Games We Play
by Valter Aguiar
Every four years, the best soccer teams in the world get together for a series of matches to decide who is the world's champion. FIFA Soccer World Cup has become a huge event since its humble beginning in 1930, in Uruguay.
Soccer is not as popular in the U.S. as it is in Europe or South America, but it has considerably developed after the last World Cup was held in the States. Brazil was the winner that time but 1998 has arrived, and a new World Cup Event will be held in France. The U.S. team is qualified, so soccer will become an everyday topic for discussion at work, while commuting, while dining ... and on the WorldWide Web.
1998 World Cup official Web site
At this site, you will find each and every tidbit of information about the event, including the participating teams, matches, and the cities where the matches will be played. This site also offers complete reports about all past World Cups (qualification, match results and much more).
You can also vote for the best soccer player of all time, and the best team in World Cup history. You'll also find interesting downloads, advice on how to purchase tickets for the matches and how to make hotel reservations. World Cup organizers have included nearly everything in this well-designed, easy to navigate bi-lingual (English/French) Web site.
FIFA official Web site
At the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) site, you will find information on all tournaments promoted by the world's main soccer federation, and the "FIFA News" publication, with the most recent details about worldwide soccer. FIFA official ranking, country by country, is also presented in the site, and updated regularly. Through the ranking list, it is possible to check which nations are most likely to win this year's World Cup, though experience has shown that, in soccer, favorites may not always win.
U. S. soccer league official site
If you're curious about the scores of all the matches played in the U.S. league, this site provides links to the sites of all participating clubs. It also contains the Fantasy Soccer Quiz (you can win a US$ 1,000.00 prize - check the site for details). There is also a chat room and a fan club for the American soccer, which is gaining in popularity every day.
Japanese soccer league
In the past few years, Japan has developed a very well organized soccer league, while making the sport a very profitable business. All the information on J-League is on this official Web site.
Italian soccer league - unofficial site
The Italian league is closely followed by soccer fans everywhere, as players from all over the world are there. This sites gives results and classifications of all series of the Italian league.
Official Web sites of popular soccer clubs:
Borussia Dortmund, Germany
This is the site of the 1997 World champion. Written only in German (all sites of German clubs seem to only adopt their own language), it contains complete data about each player of Borussia's staff (life and career), as well as news and updates about the club. The site is also promoting club souvenirs, which will soon be available for purchase.
Santos FC, Brazil
This club's claim to fame is that it's the only professional club for which Pelé played in Brazil. The site shows a bit of this history and the current moments of the club. Available in Portuguese only, as in other Brazilian club pages.
Cruzeiro, Brazil
This club is the current South American champion. Aside from information about the club (titles, teams, patrimony, directors and the like), you can also listen to the latest game reports (in Portuguese, of course), supplied by a local radio station. Links about soccer and to other Brazilian and foreign clubs are also available.
Vasco da Gama, Brazil
This is the current Brazilian champion. This site includes links to a number of interesting soccer sites on the WorldWide Web.
Ajax Amsterdam, Holland
Like its German and Brazilian counterparts, Ajax's site is in the local language only (Dutch). They have a souvenir shop, chat room and a free e-mail newsletter on the club, called "Ajax Mail." Visit the Ajax Museum and the photo of its inauguration by famous Dutch player Johann Cruyff.
Manchester United, England
Language should be no problem on this site, where you will find all the information on the club, as well as a chat forum, through which fans can air their opinions on any matter regarding their favorite club.
AC Milan, Italy
Due to its highly professional soccer league, sites of Italian clubs have large sections in English. Through AC Milan's Web site, you can order club items from anywhere in the world and have them delivered to your home.
Ibis - Worst Soccer Club in the World, Brazil
After having lost virtually all matches in a regional league a few years ago, Ibis - a small club in the Northeast of Brazil - was nominated "the worst soccer club in the world." They are exaggerating of course, but this site was created by an Ibis supporter who decided to explore the bad fame of the club, in a tongue-in-cheek but healthy fashion, and show Ibis' humble history on the WorldWide Web. This supporter explains: "Ibis is the Portuguese name of an ancient eagle, known for bringing bad luck to its owners."
By Valter Aguiar
