
Beating Italy was a breakthrough moment. Winning at Mexico ended nearly a century of frustration.

Swathed in the red-and-yellow colors of Spain, hundreds of thousands packed central Madrid to give a hero's welcome Monday to "La Roja" — the national soccer team that erased the country's gloomy mood by winning the Euro 2012 Championship with such flair.
Nicklas Bendtner paid a heavy price for his underpants on Monday.

For all the growth the U.S. national team has experienced under Jurgen Klinsmann in recent months, piecing together a five-game winning streak while at times brandishing an attractive, free-flowing style of play, it's still a work in progress. And a world power such as Brazil is not kind to unfinished products.
For Maurice Edu and Clarence Goodson of the U.S. national team, Monday's training session at Ludwig Field was a throwback, a return to the University of Maryland stomping grounds they once roamed before representing their country at the pinnacle of their sport.
When soccer riots broke out in Egypt in February, Bob Bradley did not hesitate to speak out despite having only just arrived as the new coach of the national team.
Workers building a World Cup stadium in northeastern Brazil decided to remain on strike Wednesday to demand better pay and improved benefits.
Brazilian organizers say the northeastern city of Recife will be ready to help host next year's Confederations Cup despite concerns with slow preparations.
It wasn't a tough choice for convicted bank robber Chiquinho: spend the day in a cell or make money out in the sun helping Brazil build a 2014 World Cup stadium.