Video: Asian Champions League Overhead Goal

Unfortunately, the Asian club team I support (Japan's Nagoya Grampus) crashed out in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League against Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia this morning (they didn't stand a chance anyways after losing the first leg 6-2 a few days ago). Nagoya striker, Keita Sugimoto, did pull off this excellent overhead goal for the home fans though. Congrats to Al-Ittihad, good luck in the final. As for Nagoya, maybe next year...

Big Names from the U17 World Cup (2001-2005)

When you consider the fact that there are 288 players in every U-17 tournament, it comes as a bit of a surprise that more players don't "make it" at a big club or as a full international later in their career. In this list, I've pulled together the players from the '01, '03', and '05 U17 World Cups who have gone on to be, at minimum, fairly important club players or members of their full international team.

I may have left a couple of deserving players off or included some that I shouldn't have, but it was a judgment call on whether a player has "made it" or not. Many of the excluded players have had excellent domestic careers in the 'smaller' leagues around the world since their U17 appearance (including a couple dozen MLS players). I chose not to include them here just to keep the list a reasonable length.

I find tournaments like the U17 World Cup very exciting (The '09 version is going on right now in Nigeria, in case you weren't aware). During any game, you could be watching the next: Fernando Torres, Andres Iniesta, Carlos Tevez, Marcelo, Denilson, Fernando Gago, John Obi Mikel, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Diego, Javier Mascherano, etc.



2005
Carlos Zambrano - (Peru; Schalke 04)
Daniel Chavez - (Peru; Club Brugge)
Jonathan Quartey - (Ghana; OGC Nice)
Celso Borges - (Costa Rica; Fredrikstad FK)
Hector Moreno - (Mexico; AZ Alkmaar)
Giovanni Dos Santos - (Mexico; Ipswich Town)
Carlos Vela - (Mexico; Arsenal)
Nuri Şahin - (Turkey; Borussia Dortmund)
Lorenzo De Silvestri (Italy; Fiorentina)
Jozy Altidore - (USA; Hull City)
Neven Subotić - (USA [now with Serbia]; Borussia Dortmund)
Dirk Marcellis - (Netherlands; PSV Eindhoven)
Marvin Emnes - (Netherlands; Middlesbrough)
Marcelo - (Brazil; Real Madrid)
Denilson - (Brazil; Arsenal)
Anderson - (Brazil; Manchester United)
Renato Augusto - (Brazil; Bayer Leverkusen)


2003
Cristián Zapata - (Colombia; Udinese)
Freddy Guarín - (Colombia; FC Porto)
Adrián Ramos - (Colombia; Hertha Berlin)
Fernando Gago - (Argentina; Real Madrid)
Ezequiel Garay - (Argentina; Real Madrid)
John Obi Mikel - (Nigeria; Chelsea)
João Moutinho - (Portugal; Sporting CP)
Manuel Fernandes - (Portugal; Valencia CF)
Miguel Veloso - (Portugal; Sporting CP)
Alex Song - (Cameroon; Arsenal)
Stephane Mbia - (Cameroon; Olympique Marseille)
Ederson - (Brazil; Olympique Lyonnais)
Jonathan Spector - (USA; West Ham United)
Freddy Adu - (USA; Benfica, loaned to Belenenses)
David Silva - (Spain; Valencia CF)
Cesc Fàbregas - (Spain; Arsenal)


