[SOCCER ON THE AIR] Sunday’s World Cup final was the most-watched soccer game ever on U.S. television as 17.3 million viewers watched the Germany-Argentina overtime match on ABC and another 9.2 million viewers tuned in on Univision for a combined audience of 26.5 million viewers, breaking the record of24.7 million viewers for the USA-Portugal game […]
world cup 2014
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup final is most-watched final ever on ABC
[SOCCER ON THE AIR] Sunday’s World Cup final between Germany and Argentina was the most-watched World Cup final ever with an average of 17,324,000viewers. Sunday’s final, which drew a 9.1 rating, also ranks as the third most-viewed soccer game in the United States behind ESPN’s coverage of this year’s USA-Portugal match(18,220,000 viewers) and the 1999 […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Kroos: I'm Going to Madrid
Toni Kroos on Monday admitted that he is leaving Bayern Munich for Real Madrid this summer, after helping Germany secure the World Cup trophy. “We’ve finished the World Cup inthe best way possible. Now I’m going to Madrid, so that’s two dreams achieved,” the 24-year-old told UOL. According to the Daily Mail, the central midfielder is […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Scolari, Brazil Part Ways
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari resigned on Monday, the Brazilian soccer federation (CBF) said after failing to lead Brazil to another World Cup title. His resignation follows heavyback-to-back losses to Germany in the semifinal (7-1) and the Netherlands in the third-place game (3-0). The 7-1 loss to Germany marked Brazil’s joint-heaviest ever loss and its […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Maradona: Messi Didn't Deserve Golden Ball
AS has quoted Argentina legend Diego Maradona as saying that Lionel Messi only won the Golden Ball award, which is given to the tournament’s best player, for marketingpurposes after Argentina was beaten in Sunday’s final, 1-0, by Germany. “Poor thing, I’d give Messi heaven if possible,” Maradona is quoted as saying on his talk show.“But […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Brazil Diary: Germans bring joy to Rio
By Mike Woitalla Two sets of fans on the subway leaving the Maracana station on Sunday night wore German replica jerseys. One group sang loudly and danced around whilethe other watched before finally joining in. The more raucous group — they were Brazilians. They let the Germans teach them a dance: “So gehen die Deutschen, […]
Posted inSoccerTalk with Paul Gardner, Story
Soccer needs a Brazilian revival
By Paul Gardner RIO DE JANEIRO — It took nearly two hours of often rather trite soccer for Germany to win this World Cup. The one goal that decided the final, from MarioGoetze, was a beauty … in a game that, while it had plenty of tension and a sufficient number of near-misses and other […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying: Alejandro Sabella
“I believe he is in the pantheon of the greats. But he’s been there for a while.” — Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella after Lionel Messi was named the winner of the adidas Golden Ball as the best player at the World Cup but could not lead the Albiceleste to the title, raising theinevitable comparison to […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Loew's advice to Goetze, and thanks to Klinsmann
[GERMANY-ARGENTINA: Reaction] Mario Goetze came into the World Cup as one of Germany’s stars, but he found himself on thebench for the last three matches of the World Cup. When he came on late in regulation of Sunday’s final against Argentina, his coach, Joachim Loew, told him togo out and decide the World Cup, which […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Euphoria in Berlin
[VIDEO PICK: World Cup] Here’s a glimpse at how Germany’s World Cup victory was celebrated in Berlin. German fans celebrated ecstatically as theircountry brought home the first-place trophy for the first time in 24 years — proudly waving their national flag and singing, Queen’s “We Are The Champions.” The substituteMario Goetze scored a beautiful goal […]