SoccerBlogs

"The best game I've ever played" is a remarkable endorsement for any man to make. But when the man making the claim is Alan Ball four years after lifting the Jules Rimet World Cup trophy with England you start to sit up and take notice. The game Ball  is promoting is Soccerama, a board game released in the early 1970s.

The Women's World Cup Final between the United States of America and Japan will be shown live on ESPN and ESPN3.com beginning at 2pm ET on Sunday, July 17.

The stage is set for what promises to be an extremely exciting match-up between two teams that are playing the best soccer on the world's stage right now.

The Women's World Cup Final between the United States of America and Japan will be shown live on ESPN and ESPN3.com beginning at 2pm ET on Sunday, July 17.

The stage is set for what promises to be an extremely exciting match-up between two teams that are playing the best soccer on the world's stage right now.

FIFA announced plans to use $196 million (of their $1.2 billion cash reserve) to build an underground football museum as an extension of their Zurich headquarters. Why won't it be above ground? Mostly because that wouldn't be evil enough. The museum will include "'3D animations, interactive games, trophies.

In London for the week and what better place to visit than the ancestral home of football, Wembley Stadium.

I had gone to the old Wembley several times, but this was first visit to the new stadium and I was looking forward to it.

Wembley stadium is only a 10min tube ride from downtown London so getting to the ground was very easy.

In London for the week and what better place to visit than the ancestral home of football, Wembley Stadium.

I had gone to the old Wembley several times, but this was first visit to the new stadium and I was looking forward to it.

Wembley stadium is only a 10min tube ride from downtown London so getting to the ground was very easy.

The USWNT weathered quite the storm but ended up prevailing in the end to punch their ticket into the FIFA World Cup Final. It is magnificent to hear the words US and World Cup Final in the same sentence. The Americans were set to play the winner of Japan/Sweden and Japan won 3-1. No matter who the US would have faced, there would have been intrigue.

Stars of the future make their mark now: Mexico's Luis Guzman and Arturo Gonzalez hold the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy in Mexico City Sunday after defeating Uruguay in the final (AP Photo).

This is what summer soccer weekends are about.

I can't remember a weekend packed with as many dramatic games as those we saw over the last couple of days.

World Cup winners (sort of): Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, holds the World Cup trophy aloft after today's announcement that Qatar will host the 2022 soccer World Cup, beating out four other nations including the U.S. (AP Photos).

England lost out to the ruble-packing Russians.

By Ollie Irish

Serial pitch invader Jimmy Jump is a self-promoting Spaniard who almost got his hands on the World Cup trophy this summer when he ran on the pitch before the final, only to be tackled by FIFA heavies. He has also disrupted tennis matches, weather forecasts and even the Eurovision Song Contest.

The memorial for Paul the Octopus was unveiled today to throngs of press, photogs and grieving Germans.

Though it might seamlessly meld into the opulent landscape of ancient Xanadu, the replica World Cup trophy featuring octopus is quite the cheeky little centerpiece.

Lionel Messi - Ranked World no1

What criteria do you use to rank the top 50 players in world football?

According to the Bleacher Report, "selecting the best football players in the world right now is a hard assignment, which eventually attracts weighty debates. Sometimes, it even paves the way for offensive arguments to take place.

One Of Many Triumphs In The Long Career Of Franz Beckenbauer.

Franz Beckenbauer's influence on the modern game cannot be emphasized enough. As a player, he is one of the most decorated footballer of all time. Five Bundesliga titles, four league cups and three European cup victories are complimented by a World Cup trophy and a European Championship trophy at the national level — two trophies he would go on to lift as a manager as well.

Harnessing the intensive power of football (US soccer), Modus Operandi (ModOp) has created a massive EA SPORTS FIFA global package that includes over 50 individual elements that showcase Footballs Social Network with elegance and style.

ModOp developed a brand design that taps the passion of the players and the kinetic nature of the sport to meet EAs call for a striking, innovative, and versatile package to complement the existing in-game assets and work across all media.

