Merry Christmas and ...

Christmas Comes Early - LA Sign Three Brazilians on Loan from Sao Paulo

With the signing of these three young Brazilian players on loan, Galaxy fans have been treated to an early Christmas present. In addition, the timing of the announcement today is certainly a good omen as it is exactly a year ago that the club signed Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who went on to have an impressive season including a top three finish in the Goalkeeper of the Year voting. Once again, Bruce Arena looks to deliver a christmas gift that will give back to our fans all season long.

Below is the news release...

The LA Galaxy announced today that they have acquired three players on loan from Sao Paulo FC of the Brazilian Campeonato for the 2010 MLS season. Alex, a 21-year-old left-sided player, Juninho, a 20-year-old central midfielder and Leonardo, a 21-year-old central defender each spent two weeks training with the Galaxy in October, giving the Galaxy coaching staff a chance to see the players in action first hand. Per team and league policy, details of the loan agreements were not disclosed. All three players will be officially added to the Galaxy roster upon the receipt of their P1 visas and International Transfer Clearances (ITC).

All three players have come through the youth ranks at Sao Paulo, having played on the team that won the Super Group of the 2007 Dallas Cup, defeating Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to the title. They were also all on loan earlier this year with Toledo in the First Division of the Brazilian Paraná Championship.

For complete details click here.

González Receives National Team Call-up

LA Galaxy defender Omar González has been called in to the U.S. National Team for their annual January camp that will be held at The Home Depot Center. González is one of 30 players called into the camp by U.S. National Team head coach Bob Bradley. A veteran of the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 National Teams, this is the first time that González has been called into the full National Team.

The camp will begin on Monday, January 4 and run through the friendly against Honduras on Saturday, January 23 at The Home Depot Center.

Click here for the complete release.

Awards Haul Continues for Landon

After already claiming the MLS MVP award, scoring the MLS Goal of the Year, winning the Galaxy's Golden Boot for the fifth straight year as the club's top scorer, the team MVP award and a host of other prizes for his play with the Galaxy, as well as the Honda Player of the Year award as the top player with the U.S. National Team, Galaxy captain Landon Donovan has now added a triumvirate of other awards from the folks at U.S. Soccer.

After claiming the Best Goal and Best Assist awards last week in the annual Best of U.S. Soccer voting at ussoccer.com, the 27-year old has now been named the 2009 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year. You can learn more about the award here while also seeing a video of Landon thanking everyone who made this honor possible.

So Galaxy fans, join us in congratulating Landon Donovan, the 2009 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year.

Loking Back at the Fantasy Camp: The Final Chapter

On Monday we introduced you to James Rotondi from The Huffington Post who took part in this year's Galaxy Adult Fantasy Camp.

He checked in with part one of his experience here, and now he has penned the dramatic conclusion to his recap of the event. Check it out here.

A Look Back at Yesterday's Press Conference at the ESPN Zone

Yesterday was a truly memorable day for everyone associated with the Galaxy as Landon signed his new four-year contract with the club. With most arriving at the ESPN Zone yesterday expecting to be told of the completion of a long rumored loan to Everton, the Galaxy fans in attendance were noticeably ecstatic at learning the news that the Captain had signed on for four more years.

If you were not at the press conference and didn't get to see the live stream on lagalaxy.com, you can re-live all the action here. If you were there, you will surely recognize this video, as the highlight reel that was played before the announcement.


Also, check out this video for some more words and reaction from the man himself right after the presser.


After speaking to reporters, signing some autographs for fans and soaking in the moment, Landon made the quick walk upstairs to the ESPN Radio studios to sit down with Mychal Thompson and Andrew Siciliano on LA Sports Live. Give a listen to what he had to say.

To round out the day, Landon called-in to the Jorge Ramos y su Banda radio show, which is simulcast on TV at the same time. Dust off your Spanish and give a listen, er, watch the interview.

Tall, Blonde and British

Known for bending it, David Beckham was styling it last night on the set of Lopez Tonight.

David, who told George he styles his own hair, picked up a pair of scissors and gave the host a faux hawk.

Check it out...



