Disclaimer: Last week I put out my list of the Top 50 players that had a chance to make the final World Cup squad for the United States. I tried to find a blend of players that I felt had a good chance, wanted to see go, and thought Bob Bradley wanted to include.

This week, rather than using this space to take cheap shots at Bradley, I'm putting out a list of the top players that I want to see included.

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As we discussed in last week's podcast, the USA has 23 roster spots to fill for the coming World Cup. No one (including, it seems, Bob Bradley) is set on the number of players we're taking for each position or the overall look of the squad. Compounding the issue is that even the most hardcore supporters of the US Men's National Team have difficulty keeping track of all of the players currently listed on the website's Player Pool.

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The French Ligue 1 has some key matches on Sunday, November 29, 2009 including Lyon v Stade Rennais (Rennes), AS Nancy Lorraine v Bordeaux, and Le Mans v St Etienne. All three will be covered live on our other site, Free Live Sports TV, at the links below.

Le Mans v St Etienne LIVE French Ligue 1 Sunday, November 29, 2009 16:00 GMT, 11:00 EST

AS Nancy Lorraine v Bordeaux LIVE French Ligue 1 Sunday, November 29, 2009 16:00 GMT, 11:00 EST

Lyon v Stade Rennais (Rennes) LIVE French Ligue 1 Sunday, November 29, 2009 20:00 GMT, 15:00 EST

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The United States has already qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa. They will be playing two friendly matches in Europe in the upcoming international break. The first will be at Slovakia on Saturday, November 14, 2009 and on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 against Denmark. Manager Bob Bradley has called up 22 players for the Slovakia match.

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Here's are video highlights for the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish Primera Division or La Liga, Italian Serie A, and French Ligue 1.

EPL, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga Video Highlights

Chelsea (5) Blackburn Rovers (0) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Sporting Gijon (0) Real Madrid (0) Spanish Primera Division (La Liga) Saturday, October 24, 2009

Wolverhampton Wanderers (1) Aston Villa (1) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Inter Milan (Internazionale) (2) Catania (1) Italian Serie A Saturday, October 24, 2009

Bayern Munich (2) Eintracht Frankfurt (1) German Bundesliga Saturday, October 24, 2009

Tottenham Hotspur (0) Stoke City (1) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Atletico Madrid (1) Mallorca (1) Spanish Primera Division (La Liga) Saturday, October 24, 2009

Sampdoria (4) Bologna (1) Italian Serie A Saturday, October 24, 2009

Hannover 96 (1) VfB Stuttgart (0) German Bundesliga Saturday, October 24, 2009

Borussia Monchengladbach (0) FC Cologne (0) German Bundesliga Saturday, October 24, 2009

Hull City (0) Portsmouth (0) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Burnley (1) Wigan Athletic (3) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Birmingham City (2) Sunderland (1) English Premier League Saturday, October 24, 2009

Stade Rennais (3) Montpellier (0) French Ligue 1 Saturday, October 24, 2009

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Stade Rennais or Rennes is one of the oldest clubs in France having been founded in 1901 but despite spending 49 seasons in the top division of French football, Les Bretons are yet to win the Ligue 1 title. They have won two French Cups, last of which was won in 1971, but considering how much progress the club has made during the past few years, I feel it is only a matter of time before they win their first league title.

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The club have moved to deny any wrongdoing with the signing of Jeremy Helan:

Manchester city is aware of the ongoing contractual dispute in the French Labour courts between Jeremy Helan and Stade Rennais. The dispute between the player and the Club pre-dates any interest from Manchester City.

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It was another full weekend of matches for Americans playing abroad in the top European leagues. In the French Ligue 1, Carlos Bocanegra was with Stade Rennais and Charlie Davies for Sochaux. Steve Cherundolo for Hannover 96 played in the German Bundesliga while Kenny Cooper continues to have an impact for Bundesligs 2 side 1860 Munich.

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The French Ligue 1 wrapped up its 2nd week of matches on Sunday with Boulogne v Grenoble, Marseille v Lille, and Nice v Stade Rennais (Rennes). Here's a recap of all three matches along with video highlights.

Boulogne defeats Grenoble 2-1

Boulogne got a home win on Sunday behind two goals from Gregory Thil.

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The French Ligue 1 began their 2009-10 season on Saturday August 8, 2009. There were 8 matches on Saturday including teams Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, and Lyon. Here are video highlights of all the matches from Saturday.

AJ Auxerre (0) – Sochaux (1) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Le Mans (2) – Lyon (2) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Grenoble (0) – Marseille (2) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 AS Monaco (1) – Toulouse (0) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Montpellier (1) – Paris Saint-Germain (1) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 St Etienne (0) – Nice (2) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Stade Rennais (Rennes) (3) – Boulogne (0) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Valenciennes (1) – AS Nancy Lorraine (3) – French Ligue 1 – Saturday August 8, 2009 Click to continue reading...

The United States v Mexico rivalry continues on August 12th as they play in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. The match is important for both teams who have not clinched a spot to next year's World Cup yet. There are a few players from the Gold Cup including Chad Marshall and Stuart Holden. The rest of the roster is similar to the Confederations Cup roster with names like Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, Onyewu, and Bocanegra.

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Merely three hours after USA's dissapointing loss to Brazil, Ricardo Clark's agent reveals he may have a present when he returns from South Africa. Sky Sports reports that he may very well follow Carlos Bocanegra to French club Stade Rennais.
Rennes already have Carlos Bocanegra on the books and have been linked with a move for the defender's compatriot. Click to continue reading...

