Youth Soccer

Lee Seung-Woo: The Player Worth a Year-Long Transfer Ban

With the recent release of EA Sport’s FIFA 15, The18 knows many of you are rediscovering your passion for virtual soccer, for better or for worse. If you have suspicions that you are entering a downward spiral of FIFA addiction, and want catch yourself before your grades drop or your work suffers, here are some signs that you may be squeezing the sprint trigger more than you are touching an actual ball. 

1. You Talk About Everyone’s Soccer Skills In Terms Of FIFA Stats.

It isn’t that uncommon in soccer. The race for young talent is a competitive field and AS Roma just won the race for 9-year-old prodigy Piertro Tomaselli. The young Belgian was getting looks from Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan, but the Italian giants came out on top.

Check out the video below of him playing in the Anderlecht youth circuit and you will see why the world's top clubs want him in their youth academies. 

The USMNT took the field for the first time since their World Cup exit last week, earning a promising 1-0 victory on the road in a friendly versus the Czech Republic.  

Parents to the rescue! As every other sport in the world has seen legal action due to concussions, FIFA can now be added to the list. A group of American parents filed a class action law suit to change how soccer’s governing body handles concussions. 

The plaintiffs seek no financial damages, and the lawsuit instead aims for a basic change to soccer’s rules to limit the amount of headers for a player - as well as increasing substitutions. 

Club fees.  Team snacks. New equipment. Gas to (and from) practice. If you’re a soccer mom or dad, you’re well aware of the endless expenses that can rack up quite a bill. All for a sport that’s designed to get your kid out on the field so they can have a bit of fun. Since when did kicking a ball around on the grass become so cost prohibitive?