2001
Kenwyne Jones - (Trinidad and Tobago; Sunderland)
Niko Kranjčar - (Croatia; Tottenham Hotspur)
Brett Holman - (Australia; AZ Alkmaar)
Diego - (Brazil; Juventus)
Eddie Johnson - (USA; Fulham)
Hassan Yebda - (France; Portsmouth, loan from Benfica)
Florent Sinama Pongolle - (France; Atletico Madrid)
Mourad Meghni - (France [now with Algeria]; Lazio)
Chaouki Ben Saada - (France [now with Tunisia]; OGC Nice)
Emerse Faé - (France [now with Cote d'Ivoire]; OGC Nice)
Guillem Bauzà - (Spain; Swansea City)
Andrés Iniesta - (Spain; Barcelona)
Fernando Torres - (Spain; Liverpool)
Javier Mascherano - (Argentina; Liverpool)
Carlos Tevez - (Argentina; Manchester City)
Gonzalo Rodríguez - (Argentina; Villarreal)
Pablo Javier Zabaleta - (Argentina; Manchester City)
Wilfried Sanou - (Burkina Faso; Köln)
Victor Hugo Mareco - (Paraguay; Brescia)
Edgar Barreto - (Paraguay; Atalanta)
Rándall Azofeifa - (Costa Rica; KAA Gent)
Cristian Bolaños - (Costa Rica; IK Start)

Videos: Soccer Animal Intruders

Biggest Movers in the October 2009 FIFA Rankings

These are the nations that moved up at least 15 places or down at least 20 places in the latest FIFA rankings. I've included the important results that have affected these rankings one way or the other in the last month. (I'm not sure what Haiti did to deserve it, but they got themselves into the top 100)


POSITIVE MOVERS

+41 - Faroe Islands (122)
Results: Win over Lithuania

+25 - Armenia (100)
Results: Win over Belarus

+23 - Haiti (86)
Results: No matches played

+18 - Colombia (30)
Results: Wins over Ecuador, Paraguay, Mexico (Friendly)

+17 - Peru (74)
Results: Wins over Uruguay, Bolivia

+17 - New Zealand (83)
Results: Win over Jordan (Friendly), Draw with Bahrain

+15 - Algeria (29)
Results: Wins over Rwanda, Zambia

+15 - Cameroon (14)
Results: Wins over Gabon, Gabon, Togo

+15 - Malawi (90)
Results: Win over Guinea, Draw with Ivory Coast




NEGATIVE MOVERS

-38 - Libya (120)
Results: Draw with Kuwait (Friendly)

-31 - Sierra Leone (152)
Results: No Matches Played

-28 - Congo (107)
Results: Draw with Korea DPR (Friendly)

-28 - Niger (163)
Results: No Matches Played

-23 - Chad (147)
Results: No Matches Played

-23 - Gambia (122)
Results: No Matches Played

-23 - Madagascar (154)
Results: Loss to South Africa

-21 - Vanuatu (159)
Results: No Matches Played

-20 - Poland (56)
Results: Losses to Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Draw with Northern Ireland

Videos: FIFA 10 Advanced Skill Tutorials and Review

All-Time Unique Internationals in the Premiership (2009-10)

In this post I've listed the All-Time 'Unique Internationals' since the Premiership began in it's current format in 1992. These players are the only ones from their home nation to ever play in the Premier League.

Jamie Moreno - Pic from BBC

Albania
Lorik Cana - Sunderland (2009)

Angola
Manucho - Manchester United, Hull City (2008-09)

Belarus
Aliaksandr Hleb - Arsenal (2005-08)

Bolivia
Jaime Moreno - Middlesbrough FC (1995-96)

Cape Verde
Pedro Pelé - West Bromwich Albion (2008-09)

Congo
Christopher Samba - Blackburn Rovers (2006-09)

Estonia
Mart Poom – Derby County, Sunderland, Arsenal (1996-03, 2006-07)

Gabon
Daniel Cousin - Hull City (2008-09)

Lithuania
Tomas Danilevicius – Arsenal (2000-01)

Montserrat
Ruel Fox – Norwich City, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur (1992-00)

Oman
Ali Al Habsi – Bolton Wanderers (2007-08)

Pakistan
Zesh Rehman – Fulham F.C. (2003-06)

Zambia
Collins Mbesuma – Portsmouth (2005-06)



