's Player of the Year awards last night

FIFA's annual awards ceremony took place in Zurich last night and there weren't too many surprises as to who would come top of the main awards of the evening.

It was obvious to all of the world and his dog that Lionel Messi would come to win the Player of the Year award in 2011 following yet another truly successful twelve months with his club FC Barcelona.

Messi celebrates second goal against Osasuna in Copa del Rey (Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barcelona kicked off 2012 the way they finished 2011: with goals.

On the back of a 4-0 FIFA Club World Cup Championship victory over Santos and a 9-0 demolition of C.E. L'Hospitalet to wrap up a memorable 2011, Barcelona returned to action without missing a beat, defeating Osasuna 4-0 at the Camp Nou in their first match of the new year.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has at last re-signed for the Gunners, it has just been announced. The deal was concluded in time for the Frenchman to be eligible to play in Monday's FA Cup clash with Leeds although doubts remain about his match fitness.

Henry has left speculators, pundits and critics undecided about the impact this might have on the Arsenal squad.

The imminent resigning of Arsenal Legend Thierry Daniel Henry has left speculators, pundits and critics undecided about the impact this might have on the Arsenal squad. It is easy to overlook the Wenger & Henry combination which has proved to be successful on and off for approximately twenty years.

There's a bevy of beautiful 'ballers across multiple domestic leagues who desperately need medical assistance.

We've already written our recommended rehab prescriptions, and now all we ask is for some expert(s) in the field who can responsibly oversee their care and return them to fighting fit form.

Borussia Dortmund has one of the world's up-and-coming stars in its grasp, and the defending Bundesliga champions aren't planning on letting him go.

Dortmund plans to keep 19-year-old playmaker Mario Goetze for at least another season despite major transfer interest, the club's sporting director said to German media.

2011 has gone past us and we all are looking forward to the new year, 2012 with hope. The past year was something like a rollercoaster ride - the financial turbulence, a slew of nature's fury at various parts of world, the fight for democracy at other parts all made it a wonderful ride.

A little over a decade ago, South Melbourne FC took part in the FIFA Club World Championship as champions of Oceania, trying their luck in a group containing England's Manchester United, Brazil's Vasco da Gama and Mexico's Nexaca. South Melbourne could then claim to be Australia's most successful club, winners of four National Soccer League titles.

2011 Year of the Neymar is a post from: Just Football

He struts with the cocksure swagger of a born star and not only that, he can play a bit too. 2011 can be seen as the year Neymar truly broke through on the world stage. Just Football's man in Brazil Paulo Freitas looks back at the year of the mohawked one:

Neymar has been hyped since he was a youth player, but he finally established himself as Brazil's new big star in the 2011 season, shining in most competitions.

Villa-Villa-Villa, Villa Maravilla! Road to recovery begins for Spain's kid is a post from: Just Football

David Villa is not the most controversial of footballers. If you're the type of fan that likes his players a little rough around the edges, or the type for whom players only register when they do something out of the ordinary the Barcelona striker may rarely even register.

Barcelona beating up on small club like Hospitalet in the Round of 32 of the Copa Del Rey didn't exactly come as a surprise, but when a Barca side with mostly reserves puts on a nine-goal masterpiece, it still becomes beautiful soccer worth watching.

The reigning Club World Cup champions should face a much tougher test in the Copa Del Rey in the quarters, where a likely meeting with Real Madrid awaits, but the 9-0 rout of L'Hospitalet serves as a reminder of just how dangerous Barca can be.

FC Barcelona resumed domestic action last night following their triumph in the FIFA Club World Cup and helped themselves to a 9-0 rout over third tier side L'Hospitalet in the Round of 32 of the Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup).

Barcelona, who already led 1-0 from the first leg of this tie, played a relatively strong side against their Catalonian neighbours and had Pedro to thank for getting the ball rolling after just 11 minutes when converting a penalty to open the scoring.

Beckham's best option is to stay with the Los Angeles Galaxy and help establish it among the world's elite teams.
In LA, he has the chance to go to the FIFA Club World Cup and build the Galaxy's reputation.

There are only a handful of games across the soccer world on Thursday, but a pretty crucial one is taking place at White Hart Lane, where Chelsea and Tottenham do battle in a London derby (3 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes).

Tottenham sits in third place in the Premier League, two points ahead of the Blues with a game in hand.

By Eric Beard

"Pelé doesn't know sh*t."

That was Sid Lowe's response to James Richardson's teasing statement on The Guardian's Football Weekly Podcast. Richardson, of course, was referencing Pelé's opinion that Neymar is better than Lionel Messi.

FIFA's Club World Cup is again taking football down the wrong alley. FIFA is looking at the financial gains in organizing this competition instead of prioritizing the 3 key points that matter most:

• Stay close to the fans of the competing clubs
• Bring back the passion of a 2 leg competition in the home stadiums of the 2 finalists
• Limit this to a European vs South American champion final (until other continents reach the same level of football excellence)

Instead of that, the current edition is played in the neutral grounds of Japan or UAE for so-called football promotion efforts and some degree of sponsorship pressure (thanks Toyota.

Barcelona have announced that striker David Villa has underwent successful surgery, on his broken left leg on Monday and doctors said it would take him four to five months to recover. Quick question on that. Has any club every announced unsuccessful surgery?

"The surgery went fantastically well," Barca doctor Ricard Pruna said.

A coaching change at FC Ingolstadt led to an early winter break for Edson Buddle, who was sent home until the new year. The U.S. national team striker isn't going to lay around doing nothing during the German winter break though. He has headed to London, where he will spend a week training with West Ham United.

FC Barcelona World Champions (Photo: Getty Images)

Another scintillating performance by Leo Messi saw Barcelona dismantle Brazil's Santos 4-0 to claim the FIFA Club World Cup Championship.

