F.C. Barcelona will be taking over NIKETOWN Chicago on Friday, August 1 at 5 pm. That’s right, Rafa Marquez, Carlos Puyol, Andres Iniesta, Bojan Krkic and the rest of Barca’s all-star lineup will be signing autographs, shaking hands and taking photos with thousands of their North American fans. So don’t miss this chance to meet these super heroes of soccer, because this group of players could very well go on to be Barca’s best ever.

Eye to eye with your idol is next level.

NIKETOWN Chicago

669 N. Michigan Ave.

Chicago, IL 60611-2801

Phone: (312) 642-6363

Starting goalkeeper for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Hope Solo, needs no introduction—she’s one of the best goalies in the world. Currently on a mission to Beijing, she’s expecting to bring home a Gold.

Fiercely competitive when she’s on the field and always trying to improve her game when she’s off the field, Hope never stops training. Listen to Hope explain what keeps her motivated, and what you can do to take your game to the next level.

Explosive midfielder Carli Lloyd has some of the most dangerous legs in the game, and she’s out to prove that this year in Beijing. In her first bid for a medal, Carli is about to start training in China, where she hopes to prove her reputation as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world.

But keeping that reputation doesn’t come easy. Carli knows how much of a reflection game day is of her training. Listen to Carli describe what inspires her, what keeps her going, and why she’s all business, so you can take your game to the next level.

By now you probably already know: Abby's out. Yesterday, in the 85th minute, Carli Lloyd connected with Natasha Kai off a set piece to give the Americans the lone goal in a friendly versus Brazil, the last tune up before Beijing. For supporters of American soccer, though, the win was a mere afterthought. Fifty-four minutes before Kai's game-winner, Abby collided with a Brazilian defender and fractured her tibia and fibula. That means at least twelve weeks on the sidelines and then a period of intense rehabilitation. It's a terrible blow for the U.S. and a massive setback for Abby.

But for the US WNT, it's not the end. To describe someone with 99 career goals in 127 games as "integral" is an understatement sure, but statistics don't reveal all the intangibles Abby has already shared with her teammates - intangibles that can't be carted off the field or put in a cast. You better believe that the leadership and experience and raw athletic courage Abby brought every time she put on the red, white and blue will still be there come August 6th. Now it's up to Tash and Carli and Tarp and everyone else on the WNT to step up. More than ever before, it's time for this special group to take their game to the next level.

Also, if there's one major reason for solace, it's the fact that for the past year the WNT coaching staff has tried to redefine the team's tactical style. No more sheer physicality and reliance on free-kicks. These players have shown recently that they can score without a big target striker. They have the talent to hold the ball, to possess and build and, let's hope, to finish the chances they consistently create. Abby might be gone, but gold is still the goal.

In the meantime, send Abby your wishes for a speedy recovery. After everything she's given us, she deserves all the support we can give her. Our thoughts are with you Abby. Get well soon!

Sunday was a success, but there's still room for the US WNT to improve. A victory over a team as talented and competitive as Brazil is always something to feel good about, and it's clear that both teams will benefit from these two games of pre-Beijing preparation.

Sure, Marta and Cristianne weren't on the field, but the fact is that the Americans dominated the majority of the game, even despite a relatively average performance. A couple positive things stood out. First and foremost, this younger US roster has the depth necessary to do well in a major tournament, when games are played only a few days apart and legs start to grow weary with lactic acid. What we sacrificed in experience, we gained in team speed. Yesterday was hot, hot, hot, and when a few of those Brazilian midfielders started to slow down and the defenders lost concentration, our substitutes and young guns picked up the tempo. That's why we scored the goal. That's why a player like Angela Hucles is so valuable to the American side.

Secondly, our backline--minus Cat Whitehill--looked organized against creative opponents. Brazil relies on beating defenders 1 v 1 and this time we held our ground. Neither Hope nor Nicole Barnhart was ever seriously threatened by a dangerous shot on goal.

Thirdly, some of our players looked incredibly strong when shielding the ball. Abby (still sitting on 99), Boxxy and Carli all used their bodies so well against the smaller Brazilians. That ability is pivotal to playing the possession game this American team prefers.

On things to improve, Coach Pia said it best: "If you look at the final pass, I don't think that it’s good enough yet. In the second-half, I thought it was pretty good. If you could add the final pass as well I think we will win many games in the Olympics."

The US WNT has one more friendly before Beijing. Let's see if they can find that final pass this Wednesday in a rematch with Brazil, which will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel at 7 pm PT.

When Ryan Babel first picked up a soccer ball and walked the streets of Amsterdam as a seven-year-old kid, he knew exactly where he was heading.

Ten years later, the skills he perfected on the urban training ground took him all the way to a first team debut in the Dutch Eredivisie, and paved the way for a multi-million pound transfer to the English Premier League.

Everyone starts on the street. See how Ryan aimed for the next level and took his game to the biggest stages in Europe.

If last week’s Norway game proved the U.S. WNT could win big against a high quality opponent, yesterday’s 1-0 away win against Sweden showed that this select group of American athletes isn’t prone to folding under pressure. The difference-maker in the game turned out to be midfielder Carli Lloyd, a former four-time All-American in college. In the 39th minute, the pride of New Jersey soccer dribbled past three defenders off of a short corner before she took a successful left-footed attempt at goal. After that, it was a combination of solid defending, steady goalkeeping by Hope and Nicole Barhnhart, and a healthy dose of good fortune. Hey, when you’ve got Pia on your side and you’re playing in Sweden, good things tend to happen.

Brazil’s up next for the U.S WNT, and frankly, if the Samba girls bring their best, we’re going to have to take our game to the next level. Two games against a dangerous team may not be the most conservative way to prepare for Beijing, but it might very well yield the greatest payoff. Who knows what we’ll see. Two U.S. wins? Abby’s 100th goal? Find out July 13th in Denver (2 p.m. MT on ESPN) and July 16th in San Diego (7 p.m. PT).