Almost.... Nations with only Two Players All-Time in the Premiership

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Muhamed Konjic, Asmir Begovic
Costa Rica - Mauricio Solis, Paulo Wanchope
Cyprus - Alexis Nicolas, Nicos Papavasiliou
Grenada - Jason Roberts, Delroy Facey
Iran - Karim Bagheri, Andranik Teymourian
Liberia - George Weah, Christopher Wreh
Sierra Leone - Al Bangura, Albert Jarrett
Togo - Emmanuel Adebayor, Moustapha Salifou

Map: 2009 MLS Goal Scorers by Birth State

It's been a while since I've whipped up a "data" map around here. The computer I used to do this with fried long ago. But now, with the help of Inkscape and Linux, my merry map making has resumed, yay!

This map shows the birth states of all the American Born players that scored a goal in the 2009 MLS season.

Click image to enlarge

U20 WC Finals Goal Scorers: Career After the Goal

Today is the final of the U20 World Cup between Ghana and Brazil. I was curious about goal scorers in the U20 final and what their career has been like since their goals.

In this post, I've listed the finals goal scorers and the clubs they've played for since. I've also listed senior national team caps and goals. Interestingly, 7 of the 17 U20 Final goal scorers since 1995 have not gone on to play for their full International team.

2007
ARGENTINA
Mauro Zarate (Al-Sadd, Birmingham City, Lazio, 0 Caps)
Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, 20 Caps, 7 Goals)

CZECH REPUBLIC
Martin Fenin (Eintracht Frankfurt, Galatasaray, 10 Caps, 1 Goal)

2005
ARGENTINA
(2) Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 40 Caps, 14 Goals)

NIGERIA
Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi "Edu" (Lyn Oslo, 1899 Hoffenheim, 15 Caps, 2 Goals)

2003
BRAZIL
Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk, 0 Caps)
Shakhtar Donetsk Player of the Season 2007/08

2001
ARGENTINA
Diego Colotto (Estudiantes, Tecos UAG, Atlas, Deportivo La Coruna, 0 Caps)
Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Monaco, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Benfica, 44 Caps, 12 Goals)
Maxi Rodriguez (Espanyol, Atletico Madrid, 29 Caps, 9 Goals)

1999
SPAIN
(2) Pablo Couñago (Ipswich Town, Malaga, 0 caps)
Barkero (Real Sociedad, Toulouse, SD Eibar, Poli Ejido, Albacete, Numacia, 0 caps)
Gabri (Barcelona, Ajax, 3 Caps)

1997
ARGENTINA
Esteban Cambiasso (Independiente, River Plate, Real Madrid, Inter, 44 caps, 4 goals)
Diego Quintana (Newells Old Boys, Real Murcia, Cordoba, Barcelona SC, Skoda Xanthi, 0 caps)

URUGUAY
Pablo Garcia (Penarol, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Osasuna, Real Madrid, PAOK FC, 68 Caps, 3 goals)

1995
ARGENTINA
Leonardo Biagini (Atletico Madrid, CP Merida, Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano, Sporting Gijon, Albacete, Arsenal Sarandi, 0 Caps)
Francisci Guerrero (Independiente, Zurich, Estudiantes DLP, Hurucan, YF Juventus, FC Aarau, APEP Pitsilia, 0 Caps)

Video: Double Bicycle Kick Goal

Check out this unique goal from a cup game in Brazil (Caio (Rio Branco) vs Serra) last weekend.



via (101 Great Goals)

World Cup Semi-Finalists by Region

I think it's interesting that the 2009 U20 World Cup has a representative from four different regions in the semi-finals (it happened at the '89, '93, '99 U20's also). It gave me the idea for this post, where I've broken down the regions of the semi-finalists in all of the knockout stage format World Cups and all of the U20 World Cups since that tournament began in 1977.


WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALISTS

2006
4 - Europe (Germany, Italy, Portugal, France)

2002
2 - Europe (Germany, Turkey)
1 - Asia (Korea Republic)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1998
3 - Europe (Croatia, Netherlands, France)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1994
3 - Europe (Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1990
3 - Europe (Italy, Germany, England)
1 - South America (Argentina)

1986
3 - Europe (France, Germany, Belgium)
1 - South America (Argentina)

1982
4 - Europe (Poland, Italy, Germany, France)

1970
2 - Europe (Italy, West Germany)
2 - South America (Brazil, Uruguay)

1966
4 - Europe (England, Portugal, USSR, West Germany)

1962
2 - Europe (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia)
2 - South America (Brazil, Chile)

1958
3 - Europe (France, Sweden, West Germany)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1954
3 - Europe (Austria, Hungary, West Germany)
1 - South America (Uruguay)

1938
3 - Europe (Hungary, Italy, Sweden)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1934
4 - Europe (Austria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Germany)

1930
2 - South America (Argentina, Uruguay)
1 - CONCACAF (USA)
1 - Europe (Yugoslavia)




U20 WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALISTS

2009
1 - Africa (Ghana)
1 - Europe (Hungary)
1 - South America (Brazil)
1 - CONCACAF (Costa Rica)

2007
2 - Europe (Austria, Czech Republic)
2 - South America (Chile, Argentina)

2005
2 - Africa (Morocco, Nigeria)
2 - South America (Argentina, Brazil)

2003
3 - South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia)
1 - Europe (Spain)

2001
2 - Africa (Egypt, Ghana)
2 - South America (Argentina, Paraguay)

1999
1 - Africa (Mali)
1 - Europe (Spain)
1 - South America (Uruguay)
1 - Asia (Japan)

1997
2 - South America (Argentina, Uruguay)
1 - Africa (Ghana)
1 - Europe (Republic of Ireland)

1995
2 - Europe (Portugal, Spain)
2 - South America (Argentina, Brazil)

1993
1 - Africa (Ghana)
1 - Europe (England)
1 - Oceania (Australia)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1991
2 - Europe (Portugal, USSR)
1 - Oceania (Australia)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1989
1 - Africa (Nigeria)
1 - CONCACAF (USA)
1 - Europe (Portugal)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1987
3 - Europe (East Germany, West Germany, Yugoslavia)
1 - South America (Chile)

1985
2 - Europe (Spain, USSR)
1 - Africa (Nigeria)
1 - South America (Brazil)

1983
2 - South America (Argentina, Brazil)
1 - Asia (South Korea)
1 - Europe (Poland)

1981
3 - Europe (England, Romania, West Germany)
1 - Asia (Qatar)

1979
2 - Europe (Poland, USSR)
2 - South America (Argentina, Uruguay)

1977
2 - South America (Brazil, Uruguay)
1 - CONCACAF (Mexico)
1 - Europe (USSR)



Africa has obviously had much more success at the youth level with 7 different semi-finalists in the last 7 U20's.

South Korea's semi-final appearance in Korea/Japan '02 broke the 72 year European/South American stranglehold on the final four of the World Cup.

Argentina and Brazil have been semi-finalists together in the same year 4 different times at the U20's ('83, '95, '03, '05)



I'd like to see a CONCACAF or African (more likely) team sneak into the semis in 2010! The final draw on December 4 will have much to say about that possibility.

Fahrenheit 2010 Movie Trailer

This is a just released movie trailer for the upcoming "Fahrenheit 2010" about the World Cup in South Africa.

Product Review: Adidas Teamgeist II MLS competition ball

So, my daughter (almost 4) has caught the soccer bug and wants to go out in the yard and 'kick it around' all the time. Hey, that's great! The problem is, the few soccer balls I have laying around are destroyed, less than round, and were el-cheapo in the first place.

A solution arrived in my inbox the other day when the good people at Soccerpro.com asked me if I'd like to review an item from their site here at TB11.

