Two For The Money

What a huge opprotunity for Freddy Adu at S.L. Benfica, leaving Real Salt Lake for the BWINLIGA will be a great stepping stone. A new country, a new league, a new club, and a new soccer card. Adu is one of two American players featured in the 2007/08 Panini UEFA Champions League set (card #U93). The other American featured is Ranger's Damarcus Beasley (card #U54)

Topps Match Attax

One of the most successful runs of English Premier League soccer cards has done it again this year. The 2007/08 Topps Match Attax is the latest of the rebranded Merlin Shoot Out that has been out since every since 2003/04. This basic set consist of 360 cards, this can be broken down into; 320 base cards and 40 Star Players (foils). This issue did contain inserts and an update set dubbed "Match Attax Extra." Inserts in the regular edition featured 60 "Man of the Match" cards and six "Limited Edition Exclusive" cards. American players were well represented in this set; Carlos Bocanega (Fulham FC), Bobby Convey (Reading), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading), Tim Howard (Everton) and Brian McBride (Fulham FC). Brad Friedel is the lone American with a Man of the Match insert and for some reason Fulham keeper Kasey Keller is omitted. The update set does a great job of featuring new signings and transfers. Besides the 83 basic cards, it displays 20 foiled Club Captains and several levels of chase cards. Inserts include seven "Hat Trick Heroes", five "Players of the Month" and 10 "Man of the Match" cards. Four more of the Limited Edition Exclusives were also circulated in the Extra packs. Yanks included in the Extra include; McBride (Club Captain) and Jonathon Spector (West Ham United). To my dismay it lacked Fulham FC's Eddie Johnson, who transferred from the Kansas City Wizards earlier this year.

What a Year For Yanks Abroad Cards!

I was amazed to how many US players were represented in European Card sets. I'd be willing to bet that 2007/08 yielded about 20 or so cards. I've been able to get my hands on a few. It seems that Topps Match Attax (formerly Shoot Out) have come on strong again. The regulat issue featured; Bocanegra, Convey, Dempsey, Friedel (he has an insert too), Hahnemann, Howard and McBride. The Match Attax Extra includes a Club Captain of McBride and Jonathan Spector.

Panini also supplied us some nice treats. The 2008 Champions League set contains Freddy Adu of Benfica and Damarcus Beasley of Rangers FC. The 2007/08 Coca-Cola Championship (Triple A soccer) gives Jay DeMerit of the regulated squad Watford and it's Frank Simek's second tour of duty in this issue (he was the only Yank in the 2006/07 set).