Featured image: Bobby Moore, Gerry Francis and Pele before the Team America vs. England game at JFK

The news that PPL Park will be host the 2012 MLS All-Star Game means that Philadelphia will be the host of a major pro sport All-Star event for the first time since the NBA came to town in 2002.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

With every passing year, the format for the MLS All-Star Game seems to continue to be a point of contention among fans and media, but even with that, the 2012 version won't be providing any drastic changes.

While officially awarding this year's game to Philadelphia, the league announced that it will maintain its unique MLS vs.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

The New York Red Bulls began the season playing as advertised, producing a high-octane style of play, outpossessing teams and using their cavalcade of international stars to try and overpower the opposition.

The writing is on the wall for Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez who has become increasingly ostracized following his refusal to play during his clubs' 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. Premier League managers, international stars, pundits and journalists everywhere have moved to strongly condemn the Argentine's actions and calls for the striker to be punished [.

The Belgians have never lacked for individual talent and the present side have a number of names that are already established international stars like Vincent Kompany, Maroaune Fellaini, and Thomas Vermaelen.

Others like Eden Hazard, the winger strongly linked to Arsenal, Alex Witsel, Moussa Dembele, Steven Defour, and Dries Mertens are stars in the making.

Samuel Eto'o completes curious move to Russia - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Inter Milan have sold striker Samuel Eto'o to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for a fee of £21.8 million. Eto'o will become the highest paid footballer in the world at £17.9m per season. Makhachkala are attempting to become a Russian and European power by spending large amounts of cash on international stars.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) has revealed an iconic lineup of international stars that will help launch EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 12, winner of 20 "Best Sports Game of E3" awards, including the prestigious E3 Game Critics award. Headlining the group of players is Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Real Madrid's Kaká, who will [.

Former U.S. men's national team stars Brian McBride and Brad Friedel will be among the list of standouts who will suit up for the New York Cosmos in the Paul Scholes Testimonial Match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Aug. 5th (on Fox Soccer Channel).

Scholes will be playing in his final match for Manchester United, ending one of the most impressive careers in the club's storied history, and the New York Cosmos is putting together a star-studded squad to face Scholes and United in that final match.

The former Netherlands star, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who captained his country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, will visit his mother's homeland, Indonesia, to play in an exhibition game on 22 June. Van Bronckhorst will turn out for the International Stars, a side featuring the top foreign players from the official Indonesian Super League and the breakaway Indonesian Premier League,

At a global launch event on Tuesday in London, adidas officially unveiled the 11th version of the Predator soccer cleat, the adiPower Predator. International stars including Kaká (Real Madrid), Nani (Manchester United), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), JonJo Shelvey (Liverpool), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Club Bilbao) and Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina) took part in [.

Two games were played over the weekend, and new players got a chance to show what they're made of in Week 6 of Women's Professional Soccer. The Flash played yet another game at home on Friday night and handed the Boston Breakers a 3-2 loss. The Atlanta Beat was also at home this week, and the visiting Philadelphia Independence made a huge comeback to win the match 2-1 playing most of the match a man down on Sunday evening.

STARTERS
American Stan Kroenke has made his bid to buy controlling interesting in Arsenal FC of London. He is also the owner of the Colorado Rapids of MLS, along with many other sports teams.
-Here is the official statement from the team's website.
-Former MLS executive Ivan Gazidis is the Arsenal CEO.

All the Results from Liverpool's International Stars
by Thomas Atzenhoffer on The Bleacher Report
March 30, 2011
Michael Regan/Getty ImagesAs the International break came to a close yesterday, the Reds who have been away with their national teams will be returning to Melwood.

D.C. United Women join USL W-League
Washington, D.C. (March 30, 2011) - D.C. United announced today the launch of D.C. United Women into the United Soccer Leagues (USL) W-League for the 2011 season. Under a partnership agreement with the Nothern Virginia Majestics, United Women will represent the Black-and-Red in the competitive Northeast Division of the league.

D.C. United Women join USL W-League
Washington, D.C. (March 30, 2011) - D.C. United announced today the launch of D.C. United Women into the United Soccer Leagues (USL) W-League for the 2011 season. Under a partnership agreement with the Nothern Virginia Majestics, United Women will represent the Black-and-Red in the competitive Northeast Division of the league.

Chris Savino writes of the rising pay scale in Major League Soccer.

Major League Soccer has come a long way since the 2004 let alone 1996. The league's introduction of Freddy Adu brought about significant change to the scale of player salaries and compensation. The fourteen year old was the highest paid player at the time, prior to Landon Donovan returning to the league the following season.

South Korea's top flight domestic league, the K-League, kicks off it's 29th edition in a couple of weeks on March 5. Soccer's popularity continues to grow in Korea, however like many emerging soccer nations, people here tend to follow the big leagues in Europe more then the domestic league.

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

Union

Peter Nowak is among the 25 on the Player Ballot for the 2011 class of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Congratulations!

The Brotherly Game quotes a report from Monday in Guatemala-based Prensa Libre that says Carlos Ruiz was in discussion with the Union but terms could not be reached.

Photo by Ronnie Macdonald

The weekly MLS Talk podcast (subscribe via iTunes) discussed this week among other things the newest international star giving "come hither" looks to the American soccer league: AC Milan's Clarence Seedorf. Seedorf of course is (reportedly) looking to make one last huge paycheck and expand his media presence, similar to Thierry Henry and everyone's favorite Tottenham Galaxy player.

Imagine an alternative reality where the USA victory over England in the 1950 World Cup was not only noticed by the general public, it sparked a soccer boom in the United States.

In this reality, the top US professional soccer league, second in popularity only to American football, not only follows the FIFA international calendar, it regularly develops, maintains and retains world class talent.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. -- The younger, less-experienced, less-traveled Vancouver Whitecaps keep asking veteran teammate Jay DeMerit for World Cup stories or tales of his time in Europe or a handicap of some of the greatest international stars he has ever marked.

The US's first test of 2011 will be highlighted with youth and inexperience this Saturday when the Americans take on an equally untested Chilean squad at the Home Depot Center. Both teams have rosters that are dominated by players from their respective domestic leagues earning this game the image of a meeting of "B-squads.

Yes you are reading a football blog! However, we at In The Stands have brought out our Devilish side and manically have short-listed our top five football scuffles and spats.

Every sport needs its bought of ‘dramatic entertainment' and footy is no different.

It's that time of year again. While winter may be bringing a healthy helping of snow to Foxboro, it's covering the rest of the world with a myriad of transfer rumors and this time New England isn't being left in the cold.

New Year's Day marks the opening of the midseason transfer window in most European leagues.