Barcelona planned to open an "academy" in Copenhagen. And the Danish soccer federation (DBU) said, "No, thank you."

How goalkeepers are treated at the youngest ages will have an impact on their long-term development, which is why it behooves a club to provide direction for coaches at the introductory levels.

Two goals last weekend on different sides of the Atlantic indicate the U.S. frontline is looking sharp one month ahead of the 2015 U-20 World Cup.

"It was the same every single day. There was no tactical work, none whatsoever. All the strategic stuff was done within the small-sided games. Liverpool believed that everything we faced in five-a-sides would be encountered again on match day." -- John Barnes, Former Liverpool and English national team star.

With the countdown to the kickoff of the 2015 U-20 World Cup down to 38 days, the USA tied, 2-2, with Qatar, which qualified for the tourney in New Zealand by winning the Asian championship.

I started refereeing in 1978 so I have been officiating for 37 years. The only regret that I have during this time is that I did not wear a black baseball cap when I started.

Coach Tab Ramos has a month to finalize his roster for the U-20 World Cup that kicks off May 30 in New Zealand, where the USA aims to reach the knockout stage of the biennial competition for the first time since 2007.

Last year, the University of New Mexico women's team made national news for hazing that resulted in two players hospitalized. This year, among reports of hazing in high school soccer, an expert on hazing said it "s becoming more violent and sexualized."

Ask her coaches past or present to describe Alex Morgan's attributes and the answers are always similar: fast, strong, lethal with her right and left foot, and good in the air.

Timothy Weah, the son of former Liberian great George Weah, the 1995 World Player of the Year, continues climbing the ranks of the U.S. youth national team program.

The Alex Morgan we'll see at this summer's Women's World Cup got her national team break with the U.S. U-20 national team that under Coach Tony DiCicco won the 2008 U-20 Women's World Cup.

Soccer referees carry their whistles in their hands, not in their mouths. In raising the whistle to the mouth to blow it, a referee has a moment to analyze a foul to make certain that there is not an advantage situation developing.

Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, a U.S. Soccer Federation team physician for more than two decades, has been a pioneer in researching ACL injury trends and creating injury-prevention programs.

Since its launch in 1980, when three foreign teams competed in a field of 26, the Dallas Cup has become a veritable Youth World Club Cup.

I've seen a coach allowed back on the sideline shortly after he berated, during a U-10 rec game, a 15-year-old ref so harshly she fought back tears when I asked her about the incident months later. So I get where Florida state senator Jeremy Ring is coming from.