You can catch a full recap of last night's Lopez Tonight episode and two extra videos of George's interview with David at lopeztonight.com.

Landon Donovan Signs New Four-Year Contract with the Galaxy

Click here to watch the press conference live.

And read about the announcement here.

Press Conference Tomorrow at ESPN Zone

The Galaxy announced today that the club will hold a press conference with Bruce Arena and Landon Donovan tomorrow afternoon at the ESPN Zone. No hints on what the announcement will be, but Galaxy fans will want to stay close to their computers or Blackberries in order to get the news as soon as it is made public.

Unfortunately this event is not open to the general public, but you will be able to follow all the action live here and on lagalaxy.com.

Let the speculation begin!

Looking Back at The Supporters Holiday Party

While the blog staff was not there, Galaxy Account Executive Chris Thomas was there and has agreed to share his story with you guys.

This Saturday, the Los Angeles Riot Squad and the Angel City Brigade teamed up as LAX United to host a first annual Holiday Party. The event took place at the supporters groups' favorite haunt, the Off Campus Pup (located right across the street from The Home Depot Center) and the party provided an opportunity to reflect on what was an eventful and successful year for the club and their supporters.

The event was more than just a night of holiday merry making, the party was all for a good cause too. The groups raffled off cool prizes, including a Galaxy signed ball, a Galaxy signed jersey, a VIP ticket package to next season's home opener, a Blackberry and gift certificates for supporters group merchandise. Along with the proceeds from the raffle, the groups collected toys for the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots drive. Through the party, the supporters raised well over $300 and donated over 150 new and unwrapped toys.

Entertainment for the party was provided by DJ's and local band the Fighting Tigers. There was also a potluck and various light hearted competitions between the two groups, including a surprisingly heated game of foosball won by the Riot Squad, and of course, LA Galaxy chants.

Many thanks must go to the Riot Squad's Jeff Skinner who organized the event and had to drive home with his pickup truck completely full of children's toys. This will be one of many off season activities for the Galaxy's most die hard fans and they cannot wait for next season to begin.

Tristan Bowen Named in U.S. U-20 Team

Galaxy forward Tristan Bowen has been included in the United States Under-20 National Team that will train from December 16-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. This is the first training camp of new two-year cycle and is made up exclusively of players born in 1991 or later, making them eligible for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.

Click here to see the full squad.

Bowen signed with the Galaxy in November 2008 and made his MLS debut on June 20 at San Jose, coming on as a late-game replacement for Chris Klein. A veteran of the U.S. Under-18 and Under-20 National Teams, Bowen also spent time last season on loan with Hollywood United of the PDL and Miami FC of the USL First Division.

Galaxy Adult Fantasy Camp: A First-Hand Account

James Rotondi is a New York based actor, musician, critic and journalist who contributes frequently to The Huffington Post. He is also a soccer fan who made his way to The Home Depot Center last week for the fifth annual Galaxy Adult Fantasy Camp.

He wrote about his experience for The Huffington Post and you can read all about it here. This is just part one of his journey, so be sure to check back in the coming days for James' views on the camp's conclusion.

Club Statement on Potential Loan Move for Landon Donovan

The following statement is from the Galaxy regarding the current speculation on a potential loan move for the club's captain Landon Donovan.

We are aware of Everton’s interest in Landon Donovan, as they are one of a number of clubs who have contacted the Galaxy about the possibility of a short term loan agreement for Landon. The Galaxy, MLS and Landon’s representative will work together to determine if and whether an arrangement with Everton or any other club would be beneficial to all parties.

Looking Back At The World Cup Draw (Video)

Last week, we presented you with some text and pictures in color of the event.

Today, we give you video. Enjoy...



Now that you've had some time to think about it, what are your overall thoughts on the draw? Is Group G the Group of Death, or is it Group D? What's the best match up in group play-- U.S. vs England, Brazil-Portugal, or other?

Academy Teams Wrap Up Winter Showcase Today

The LA Galaxy Academy Teams will complete their stay at the 2009 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Phoenix this afternoon. Both the U-16 and U-18 teams have played two games heading into today's game, with the 16's tallying a 1-1-0 record, while the 18's are 0-1-1 heading into today's game.