I actually have a MLS mini ball that I won from the MLS Fantasy Challenge a couple years back, so I decided to have SoccerPro send out an Adidas Teamgeist II MLS competition ball. Now my daughter and I have matching MLS Adidas soccer balls to kick around the yard (one big/one small).



As for reviewing the actual ball - It's great. It's been a great change for me as I've never had a premium/competition ball around the house with a seamless surface. I'm definitely a 'basic' rec player (I'm not very good is what I'm trying to say), but I honestly feel like I have much better touch and skill when using this ball compared to the bargain bin balls I've always had before. I'm really excited to take it out to the actual field and knock it around a bit (if it ever stops pouring down raining around here).

All in all, it's a very nice "premium" ball that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend, especially considering the reasonable price for a FIFA approved, competition replica ball. Did I mention it has Don Garber's replica autograph, what could be better than that?

Now if I can just get my daughter to be the next Mia Hamm...

Video: 1970 World Cup Final - Full Game

Here are 9 videos (10 minutes each) of the full 1970 World Cup Final game between Italy and Brazil.




Lineups:

Brazil

GK 1 Félix
DF 2 Hércules Brito
DF 3 Wilson Piazza
DF 4 Carlos Alberto (c)
DF 16 Everaldo
MF 5 Clodoaldo
MF 8 Gérson
FW 7 Jairzinho
FW 9 Tostão
MF 10 Pelé
MF 11 Roberto Rivelino

Manager:
Mário Zagallo


ITALY:

GK 1 Enrico Albertosi
DF 2 Tarcisio Burgnich
DF 3 Giacinto Facchetti (c)
DF 5 Pierluigi Cera
DF 8 Roberto Rosato
MF 10 Mario Bertini Substituted off in the 75th minute 75'
MF 16 Giancarlo De Sisti
FW 11 Luigi Riva
FW 13 Angelo Domenghini
MF 15 Sandro Mazzola
FW 20 Roberto Boninsegna Substituted off in the 84th minute 84'

Substitutions:
MF 14 Gianni Rivera Substituted on in the 84th minute 84'
MF 18 Antonio Juliano Substituted on in the 75th minute 75'

Manager:
Ferruccio Valcareggi

Soccer Links of the Day

I'm running a bit short on time lately (you may have noticed I've missed a couple of days). Sorry about that. I think I'll start posting a few links when I'm short on time instead of skipping the day. So, here we go, my first TB11 link list.


MLS alum: Weekly Roundup (MLSnet)

Kiwis prepare for a date with destiny (FIFA.com)

Who is this Lakshmi Mittal bloke? (FourFourTwo)

Notts County owners 'demoralized' (BBC)

South Africa's Domestic Air Traffic to increase 30% during World Cup (Engineering News)

Rev's Paul Mariner backs Plymouth England as World Cup Host City (This is Devon UK)

Ten San Juan Jabloteh (T&T) players contracted H1N1 in Mexico? (T&T Newsday)

Roberto Carlos says he would play for Real Madrid for free (FourFourTwo)

French Born Players on African National Teams

Every player on this list was born in France but plays for a national team in Africa. Some very impressive players have "defected" from their birth nation including Kanoute, Ba, Sissoko, Chamakh, and Premier League players, Belhadj, Ghilas, Assou-Ekoto, Bassong, El Zhar, Samba, Beye, and Kamara.

Of course, France shouldn't feel too bad since they benefit from the reverse with excellent African-born players like Mandanda, Evra, Boumsong, Vieira, and Desailly playing for them over the years. France can also be glad that Zinedine Zidane didn't 'defect' to the Algerian National Team at a young age.

There are many more French born players with African National Teams out there but I've only included current players at top division clubs in Europe (plus English 2nd division) on this list.