It's a foregone conclusion that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is the FA's top choice for the vacant England job. But after a 0-0 draw against League One side Stevenage in the FA Cup and a 5-2 loss to Arsenal at the weekend, some doubts have arisen as to whether Harry is truly the right man to lead England.

By Chris Wright

It's not time to make a change, just relax, take it easy...

Wayne Rooney's young son Kai flunks an absolute sitter in front of the Stretford End

Michael Essien chats away with his Dad before a charity game in his native Ghana

Letter of the law:Â Bolton's Tamir Cohen sees yellow for taking off his shirt to reveal a picture of his late father, Avi, after scoring the winning goal against Arsenal back in April

The two Frank Lampards sit in the stands to watch Chelsea's Premier League tie with Wolves

US coach Bob Bradley attempts to calm son Michael after the States' 2-2 draw with Slovenia at the 2010 World Cup ended in controversy

Jack Rodwell signed his new deal with Everton last year with his father, Malcolm, by his side

Five-year old Lionel Messi (i'll let you guess which of these whippersnappers is actually Leo) and his father Jorge (on the right) pose with the rest of the Grandoli urchins, 1992

Two generations, one haircut between them: Jorge and Lionel (and Lionel's brother Matias), 14 years on

Kasper Schmeichel (then of Notts County) looks for a 'thumbs up' from dad, Peter

Juan Sebastian Veron receives the Copa Libertadores Best Player Trophy with father Juan Ramon (right) by his side, 2009

Michel and Aldo Platini stand either side of Alessendro Del Piero before a friendly between Nancy and Juventus, 2009

Sergio Aguero, his little sister and their father Leonel pose with Kun's U20 World Cup trophy haul, 2007

Diego Maradona rushes to greet his father, 'Don Diego', during an Argentina training session in Buenos Aires, 2009

Wensley Engelaar helps hold son Orlando's new shirt aloft during his official presentation at German side Schalke, 2008

The Beckham brood, Brooklyn and Romeo, watch on as father David celebrates Real Madrid's title win on the Bernabeu turf, 2007

Zinedine Zidane touches down at Algiers airport with mother Malika and father Smail in tow, 2006

Wim Bergkamp kicks off his son Dennis' testimonial game with Ajax at the new Emirates Stadium, 2006

Harry Kewell's young daughter Ruby unfurls a message for her Dad during Australia's second-round tie with Italy at the 2006 World Cup

Ronaldo is embraced by his father Nelio Nazario after a training session in Frankfurt shortly before the 2006 World Cup was due to start in earnest

Jordi Cruyff (then of Alaves) kisses his father Johan after receiving his UEFA Cup runners-up medal from UEFA President Lennart Johansson after the Spanish side were beaten by Liverpool, 2001

Gianfranco Zola's father watches his son train with the rest of the Chelsea side in preparation for the FA Cup Final, 1997

Bryan Robson's daughters Claire and Charlotte join their dad as he lifts the FA Cup (won by Manchester United the previous season) before his testimonial game against Celtic, 1990

Harry Redknapp gives son Jamie an ear-bashing from the touchlines during their time together at Southampton, 2005

Samuel Eto'o receives the African Footballer of the Year Award from his father before Barcelona's game against Real Mallorca, 2005

Shaun Wright-Phillips warms up alongside dad Ian Wright before Martin Keown's Arsenal testimonial at Highbury, 2004

Daniel Van Buyten (then of Standard Liege) larks around with his impossibly snazzy-looking father Francis, 1999

Cesare and Marisa Maldini welcome young Paolo into the world, 1968

The Maldini family, with a slightly older Paolo waving from the arm of the settee, 1973

Phil and father Neville Neville watch the rest of the England squad train for Le Tournoi, 1997

PFA Player of the Year Teddy Sheringham shows off the trophy to his old man, 2001

The-then Porto coach Jose Mourinho shakes hands with his father Felix, 2003

It's those crazy Redknapps again!