Unpredictability

un⋅pre⋅dict⋅a⋅ble
–adjective
1.
not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold: an unpredictable occurrence.

–noun
2.
something that is unpredictable: the unpredictables of life
Being unpredictable is crucial to success in soccer. Once a defender or opponent can read what you're going to do, you're going to have massive amounts of trouble beating them. You must mix up your game so a defender never knows what you're going to do.
First time you get the ball pass quick, second time dribble at a defender, third time play a long ball, fourth time shoot, etc… Never allow obvious patterns to develop, go right, go left, go forward, go backwards.
Soccer is an athletic game of chess. You have to think ahead and outwit your opponent. Keep yourself unpredictable and your results on the pitch will be favorable.

Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley is the defensive central midfielder for the US National Team. He plays his club ball for Borussia Monchengladbach in the German Bundesliga. He's a fantastic player and is also the son of US National Team coach Bob Bradley.
Bradley is a very simple, steady midfield player. He is strong in the tackle, industrious, and a very good passer of the ball. He's a perfect role player to build a team around.
He had a great FIFA Confederations Cup and unfortunately got a red card in the semi-final against Spain which ruled him out for the final vs. Brazil. For me, it was an incorrect call by the ref which makes it even more unlucky. Keep your eye on Michael Bradley; he's going to just continue to get better with time.

US National Soccer Team

I want to take this time to salute the US National Team and their performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup. They upset the world's current #1 team Spain 2-0 in the semi-finals and lost a heart breaking final to Brazil 3-2. They were leading the South American giants 2-0 at halftime.
In the group stages they lost to Italy and Brazil in their first two matches and needed a 3-0 victory over Egypt in order to advance. They magically pulled off the feat and went on to play some impressive soccer.
Even though Brazil came from behind to win the final, I was definitely proud to be an American soccer player after watching our national team play these past 2 weeks. Our nation is absolutely making strides to becoming a soccer nation.

1v1 Defending

1v1 defending is a necessary skill to learn in order to play at any level of soccer. The basic stance is to have your legs staggered one in front of the other and your body at a slight diagonal angle facing the player dribbling at you. You never want to be standing with your body square to the player dribbling at you; it’s a very unathletic, immobile stance.
Having good agility and flexibility in your hips is crucial. As a player cuts and swerves, you must constantly adjust your stance. The obvious goal in 1v1 dribbling is to win the ball and start a counter attack.
Watch outside defenders defend on-coming wing players; you'll get a good visual of exactly how 1v1 defending is meant to be done. Whether you are playing pick-up with your friends or you're in a cup final, you'll be encountered in a 1v1 situation. Take the time to learn this skill so you're ready!

The Differences…

Two very high levels of soccer that are attained by very few players are NCAA Division I and Professional. It takes tons of hard work and training to make it to these levels. Even though these are both great achievements, there are numerous differences that dictate which players can make that final leap into the pro's.
For me, speed of thought and understanding of your personal strength's are the key. The higher you go in soccer, the faster the game becomes. You have less time and space to make decisions. Being able to think ahead of the game is crucial to success in the professional rank.
Understanding of your personal strength's is probably not often mentioned. Different players bring different skills to the table. Some players are great passers, some are great in the air, some are great defenders, some are extremely athletic, etc… Knowing exactly what makes you a good player and bringing that to the table every day will make sure your name is on a professional team roster.
These two details can be the difference that pushes you over the top!

Kaka

The new Real Madrid midfielder/former AC Milan star is a truly spectacular player. For me, he's a combination of Brazilian flare with European power. He plays internationally with Brazil and developed his game in the Sao Paulo youth system.
The tall attacking midfield player has all the skill to work his way out of tight spaces. He adds to that a long stride to eat up ground as he powerfully penetrates through the opposing defense like it's a walk in the park. His clean striking ability and nose for the goal makes him a total attacking threat.
He scored many important goals for AC Milan and I'm sure he will continue the trend in La Liga with the Galacticos. Keep your eye on Kaka to have a truly remarkable season this year in Spain.

Real Madrid

The Galacticos are my early prediction to win the 2010 UEFA Champions League. They are a talent-filled team as it is, and the offseason transfers they have made in the past few weeks are just downright frightening. Coach Ramos is going to have some chore trying to figure out who his top 11 will be.
Real Madrid has been without a trophy for the past 2 seasons which is completely out of the question to their board of directors and fans. They boasted world class talent such as Arjen Robben, Ruud Van Nistelroy, Wesley Sneijder, Sergio Ramos, and Iker Casillas just to name a few.
The summer transfer pickups of David Villa from Valencia, Kaka from AC Milan, and the heart breaker for me, Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United are making waves around the soccer world. I'm just curious to see who else they will pickup. Keep an eye on Real Madrid in 2010; they are going to have the fire power to be something special.