David Beckham has announced that he will retire from the game that has been so gracious to him over his 20 year career. On Thursday, the world of soccers most recogziable name made a statement about his exiting of the game at this point.

“I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level.

“I want to thank all my team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from. I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.

“If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy.

“I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”

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Amsterdam—

Chelsea defeated Benfica 2-1 to take the championship in the Euroleague on Wednesday night. It was a goal by Branislav Ivanovic around the 93 minute mark that sealed the victory.

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Paris–

Another accomplish for Sweden’s Superstar! The 31 year-old Zlatan Ibrahomivic has captured his first title in the French League giving him a grand total of 9 league titles with Six different Clubs(four different countries) as his Paris St. Germain beat Lyon 1-0 on Sunday. 

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Norrköping—

At the 1:22 mark, young sensation Isaac Kiese Thelin’s (assist by Christoffer Nyman) goal for IFK Norrköping seemed as if it could be the spoiler in goalie  Abbas Hassan’s return to Nya Parken on Friday night. IFK Norrkoping seemed to fluster the visting and former Champions IF Elfsborg in the first half of play. Hassan who celebrated his birthday upon his return would lead IF Elfsborg in the second half as he stopped several close attempts at the goal by IFK Norrköping in a 2-1 victory. IF Elfsborg  scored two goals in a five minute span ( Marcus Rohden 65.30, James Keene 69.13) in the second half to seal the road victory and climb into the second slot in the All-Svenskan Series.  IFK Norrköping stands on the eighth position.

Game Statistics: IFK Norrköping – IF Elfsborg 1 – 2 (1 – 0)
Goals: 1–0 (2) Isaac Kiese Thelin, 1–1 (66) Marcus Rohdén, 1–2 (70) Självmål.
Varning, IFK: Isaac Kiese Thelin (54). Elfsborg: Andreas Klarström (48), Tom Söderberg (50) och Abbas Hassan (84).
Referrees: Stefan Johannesson, Täby.
Attendance: 8, 032.

IFK Norrköpings team (4-4-2): David Mitov Nilsson – Marcus Falk Olander (89), Morten Skjönsberg, David Boo Wiklander, Mathias Florén – Martin Smedberg Dalence, Andreas Johansson, Lars Krogh Gerson, Siim Luts – Christoffer Nyman (46), Isaac Kiese Thelin (70).

Subs: Andreas Lindberg (mv), Rawez Lawan (46), Christopher Telo (70), James Freempong, Joonas Tamm (89), Alexander Fransson.
(photo by DN)

Written by Andrew Mitchell for Woodlawn Post

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Sport Club Extends Premier League Deal With IMG Media

Sport Klub is the current broadcaster in the region and the new deal is for the 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. They will broadcast their coverage in High Definition across all their channels and have agreed a deal for the rights to all 380 games either live or delayed.

Victor Blundell , Senior Vice President of IMG Media, said: “We are delighted Sport Klub will once again be the broadcaster of the Barclays Premier League in the region. There are an increasing number of players in the English top flight from the region and therefore a great desire to watch live action on a regular basis.”

Nemanja Simeunovic, Regional Director of Sport Klub, said: “The Barclays Premier League is the best league in the world and we are very pleased to continue our already successful relationship with them – they are part of the Sport Klub family. For a broadcaster it is just as important to retain your best programming as it is to look for new events.”

About IMG

IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in more than 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging:  IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in India, China, Brazil and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Tennis & IMG Golf; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing.

President and CEO Big Brothers and Big Sisters Dara Munson (l to r), General Motors North America President Mark Reuss and CEO Think Detroit PAL Tim Richey (Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for Chevrolet)

“We’re applying our very global partnership with the One World Futbol Project at a very local level,” General Motors North America President Mark Reuss said Tuesday. “Thousands of children right here in Detroit will benefit from this donation.”

Chevrolet teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit to donate balls to the Detroit Police Athletic League and 23 Detroit Public Schools. The balls will be distributed beginning April 27 at PAL’s summer soccer kick-off event at Historic Fort Wayne.

Chevrolet and the GM Foundation are both committed to supporting the City of Detroit. Over the past three years, the GM Foundation has granted nearly $21.5 million to vital nonprofits and cultural institutions within the city, including United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Focus: HOPE, Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan Science Center.

One World Futbols are designed to outlast and outplay hundreds of regular soccer balls, sustaining play in any environment.  The ball never needs a pump and never deflates even when punctured, making it ideal for play in all types of terrain such as concrete, blacktop, dirt, rocky fields or grass, and harsh environments.

“Our mission at One World Futbol Project is to keep the spirit of play alive for youth around the world through the simple power of a durable ball,’” said Lisa Tarver co-founder and chief operating officer at One World Futbol Project. “We are excited to join Chevrolet in making a positive difference for thousands of children around Detroit and witnessing the power of play in action.”

The initiative is part of Chevrolet’s three-year partnership with One World Futbol Project that pledges to place 1.5 million One World Futbols with youth in war-stricken zones, refugee camps, disaster areas, and other underprivileged communities around the world.

Chevrolet is the founding sponsor of One World Futbol Project, which was established in 2010 and has since touched millions of young lives with the power of play in nearly 160 countries. One World Futbol inventor, Tim Jahnigen, was inspired to create the ball after watching news footage of kids in Darfur playing a soccer game using a ball of trash tied up with twine.

It was then that Jahnigen decided to develop a ball that would play like a real soccer ball but would not be destroyed by the harsh conditions often facing young soccer players in many parts of the world.