Both teams opened the Showcase on Saturday evening with the U-16's getting off on the right foot with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the New York Red Bulls. The Red Bulls were up 2-0 inside the opening 20 minutes, but Scott Cohen pulled one back for the Galaxy just before halftime. LA was able to carry that momentum over into the second half with Dyllan Stevens scoring the equalizer ten minutes after the re-start. Stevens put the Galaxy in front seven minutes later and they were able to hold on for the win.

It was a similar scene later in the day when the Galaxy U-18's opened up play against FC Dallas. LA once again started slow, falling behind 3-0 after 20 minutes. Christian Alvarado got the Galaxy on the board early in the second half, but they were unable to further cut into the Dallas lead and fell 3-1.

After a day off on Sunday, both teams were back in action on Monday afternoon taking on New Jersey-based club PDA. The U-18's got their first point of the trip, claiming a 1-1 draw thanks to a 67th minute goal from Riley Wolfe. The Galaxy went into halftime trailing 1-0 before Wolfe struck his equalizer.

The U-16's were not so lucky against PDA as they were unable to overcome a 1-0 halftime deficit and lost by the same scoreline.

Both teams kick-off their final game of the Showcase later this afternoon, with the U-16's taking on Texas SC and the U-18's playing an Academy Select team, which is made up of some of the nation’s top youth players from Development Academy clubs.

Former Galaxy Academy player Eric Gonzalez was also in action in Phoenix, playing two games with the U.S. Under-17 National Team in the Nike International Friendlies. Gonzalez came off the bench to play the final 54 minutes of his team's 2-1 loss to Portugal on Friday. A day later, Gonzalez was in the starting lineup for the 1-1 draw against Brazil. The U.S. completed their trip to Phoenix last night with a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands, with Gonzalez on the bench for that game.

A midfielder from Corona, Calif., Gonzalez played for the Galaxy Academy last season before being invited into residency in Florida with the U-17 National Team.

'Tis the Season

On Sunday, the LA Galaxy donated soccer balls to the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier and also spent time with the children, including an impromptu kickaround that went to penalty kicks.

The donation was made in support of Ryan Seacrest’s 12 Days of Giving Campaign on 102.7 KIIS FM.

LA Galaxy forward Edson Buddle, defenders Sean Franklin and Tony Sanneh donated soccer balls, as well as took some time to sign autographs and pose for photos.

Here are some photos from the visit. You can find more photos on our Facebook page-- www.facebook.com/lagalaxy.

World Cup Draw Viewing Party Recap

The set was stage for dissapointment. According to most soccer experts, this morning's World Cup Draw was supposed to see the U.S. Men's National Team placed into the dreaded "Group of Death".

From possible nightmare to dream scenario.

U.S. and LA Galaxy fans, gathered at the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live to view the World Cup draw unfold live, jumped up in joy when the U.S. was placed in the same group with England. MLS vs. EPL?


Things only got better from there as Algeria and Slovenia were also placed into the same group as the U.S., Group C.



Unless they were Brazil or Germany fans, those in attendance likely left the Zone feeling good. And why not? They got a free breakfest and the luck of the draw. (Take a peek at the photo below of U.S. fans with Zakumi, South Africa's official mascot for the games. They seem to be in celebration-mode, right?)


Even though he was in New York, Landon Donovan chimed with his opinions about the draw. He quickly squashed any talk of a rivalry game between him and David Beckham.

"We've moved past the things we had problmes with," said the Galaxy captain and MLS MVP. "Now it will just be fun. The banter will be good."

Watch the full video, courtesy of MLSnet.com, below. Enjoy!

Live with Landon

Nike Soccer's Live with Landon event is on right now! You can't watch the event via USTREAM here on the blog.

What will he say about having to face Galaxy teammate David Beckham in the first game of the World Cup? What are his overall thoughts on the draw? Who's the group of death? You have to watch to find out.

Galaxy Academy Teams Ready for Winter Showcase

While the eyes of the soccer world were on South Africa (or at least their TVs which had people talking about the events transpiring in South Africa), the Galaxy Youth Academy teams were prepparing for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Phoenix.

