Union/Independence

Fabio Cannavaro won’t be coming to the Union. He’s signed a two year deal to play for Al Ahli in Dubai. “I always thought of moving to live in Dubai as I love it,” Cannavaro said, “and I have achieved my dream by moving to Dubai and play for one of its big clubs like Al Ahli.” He did not add, “Philly is ugly.”

Are you a band looking for a gig? The Philadelphia Independence is looking for bands to perform before its games.

Here’s some analysis of what the folding of WPS side St. Louis Athletca means for the prospects of the league.

US/World Cup

The American-born traitor Guiseppe Rossi was dropped from the Italy squad on Tuesday. Instant karma.

The US team has started practicing at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria, their home during the Confederations Cup.

After reports emerge of that Pakistani and Somali militants were running training camps in Mozambique and may have entered into South Africa, Coach Bradley says he is confident in the team’s security.

The South Africa Star calls US soccer fans the greatest fans in the world. The reason: the 160,000 tickets bought so far in the US is the most of any country, greater than the combined total of England and Germany. But while we apparently have deep pockets, our chant bank is pitifully low. Says one American who is going to the tournament, “If we want to be taken seriously as fans we have to come up with better chants. We can’t just be shouting, ‘U-S-A-U-S-A-U-S-A’. Frankly, it’s embarrassing.” Too true, too true.

Goal.com has a team style guide for top World Cup squads aimed at those who don’t know soccer. They then ask, “Can Team USA win a game?” Their answer: “Yes.” USA! USA! USA!

Thanks to a secret agreement reached during the recent CBA negotiations, US players will share in a $20 million bonus if the team wins the World Cup, the largest bonus in World Cup history. USA! USA! USA!

There’s a new phenomenon creeping its way into the American heartland: soccer pubs. Crikey, some of these places even show soccer when it isn’t the World Cup!

A venerable World Cup tradition has returned: player’s criticism of the tournament’s official ball.

Even stodgy formerly quasi-academic journals like Foreign Policy have caught the World Cup bug. Here they look at Goldman Sachs 2010 World Cup Research Report.

Etc.

Only 5% of Germans would prefer sex over watching Germany in a World Cup Final. I wonder what the percentage would be for sex versus Germany winning a World Cup final?

Barcelona have made a formal offer for Cesc Fabregas.