Individuals can support One World Futbol Project through the “Buy One, Give One” program.  With each purchase of a Chevrolet-branded gold ball, another ball is donated to an organization working in a disadvantaged community around the world.  Fans of Chevrolet receive $5 off the $39.50 price (plus shipping) when they use the special discount code “ChevyOWFP.”

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest vehicle brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality.

President and CEO Big Brothers and Big Sisters Dara Munson (l to r), General Motors North America President Mark Reuss and CEO Think Detroit PAL Tim Richey (Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for Chevrolet)

For more information on Chevrolet and its One World Futbol efforts, visit: www.ChevroletFC.com

More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

For more information of how to sign up, call 313-309-0500 or visit our website at www.bbbsdetroit.org.

For more information on One World Futbol Project please visit www.oneworldfutbol.com

Reggie Bush Signs With Detroit Lions ""It's a Running Backs Dream"@ReggieBush

“Such a strong fan base here & that’s really important” and “Winning is the most important thing to me,” Reggie Bush said.

The press conference was held today at 1:45 p.m. in the broadcast studio of the Lions Practice Facility in Allen Park.

“It’s a running backs dream” and “I’m excited to get this thing on the road & get to work,” Reggie Bush said about playing with WR Calvin Johnson and the double teams that Calvin Johnson faces.

Reggie Bush rushed for 986 yards last year with the Miami Dolphins.

“The first game I ever coached as the head coach of the Lions was against the New Orleans Saints and Reggie Bush on offense,” Coach Jim Schwartz said.

The Detroit Lions recently restructured Ndamukong Suh’s contract to give the team more room under the salary-cap to sign free agents this year.

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“I am honored to have been asked to play such an important role at this special time in Chinese football history,” Beckham said. ”I’m excited by the prospect of promoting the world’s greatest game to Chinese sports fans as I’ve seen firsthand the growing interest in football there. This is a wonderful sport that inspires people across the world and brings families together, so I’m relishing the opportunity of introducing more fans to the game.”

The 2013 Season of the Chinese Super League will kick-off on March 8^th and Beckham’s support will bring increased national attention to the country’s Championship League. Chinese football fans are eagerly anticipating the new season and the presence of David Beckham.

“2013 marks the 20^th anniversary of professional football in China and the special ambassadorship of David Beckham will attract global attention to Chinese football and the CSL,” said a CFA official. “We are pleased to invite Mr. Beckham to visit China at this special moment. While in China, he will attend the CSL and visit Clubs to get a deeper insight into football in China. He will also help us to inspire and motivate many children to participate in this beautiful game.”

David Beckham Named Special Ambassador of Chinese Football

He has received the invitation from the Chinese Football Association, the first ever honor of its kind bestowed on an International sportsman in the country. Beckham’s Chinese football debut will be another influential role after his special ambassadorship for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Simon Fuller, David Beckham’s business partner commented, “With David being invited by the Chinese FA to become an ambassador for the game he loves so much, it really underlines the scale and reach of his global popularity.”  and “This is the start of a new chapter in the David Beckham story, and I’m absolutely delighted for him. I’m certain he will enjoy his China adventure.”

Mike Dolan, Chairman and CEO of IMG Worldwide, which has a 10-year deal as a strategic partner and promoter of the CFL, said, “This is the perfect time for an icon like David Beckham to be spearheading the effort to promote football in China.” and “The combination of the 10-year anniversary of the CSL, the 20^th anniversary of professional football in China and the global appeal of David Beckham practically ensures that every young person in the country will have a new found interest in the game. We expect that David’s presence in the country will be massively important in popularizing the sport.”

CFA, the governing body of the game in China, hopes to realize its goal of further promoting the world’s greatest game to over 1.3 billion people in the country and inspiring young children to play the game by relying on Beckham’s credibility as one of the most admired sportsmen and iconic figures in the world as well as his outstanding sportsmanship and professionalism. Beckham’s own story and his growing role as the spokesperson of sport have made him the perfect candidate to the CFA.

Adam Zhu, Vice Chairman of IMG Asia Pacific and Chairman & President of Greater China, said, “IMG, as the strategic partner of the CSL, shall spare no effort to promote the CSL and Chinese Football” and ”I believe Beckham’s own story and his love of the game will inspire a new generation of children to play football in China so Chinese football will take its place on the world stage. I wholeheartedly thank Mr. Mike Dolan, Chairman and CEO of IMG Worldwide, and Mr. Jiang Heping, Managing Director, CCTV Sports and Chairman, CCTV-IMG Sports Management Company, for their unrivalled support.”

Meanwhile, with the rapid growth of the Chinese Super League, the country’s Championship league in the past two years, it is believed that Beckham’s China tour will further popularize the game in the country as well as bringing Chinese football and the CSL to the world stage.

Source: [ imgworld.com ]

SWEDEN—-

The 21 year old Bryan Massa has signed for Valsta Syriac after spending two seasons with in Division 1.

Despite participating in some  test matches including Assyriska, the striker will instead continue with  Valsta Syriac – which is new to the Division 1 North.

“I will continue to play in Division 1 but for another club, I signed with Valsta Syriac today,” writes Bryan Massa on Twitter.

(Written by Andrew Mitchell for Woodlawn Post)

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Norrköping—

During the summer the 2013 UEFA Women’s Championship in Soccer will be held in both Norrköping and Linköping. In Norrköping and Linköping will group C with France, England, Russia and Spain play their matches. One of the semi-finals played will be played in Norrköping. The tickets will be released on February 14th.

Matches in Norrkoping

Fri 12 July 18:00 France-Russia
Mon 15 July 20:30 Spain-France
Thu July 18 20:30 Russia-Spain
Thu July 25 20:30 Semi 2
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