Algeria
* Nadir Belhadj (Portsmouth, England)
* Madjid Bougherra (Rangers, Scotland)
* Anthar Yahia (VfL Bochum, Germany)
* Yazid Mansouri (Lorient, France)
* Karim Ziani (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany)
* Kamel Fathi Ghilas (Hull City, England)
* Abdelkader Ghezzal (Siena, Italy)
* Karim Matmour (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany)
* Hameur Bouazza (Blackpool, England)
* Mansour Boutabout (KV Kortrijk, Belgium)
* Abdelnasser Ouadah (Montpellier, France)
* Fadel Brahami (AE Paphos, Cyprus)
* Nassim Akrour (Grenoble Foot 38, France)
* Ismaël Bouzid (Hearts, Scotland)
* Salah Bakour (KV Kortrijk, Belgium)
* Chadli Amri (Mainz 05, Germany)
* Rafik Djebbour (AEK Athens, Greece)
* Yacine Hima (AC Bellinzona, Switzerland)
* Mehdi Sennaoui (Marseille, France)
* Mourad Meghni (Lazio, Italy)

Benin
* Mickaël Poté (OGC Nice, France)
* Romuald Boco (Sligo Rovers, Ireland)

Cameroon
* Joseph-Désiré Job (Diyarbakırspor, Turkey)
* Benoît Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham, England)
* Sébastien Bassong (Tottenham, England)

Chad
* Azrack Mahamat (Halmstads BK, Sweden)

Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Larrys Mabiala (OGC Nice, France)
* Joël Sami (AS Nancy, France)

Ivory Coast
* Abdoulaye Méïté (West Brom, England)
* Emerse Faé (OGC Nice, France)
* Guy Demel (Hamburg, Germany)

Gabon
* Ernest Akouassaga (FC Nantes, France)
* Willy Aubameyang (AC Milan, loaned to Eupen, Belgium)
* Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (AC Milan, loaned to Lille, France)

Ghana
* André Ayew (Marseille, loaned to AC Aries, France)

Guinea
* Larsen Touré (Lille, loaned to Grenoble, France)

Madagascar
* Anicet Andrianantenaina (Auxerre, France)

Mali
* Oumar Sissoko (Metz, France)
* Cédric Kanté (Panathinaikos, Greece)
* Sammy Traoré (PSG, France)
* Mohamed Lamine Sissoko (Juventus, Italy)
* Frédéric Kanouté (Sevilla, Spain)
* Djimi Traoré (AS Monaco, France)
* Kalifa Cissé (Reading, England)
* Sigamary Diarra (FC Lorient, France)
* Jimmy Kébé (Reading, England)
* Bakaye Traoré (Nancy, France)
* Mamadou Samassa (Marseille, loaned to Valenciennes, France)

Morocco
* Houssine Kharja (Genoa, Italy)
* Yacine Abdessadki (SC Freiburg, Germany)
* Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux, France)
* Nabil Baha (Malaga, Spain)
* Michaël Chrétien (Nancy, France)
* Moncef Zerka (Nantes, France)
* Nabil El Zhar (Liverpool, England)
* Walid Regragui (Grenoble Foot 38, France)
* Kamel Chafni (Auxerre, France)
* Adil Hermach (Lens, France)
* Mehdi Taouil (Kilmarnock, Scotland)
* Jamal Alioui (FC Sion, Switzerland)

Republic of the Congo
* Christopher Samba (Blackburn Rovers, England)
* Chris Malonga (AS Nancy, France)
* Prince Oniangue (Stade Rennais, France)

Rwanda
* Fritz Emeran (Levadiakos FC, Greece)

Senegal
* Habib Beye (Aston Villa, England)
* Diomansy Kamara (Fulham, England)
* Issiar Dia (AS Nancy, France)
* Rémi Gomis (Valenciennes, France)
* Demba Ba (1899 Hoffenheim, Germany)
* Boukary Dramé (Sochaux, France)
* Ibrahim Tall (FC Nantes, France)
* Moussa Sow (Stade Rennais, France)
* Mickaël Tavares (Hamburg SV, Germany)