Barca enter the record books as the only club to ever win the tournament twice, giving Pep Guardiola his 13th trophy since taking over at the helm in 2008.

Things today that have some others worked into a tizzy, but that leave me saying, "Meh ..."

• FIFA Club World Cup
• El-Hadji Diouf (linked by France press to a potential L.A. Galaxy move), who would be on his eight club in 10 years, an cautionary sign
• Pretty much any MLS-related transfer reports that come out of France
• Mock MLS drafts
• American soccer players / coaches who don fake English accents
• Video clips of goals set to music (the truly great strikes don't need the extra umph)
• Series finales that leave more unresolved than resolved (that's for Homeland fans)

Barca duly wrapped up the 2011 Club World Cup in Yokohama on Sunday with a one-sided 4-0 win over South American champions Santos in front of a full house of 68,166 fans.
The team from Sao Paulo in Brazil had looked likely to provide stiffer opposition than they eventually offered after their impressive 3-1 win over J-League champions Kashiwa Reysol in the semi-final on Wednesday at Toyota Stadium.

By Chris Wright

Immediately after winning the Club World Cup, Lionel Messi was spirited over into the pitchside studio where, like many thousands of Westerners before him, he had his mind assaulted and obliterated by Japanese television...

"Not sure if awake.

By Chris Wright

Key: actual size

You could've been forgiven for thinking that yesterday's Club World Cup final between Barcelona and Santos was some kind of two-man earthworm-charming contest the way 'You Know Who A' and 'You Know Who B' were mercilessly hyped before kick-off, but it proved that young Neymar spent a dismal afternoon in Lionel Messi's shadow as Barca rolled over Brazil's finest in Yokohama.

Barcelona won the FIFA Club World Cup for the second time in three years on Sunday with a commanding victory over Brazilian side Santos.Lionel Messi scored twice to cap a brilliant performance and Cesc Fabregas and Xavi also got on the scoresheet in a one-sided contest in Yokohama.

Barcelona, who were without striker David Villa after he broke the shinbone in his left leg in their 4-0 semi-final victory over Al-Sadd.

FC Barcelona capped a dream year by winning a second Club World Cup title in three years, but their performance in Sunday's 4-0 thrashing of Santos took the game of soccer to another level.

South American champions Santos didn't stand a chance as Barcelona dominated play from start to finish, showing off their trademark passing attack and providing more evidence to the argument that this Barcelona side might be the best club team ever.

Barcelona are officially the best team in the world after winning the FIFA Club World Cup thanks to a 4-0 win over Santos. Lionel Messi helped himself to two goals with midfielders Xavi and Cesc Fabregas gabbing a goal each to round off a fantastic performance and a well deserved 4-0 win. The win is [.

FC BARCELONA proclaimed themselves the 2011 "FIFA Club World Cup Champion" after defeating Brazilian Club SANTOS 0 - 4. Its the second title of this character for Barça which won their last back in 2009 in Qatar. Lionel Messi FC Barcelona demonstrated - if there was any doubt - that the Club is currently the "Best in the World", & their midfielder LIONEL MESSI once again raised for the

FC Barcelona were crowned the 2011 World Club Champions following a brilliant 4-0 victory against South American Champions Santos. The battle between the Champiosn of Europe and Champiosn of South America were a mismatch with Barca controlling the proceedings for the majority of match.

It may not have been the most difficult challenge that FC Barcelona would have to face in their quest to become FIFA Club World Cup winners. That, however, did not dampen the celebrations as the Spanish and European champions strolled their way past a poor Santos FC team courtesy of a 4-0 victory.

Santos vs Barcelona 2011 Highlights 0-4 Video Goals Messi Xavi Fabregas Club World Cup Final is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Santos vs Barcelona 2011 Highlights 0-4 Video Goals Messi Xavi Fabregas Club World Cup Final is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Santos vs Barcelona 2011 ( Santos Barca Club World Cup final video below) Final score and result:- Santos vs Barcelona 0-4 ( Lionel Messi*2, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas) Nissan Stadium, [.

Though the game is being played while much of the United States is still asleep, the Club World Cup Final between Barcelona and Santos is promising to be must-see football.

The battle between the reigning European and South American champions will feature some serious star power, with Lionel Messi and Neymar grabbing most of the headlines.

The trophy that sets Man United apart from Liverpool, but why doesn't anyone in Britain care?

A look at British clubs' history in the Club World Cup and its forerunner the Intercontinental Cup/World Club Cup

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-12-18 08:10:00 from: Talksport

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Real Madrid will go into the Spanish winter break with a three-point advantage over Barcelona after a 6-2 win at Sevilla.

With Barça away in Japan playing in the FIFA Club World Cup duty, José Mourinho's side took full advantage and went in front through Cristiano Ronaldo. José Callejón doubled the lead on 37 minutes, with Ronaldo's spectacular strike making it 3-0.

Real Madrid will go into the Spanish winter break with a three-point advantage over Barcelona after a 6-2 win at Sevilla.

With Barça away in Japan playing in the FIFA Club World Cup duty, José Mourinho's side took full advantage and went in front through Cristiano Ronaldo. José Callejón doubled the lead on 37 minutes, with Ronaldo's spectacular strike making it 3-0.

On Sunday morning if you happen to be in Western Europe the champions of world club football will be crowned, as the final of the 2011 Club World Cup is played at the International Stadium in Yokohama between Barcelona, the current champions of Europe, and Santos of Brazil, the current champions of South America.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, ahead of its team's Club World Cup semifinal, spoke with FIFA.com, sharing his views on topics such as tactics:
"People talk about tactics, but when you look at it, tactics are just players. You change things so that the team can get the most out of the skills they have to offer, but you don't go any further than that.