I was five years old when I first heard the word “soccer.” My best friend and I were changing into our fresh-out-of-the-box uniforms in his Mom’s station wagon, and I figured that the name of this sport we were about to try must have something to do with the long purple socks that we were trying to pull on over what we’d just learned were called shin guards.
当我第一次听到“足球”这个词时，我才五岁。我和最好的朋友在他妈妈的旅行汽车里换着新制服，我发现这上面有着足球这个名称。我觉得它和我们正要试穿的紫色长筒袜一定有关系。后来，我才知道他叫护膝(shin guard)。
A year later, once I’d learned to spell, I was baffled to see that the name of my favorite sport wasn’t “socker.” And so, the first soccer game I ever saw was the first game I played in. I probably scored a goal, too. I usually did. Not to brag, but as a five-year-old kid on the sun-scorched fields of North Texas, wearing a perforated purple jersey that hung down to my knees, I was an absolute menace in front of goal. This was in the mid-seventies, in the middle of the big US soccer boom...
Sergio Ramos and Spain lifted the World Cup four years ago, but won't be around to sniff it this time.
四年前，拉莫斯高举大力神杯庆祝胜利，然而本届世界杯，西班牙人只能远远地看着。
With Spain's remarkable run of success over (at least for this generation), the question can be asked: Was Spain the best international dynasty ever?
据ESPN网站6月19日报道，在创造一系列不败神话之后，西班牙王朝突然变得黯淡无光（至少对目前这批球员来说），人们不禁要问：斗牛士是否是国际足坛历史上的绝对王者？
BRAZIL 1958-1970: Led by the peerless Pele,Brazil unveiled its jogo bonito (beautiful game) to the world by winning three World Cup titles between 1958 and 1970. The 1970 team was largely different from the previous winners, but Pele linked the champions, and Brazil remains ...
巴西世界杯揭幕战巴西对克罗地亚的比赛中，巴西队的马塞洛打进了本届世界杯的首粒进球，不过，这并没有让巴西队得分，因为他不小心把球带进了自家球门，上演了“乌龙球”。
“乌龙球”如何翻译为英语？请看外媒的报道：
Defender Marcelo marched into the history books on Thursday by scoring Brazil's first own goal at a World Cup.
巴西队后卫马塞洛打入了巴西队在世界杯历史上的首个乌龙球，从此被载入史册。
“乌龙球”就是打入自家球门的球，因此英文中就叫own goal，“进了一个乌龙球”可以用score an own goal表示。本届世界杯揭幕战（opening game）中的首个进球是乌龙球，同时这也是巴西队在世界杯历史上的首个乌龙球。
在比赛29分钟的时候，内马尔表现出色攻入一球，将比分扳平（scored the equalizer）；下半场比赛中，因为克罗地亚队员的轻微肢体动作而被裁判出示黄牌（yellow card），并判罚点球（penalty kick）...
2014年巴西世界杯将于当地时间6月12日揭开战幕，你准备好熬夜看球了吗？话说，看世界杯球赛要准备的可不仅是啤酒和零食，对各球队的绰号有所了解也是很必要的。不然，解说员一会儿说“红魔”，一会儿说“三狮军团”， 听不明白多着急啊。
BRAZIL: "CANARINHO" ("LITTLE CANARY")
巴西：金丝雀
Named for the squad's famously bright yellow kits. Other less popular nicknames include the just-as-colorful "Verde-Amarela" ("The Green and Yellow"), "Samba Kings" for the nearly-dancing footskills of the team's players, and the boastful "Pentacampe es" ("The Five Time Champions," apparently a moniker that's subject to change).
巴西的这个绰号来源于他们鲜黄色的球衣。其他不太知名的绰号还有：用颜色来代表的“黄绿金军团”、代表巴西队足球技术的“桑巴之王”，以及稍显炫耀的“五星巴西”（这个称呼今年很有可能会发生变化哦）...