Togo
* Alaixys Romao (Grenoble Foot 38, France)
* Thomas Dossevi (FC Nantes, France)
* Yoann Folly (Plymouth Argyle, England)
* Floyd Ayité (Bordeaux, loaned to Nancy, France)

Tunisia
* Tijani Belaïd (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
* Mehdi Nafti (Aris Thessaloniki FC, Greece)
* Fahid Ben Khalfallah (Valenciennes, France)
* Jamel Saihi (Montpellier, France)
* Chaouki Ben Saada (OGC Nice, France)
* David Jemmali (Grenoble Foot 38, France)
* Selim Benachour (Malaga, Spain)
* Hocine Ragued (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
* Karim Essediri (Lillestrøm SK, Norway)
* Alaeddine Yahia (Lens, France)
* Fabien Camus (Racing Genk, Belgium)

Videos: Top World Cup Goals by Appearance

This is a video list of World Cup goals that have something to do with player appearance. Starting out are the top 5 bald player goals, followed by Bad Haircut, Baby-Faced Assassin, and Mustachioed Goals. For more goals from this program, check out the YouTube channel by WorldCupGoalsGalore.

MLS: $20,000 Player Statistics

This is a list of currently active MLS players that have made at least one appearance during the 2009 season. What's the one thing they all have in common? They are all making the minimum salary of $20,100 for the 2009 season.

Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and New England do not currently have any $20K players that have made an appearance this season.


CHICAGO FIRE
Peter Lowry -- 8 GP, 595 min, 3 Goals
Austin Washington -- 8 GP, 360 min

CHIVAS USA
Justin Braun -- 10 GP, 815 min, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Chukwudi Chijindu -- 11 GP, 420 min, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Gerson Mayen -- 11 GP, 366 min, 4 Assist

COLUMBUS CREW
Kevin Burns -- 5 GP, 122 min
Cory Elenio -- 1 GP, 17 min
Alex Grendi -- 3 GP, 127 min, 1 Assist

COLORADO RAPIDS
Ross Schunk -- 2 GP, 7 min,

DC UNITED
Brandon Barklage -- 4 GP, 98 min
John DiRaimondo -- 1 GP, 45 min
Milos Kocic -- 3 GP, 218 min, 2.48 GAA

HOUSTON DYNAMO
Erik Ustruck -- 2GP, 40 min

NEW YORK RED BULLS
Danleigh Borman -- 21 GP, 1231 min, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Matthew M'Buta -- 7 GP, 263 min
Nick Zimmerman -- 11 GP, 757 min

REAL SALT LAKE
Tino Nunez -- 3 GP, 18 min

SEATTLE SOUNDERS
Sanna Nyassi -- 14 GP, 305 min

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Brandon McDonald -- 13 GP, 1170 min, 1 Assist
Michael Zaher -- 9 GP, 670 min, 2 Assists

TORONTO FC
Gabe Gala -- 1 GP, 3 min



$20K Goal Leaders
3 - Peter Lowry (CHI)
1 - Justin Braun (CHV)
1 - Chukwudi Chijindu (CHV)
1 - Danleigh Borman (NY)

$20K Assist Leaders
4 - Gerson Mayen (CHV)
2 - Michael Zaher (SJ)
1 - Justin Braun (CHV)
1 - Chukwudi Chijindu (CHV)
1 - Alex Grendi (CLB)
1 - Danleigh Borman (NY)
1 - Brandon McDonald (SJ)

$20K Minutes Leaders
1231 - Danleigh Borman (NY)
1170 - Brandon McDonald (SJ)
815 - Justin Braun (CHV)
757 - Nick Zimmerman (NY)
670 - Michael Zaher (SJ)

USWNT: Looks Like Fun

Not only is the United States Women's National Soccer Team consistently #1 in the world, they are also having WAY too much fun between the games.