concacaf champions league

CONCACAF Champions League is Still Irrelevant, But That Needs to Hurry Up and Change

In 2022, the Seattle Sounders made history by defeating Pumas UNAM of Liga MX to become the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF Champions League title. Sadly, this...

There’s a Palpable Sense of Urgency for Neymar in What is Likely His Last World Cup

It's difficult to decide whether Neymar Junior has met or fallen short of the grandiose expectations that were laid on his young shoulders so many years ago. Making his...
inter miami cheating

Inter Miami Brazenly Cheated MLS Rules…But Was It So Wrong?

MLS first introduced the designated player rule in 2007 in order to give clubs more flexibility to sign lucrative deals with marquee players. It was informally called the David...
youth soccer

The Hidden, Ugly Side of Youth Soccer, Part 2: Nightmare Parents, Feeble Leadership, and Dirty Politics

The fast-paced world of club soccer isn’t just about shuttling kids to practices, cheering them on at games, and traveling to high profile tournaments on weekends. Spurred on by...
crypto.com arena

The Crypto.com Arena Deal Shows How Much the Business of Soccer Still Lags in the US

It was recently announced that LA's iconic Staples Center would be getting a new name in time for Christmas: Crypto.com Arena. The 20-year agreement, thought to be the biggest naming...
european super league

Why I Don’t Think The European Super League Did Anything Patently Wrong

On April 18, 2021 the football world's foundations shook as 12 of the most famous football clubs announced that they were breaking away from UEFA competitions in order to...
us soccer third division

American Professional Soccer is Basically That Cringeworthy, Rich, and Dysfunctional Family

Major League Soccer recently announced the launch of a third division league set to start in 2022. It is being touted as a bridge between MLS Next academies and...
youth soccer

The Ugly, Hidden Side of Youth Soccer, Part 1: Bad Coaching, Wanton Poaching, and Jaw-Dropping Embezzlement

The fast-paced world of club soccer isn’t just about shuttling kids to practices, cheering them on at games, and traveling to high profile tournaments on weekends. Spurred on by...
mls usl

Are the USL and MLS Headed Towards an Ugly Divorce?

Major League Soccer recently announced the official launch of its third division league, MLS Next Pro. Set to begin play with 21 teams in March of 2022, 20 of...

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Virtue Signaling Cost Coca-Cola $4 Billion While Exposing His Own Hypocrisy

During a Euro 2020 press conference on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo purposefully moved two strategically placed Coca-Cola bottles out of view. He then picked up a water bottle and set...
anonymous mailbag

Anonymous Mailbag No. 2: Twitter Wars and Youth Soccer Ethics

Welcome to the Urban Pitch Anonymous Mailbag, where we answer your unfiltered questions and replies to our stories or any particular issues and topics in soccer and culture today.  These...
usl cba

USL Players Are Set to Receive Higher Pay, But How Does it Compare Against the Underground Scene of Latino Leagues?

The USL and its players association reached an agreement in principle on a collective bargaining agreement for the second-division USL Championship. It is being touted as a landmark achievement...
carlos vela mls dp rule

LAFC’s Carlos Vela is a Prime Example of Why the Designated Player Rule is Broken

The MLS Designated Player Rule allows clubs the ability to sign expensive players without exceeding the team salary budget. First introduced in 2007, the same year as the original...
messi goat

With a Triumphant World Cup Victory at Last, Lionel Messi Makes a Convincing Case for Being the GOAT

The otherworldy achievements by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been so effective in surpassing everyone else that throughout their careers, for better or worse, their names have been...
us youth soccer

The Coddled Generation of U.S. Soccer Players Have No One to Blame But Themselves

There's a certain level of criticism regarding the state of the beautiful game in the United States that is fair. However, when unsuccessful players from Generation Y (millennials) or...
la galaxy fans

LA Galaxy Supporters Are United in Their Boycott — But Will It Ultimately Work?

The news that Chris Klein would return for an 11th season as president of the LA Galaxy was quietly announced on a Thursday evening in a two-sentence statement to...
anonymous mailbag

Anonymous Mailbag No. 5: The Suarez-Brady Connection and Zlatan vs. LeBron

Here is our latest Urban Pitch Anonymous Mailbag, where we answer your unfiltered questions and replies to our stories or any particular issues and topics in soccer and culture...
quit corporate america

I Quit Corporate America to Pursue My Passion (This is What I Discovered)

In 2015, I made a life-altering decision to quit my job and leave corporate America for good. I went from a secure career that came affixed with a corporate...
lionel messi barcelona

Lionel Messi’s Historic Run at Barcelona is Over…But Who is to Blame and Where Can He Go?

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta made the shock announcement that negotiations to keep Lionel Messi at the club had ended. Expressing that...

How Freddy Adu, America’s Greatest Soccer Prospect, Was Tragically Set Up to Fail

A naturalized American citizen from Ghana, Freddy Adu's skill on the pitch was recognized early on. Growing up in Maryland, he was offered a lucrative deal from Italian club...