Before we get to that, how about the host of current and former Galaxy faces that popped up throughout the three-hour telecast on ESPN2, with Alexi Lalas in the studio, Landon at Nevada Smith's (as well as making a host of other appearances throughout New York City) while David and Ruud Gullit were in attendance at the draw in Cape Town.

Much closer to home, Trevor James was preparing the U-16 and U-18 teams for their upcoming games in the Winter Showcase at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix. The teams trained last night on the stadium field at The Home Depot Center, with James being assisted by a number of local coaches, including former MLS Cup winner David Vaudreuil, the Galaxy U-18 coach, and former Galaxy midfielder Mike Munoz, who will be coaching the U-16's in Phoenix. Munoz will be standing in for the team's normal coach, Kenny Arena, who is with UCLA in North Carolina for the NCAA Tournament.
Click here for complete press release ahead of the team's trip and be sure to check out some more photos from last night's session below...

Following the Winter Showcase, the teams will not have a game for nearly two months before returning to action in early February. The 2009/10 Development Academy season ends in June.

Behind the Scenes at MLS Cup

All of you who follow this blog are familiar with the work that Troy Bardy does for This Week Inside the Galaxy. But during MLS Cup, he joined forces with a number of other top videographers from around the league to document every last second of the action both on and off the field.

The end result of all their work can be seen below. Hope you enjoy...minus the ending of course.

Donovan on the Draw

Landon stopped by the Bristol studios of the Worldwide Leader in Sports yesterday to talk with Bob Ley on Outside the Lines ahead of Friday's World Cup Draw in South Africa. In case you missed it, you can see the entirity of the interview below.



If that is not enough Landon in your life, you can chat with the Galaxy captain and some of his National Team teammates at 1 p.m. on Friday after the conclusion of the draw through a special chat through Facebook and Nike Soccer. Click here for more info on that chat.

Finally don't forget to vote for Landon, Galaxy U-20 goalkeeper Brian Perk in the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year awards. Landon is up for the Best Male Athlete award while Perk is nominated for the Best Young Male Athlete. Landon has also been nominated for the Best Goal, Best Assist, Best Performance: Player and Best Clutch Player award in the Best of U.S. Soccer awards. You can vote on all of these awards and many more here, with voting closing on December 13.

Two Days Out From World Cup Draw

The draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held on Friday morning and as you already know, the Galaxy will be holding a viewing party at the ESPN Zone, starting at 9 a.m. If you have not yet sent your RSVP in to tsintern@lagalaxy.com, be sure to do so today.

If you cannot make it down to the ESPN Zone for this event, be sure to tune in to ESPN2 for all the action starting at 9 a.m. (PT).

Finally, if you cannot wait for Friday's draw and want to have one of your own, check out this simulator from our friends at Record in Mexico. It's all in Spanish but just click ENTRAR on the first page and then AUTOMATICO to see the draw play out in full. Who knows, the draw that you create today could become reality on Friday morning.

The Biggest Soccer Story of the Decade is...

According to Yahoo! Sports' Martin Rogers, the LA Galaxy's signing of David Beckham in 2007 ranks as the No. 2 biggest story of decade in the soccer world. "The Galaxy and MLS pulled off a spectacular coup by tempting Beckham to come to North America in a move designed to revolutionize soccer in the United States," Rogers wrote.

In reviewing the last 10 years in soccer, Rogers concluded that the biggest stories of the decade in the sport were (in descending order): Hope Solo's outburst in the 2007 Women's World Cup, match-fixing scandal in Italy, the Galacticos (I & II), Beckham and Zidane's headbutt in the final of the 2006 World Cup.

Fans can participate in the Yahoo! Sports poll and select what the biggest soccer story of the decade was. As of this post, Beckham was holding on to the No. 2 spot in the fan voting.

Other notable headlines could have been: Swing in the U.S.-Mexico rivalry, Spain winning EURO 2008 (¡Finalmente ganaron un torneo!), USMNT run in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, Barcelona's treble and explosion of the soccer specific venues in the U.S.