It is dreadful to die of thirst in the sea. Do you have to salt your truth so much that it can no longer even quench thirst?

As usual an inchoate mass of contradictory reports, conflicting rumours and desultory conjecture makes for a tempting but ultimately disorientating Sunday gossip round-up. Click to continue reading...

The FIFA Confederations Cup is set to start next week in South Africa is a warm-up for next summer's World Cup. The United States will be participating as the representative from the CONCACAF region and has named their 23-man roster. The team is composed of players who play in European Leagues with a few Major League Soccer stars mixed in the roster.

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It's the final weekend of games in the French Ligue 1, Spanish Primera Division or La Liga, and the Italian Serie A. While the titles are already decided in La Liga and Serie A, it is still up for grabs in Ligue 1. Currently, Bordeaux leads Marseille by 3 points and can clinch the title with at least a draw.

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CHICAGO (May 24, 2008) — U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a roster of 24 players that will train in advance of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Honduras.

Costa Rica at Estadio Saprissa
The U.S. will be seeking its first-ever victory away to Costa Rica when they meet at Estadio Saprissa in the fourth match of the 10-game final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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CHICAGO (May 24, 2008) — U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a roster of 24 players that will train in advance of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Honduras.

Costa Rica at Estadio Saprissa
The U.S. will be seeking its first-ever victory away to Costa Rica when they meet at Estadio Saprissa in the fourth match of the 10-game final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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The United States has named it's 24 man roster for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers with not too many surprises. Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are the goalkeepers and Oneywu and Bocanegra will lead the defense. In midfield, Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey, and Bradley have been a regular fixture on the squad and should all start.

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The United States has named it's 24 man roster for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers with not too many surprises. Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are the goalkeepers and Oneywu and Bocanegra will lead the defense. In midfield, Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey, and Bradley have been a regular fixture on the squad and should all start.

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The USA's Carlos Bocanegra scored for his side Rennes in tonight's French Cup Final, but second-division side Guingamp came from behind to score a memorable upset 2-1. It's only the second time that a team from below the top flight has won the French Cup, and Guingamp will play in the Europa League (ex-UEFA Cup) next season. Click to continue reading...

There was a light midweek schedule for Americans Abroad with Charlie Davies playing for Hammarby on and Carlose Bocanegra for Stade Rennais on Wednesday. Here's a recap along with video highlights.

Charlie Davies (ST) - Hammary IF - Swedish Allsvenskan - Davies started and played the full game for Hammarby as they drew 2-2 with GAIS.

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There was a light midweek schedule for Americans Abroad with Charlie Davies playing for Hammarby on and Carlose Bocanegra for Stade Rennais on Wednesday. Here's a recap along with video highlights.

Charlie Davies (ST) - Hammary IF - Swedish Allsvenskan - Davies started and played the full game for Hammarby as they drew 2-2 with GAIS.

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Ligue 1 fans, we got us a horse race this year. This season is unlike several of the past few, where the only suspense was, #8220;How many points will Lyon win by this year?#8221; Instead, in the 2008-09 season we have not just one or two, but several serious contenders. Currently [...]div class="feedflare" a href="http://feeds2. Click to continue reading...

You couldn't make this one up...
Courtesy of Ligue 1:
Carlos Bocanegra's flawless displays at left-back for Rennes this season have won him many admirers, but it appears that the Californian's surfer-boy good-looks have also not gone unnoticed.
The 29-year-old American has been voted the Breton club's most sexy player in an Internet poll, and to celebrate his victory, all female spectators at Rennes' match with Auxerre on Sunday - which is also International Women's Day - will be given an eight-page publication with photos and a biography of the USA international. Click to continue reading...

Facing a home side bent on revenge for a 3-0 loss earlier this season, Carlos Bocanegra marched into Lyon's Stade Gerland tonight and took a point from the league leaders.
Rennes came out with a good measure of confidence, trading scoring chances with Lyon from the beginning . In the 12th minute, Bocanegra appeared to have given Rennes an early lead when , displaying an NBA-quality vertical jump, he out-jumped the keeper to put away corner for an apparent goal. Click to continue reading...

American defender Carlos Bocanegra and his Rennes teammates face perhaps their stiffest test of the year as they head into Stade Gerland tonight to take on league leaders Olympique Lyon.
Fresh off nearly toppling the mighty Barcelona on Wednesday night in the Champions League (a match which ended 1-1), Lyon coach Claude Puel is looking to carry the same attacking spirit into tonight's match. Click to continue reading...

SSC Napoli primavera striker Vincenzo Bernardo appears even closer to a loan deal for the second half of the season.
The new twist, as he told LFV, is that instead of possibly going to a Serie C side, there is a good chance the 18 year-old New Jersey native could end up in Serie B.
We'll find out more in the coming weeks as he and his agent consider options, bearing in mind their priority to find a club where he can play every week - but also one which will support any possible callups for US U-20 World Championship qualifiers. Click to continue reading...

On Monday, Carlos Bocanegra and his Stade Rennais teammates got off to a good start in 2009 with a 1-0 Coupe de France victory over Sochaux.
The team is currently in third place in Ligue 1 with 34 points, four points behinds leaders Olympique Lyon and one point behind second place Bordeaux. Click to continue reading...