Have you ever noticed how the World Cup is associated with girls? Especially hot girls? If you don't believe me just look up "World Cup Soccer" in Google images. Besides the pictures of World Cup Trophy, I would say that the number of actual soccer pictures to girls is about half and half.

I personally haven't really been into the World Cup but this might be an enticing reason to start. Here are some pictures to further my point. Ok, some of these aren't exactly pictures of fans but it's what shows up when you search!

I went to see Edison Arantes do Nascimento or Pele as you might know him when I was about 3 years old and he was a member of the New York Cosmos and I went to 1 practice in 4th grade before the coach made us do laps. (I quit midway through the 1st lap) Other than that I truly had or have no interest in Soccer. Unfortunately for soccer, most Americans feel the same way. Don’t feel terrible for soccer, we hate hockey too. Although I think things might be changing! 

We all thought that after his horrific injury to his achilles tendon a David Beckham sighting at the World Cup this year would be impossible.

This game between Liverpool and Chelsea was guaranteed to provide controversy and drama in one form or another.

When Kenny Dalglish led Liverpool Football Club to the old First Division championship in 1990, the Reds were truly riding the crest of a wave and their supporters had experienced a period of unprecedented success that had seen them pick up no less than eleven League titles in eighteen years. Legendary boss Bill Shankly had set out to turn his team into a "bastion of invincibility" and his magnificent work had been more than ably continued by the great Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and, of course, King Kenny himself. Yes, in those days it felt pretty good to be associated with Liverpool FC and the shadow they cast over their rivals was enormous. Liverpool were champions for the eighteenth time and it would require a strong pair of binoculars to pick out Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, languishing back in thirteenth place below such "powerhouses" as Southampton, Wimbledon, Norwich, Queen's Park Rangers and Coventry City. The Mancunians had only seven league titles to their name and had not worn the Champions crown since 1967.

The Danish Silkeborg striker, Bajram Fetai, and teammates came up with the best goal celebration of the week.

When the final whistle blows at Eastlands on Saturday a victory for Man City over United could have consequences beyond three points, the destination of this years title and Champions League qualification.  

With the FIFA World Cup getting closer by the day, football fans naturally begin the ritual of imagining themselves in Fabio Capello's shoes and picking a starting eleven for this summer's opening match against team USA on June 12th. Those of us who are old enough, also remember back to July 30th, 1966, when England Manager, Alf Ramsey, sent out the following eleven players to gloriously beat West Germany by four goals to two, and win the Jules Rimet Trophy.

For a club of its stature, ambitions and immense fan base,Liverpool is currently in the doldrums. And being a lifelong fan of the club myself, it has been painful to say the very least. Nevermind the recent victory against Sunderland, the labored comeback over Lille or even the thumping of Benfica. No disrespect to any of those teams but they don't exactly have opponents trembling in their boots at the prospect of playing them.It was the games against Manchester United, Wigan and most recently Birmingham and of course today’s bore draw against Fulham that clearly showed that as a force in football, we have once again fallen behind the pack after flattering to deceive last season. Or at least, Rafa did. But last season is history. Rafas' record as a Liverpool manager is never going to be judged by what he achieved in a single season alone (unless of course you happen to win the treble and just about everything else in sight thereafter. Guardiola of Barcelona can already retire from management). Instead he will be judged by far how far he has taken the club since his appointment in 2004. And the truth is, since then he club has barely moved an inch. Despite delivering the champions league trophy in his first season, Rafa has really achieved nothing. 

Manchester United and Liverpool clash on Sunday at Old Trafford in a game that could go a long way to determining whether Utd surpass the Anfield club?s record of 18 League titles, a number they drew level with last May. The two Northern giants lock horns at a time of shared financial uncertainty but a huge difference in their fortunes on the pitch. United are looking to win the title for a record 4th consecutive season.

Throughout his career Landon Donovan has had to listen to television's talking heads questioning his ability to play at the highest level. Many even seemed barely able to conceal their delight at his less than stellar performances on the German Bundersliga stage with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich. Despite being the all time leading scorer for the US National Team and six times winner of the MLS Honda Player of the Year award, it was suggested that the 5' 8" Los Angeles Galaxy Captain would be eaten alive if he ever dared set foot in the world's most physical league, the EPL. Many pundits even openly stated that he lacked the courage to test himself on a weekly basis against the likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Cesc Fabregas. 

Manchester United?s pursuit of their 19th Championship, thereby moving ahead of Liverpool as England?s most successful club, and Chelsea?s latest attempt to deliver Roman Abramovich the success he demands have garnered most of the attention this season. Meanwhile at the Emirates, yet to witness a league title celebration, Arsenal have been quietly plugging away. With 9 games to go they are sitting on the shoulder of the leaders, poised to exploit a potentially easier run-in then either of their rivals, and ghost to the top prize. 

With most teams down to their last ten games it can be argued that this season's EPL is the most exciting ever. Usually by this late stage of the season the race for the title is reduced to a two horse race if we are lucky, maybe five teams have a chance of winning one of the golden tickets to next season's European Champions League, and at the bottom at least two teams are already making plans for the inevitable drop in to next season's Football League Championship. Not this season!  

David Beckham's most recent tattoo is of artist Matthew Brooks' The Man Of Sorrows.