In America and a few other places like Canada, Japan, Ireland and Australia we call it soccer. Everywhere else, the game is known as football.

We are talking about the most popular game in the world. THE WORLD. Played by more people around the globe tan any other game. The World’s Game.

Travel anywhere. It’s played by boys and girls and men and women. it’s played on streets and in alleys, on dirt and on concrete.

Formally, it’s played with 10 players on the field and a goalkeeper for 90 minutes with a break of about 15 minutes.

FIFA (the Federation Internationale de Football Association) has more members than the UN. And the World Cup is watched by more people than the Olympics.

Those of us who play and watch soccer know exactly what the rest of America is missing. We have loved Pele. We have loved Thierry Henry. And Ronaldo. And Zinedine Zidane. Beckham & Gerrard. And Fabien Barthez guarding the goal. And Ronaldinho.

And who can ever forget the extraordinary Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, and Brianna Scurry who brought the glory of women’s soccer to America in 2000.

Soccer USA is all about soccer. We play. We watch. We love.

We read about soccer, and we blog about soccer.

Come back often and tell us what you think. Read and comment.