The Top 10 Bars to Watch Euro 2012 Soccer in Manhattan and Brooklyn

1. Berry Park. Opened in 2010, this beer garden offers a big screen with picnic benches on the first floor and a panoramic view of Manhattan on the rooftop. An amazing beer menu, along with partnerships with local soccer clubs, makes this the top soccer bar in Williamsburg.
2. Woodwork. A classy, soccer-only bar in the trending neighborhood of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, Woodwork offers three large flat screen televisions. It serves a more demure crowd than the Manhattan mainstays, but is a great place for a cheerful atmosphere. Afterwards, walk up Vanderbilt for some killer food options. You’re welcome here, but don’t get too pushy—save that for other spots on the list.
3. Nevada Smith’s. This Manhattan soccer mainstay has been at the heart of the New York scene for years. Here you’ll hear chants by soccer clubs large and small, and you’re sure to meet a friend (or rival). Not for the faint of heart, Nevada Smith’s can also be too crowded for comfort. Come early. And I mean EARLY! 
4. Iona Bar. A sleek bar in the heart of Williamsburg that draws the truly committed soccer crowd. Hangovers are welcome. No one will shout at you.
5. Central Bar. Mostly known as a spillover bar from the nearby Nevada Smith’s, Central Bar is a welcome step down from the insanity. If you arrive early, you can get a table, but New York soccerati are known to call ahead and reserve one (to your annoyance). The chicken nachos and cheese sandwiches make a great start to the day, along with the beer of course!
6. Jack Demsey’s. Jack Dempsey was a boxer, but that doesn’t keep this bar from being the home of Celtic soccer supporters, and Dempsey would have surely joined in with the lively dancing and singing that happens when the Scots win. Unfortunately, Scotland did not qualify for this Euro edition but I’m sure there will be plenty to sing about.
7. Smithfield’s. A newer sports bar, Smithfield’s is conveniently located right near Penn Station in Manhattan. It offers a dozen or so big screens and a lively crowd of such soccer oddities as West Ham supporters. Come watch if you need to get your soccer fix in the big city but don’t want to get in too deep. The one drawback is that the stereo is super loud, but somehow unintelligible at the same time, guaranteeing you a headache.
8. Slainte. A relaxed Irish pub on the Lower East Side, Slainte shows soccer even when it’s not cool (i.e. regular league games.) Come here for a good pint and an attitude that says, “don’t bother me and I won’t bother you.” 
9. The Black Sheep Pub. Known for its chatty bartenders, this small Park Slope bar offers a big screen and a foosball table for you to reenact key moments in the match. 
10. Franklin Park. Located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn this beer garden is somewhat of a fair weather soccer bar—they screen the big games and ignore the rest. But who cares? Its incredible beer selection and outdoor seating draw a multicultural crowd, half of whom have a friend who plays soccer somewhere. Bonus! Skeeball, Deer Hunter, and other games will allow your soccer-skeptical friends to have fun, even during 0-0 ties. Thank god for the passback rule. Eh? Eh?

Bonus bar! 

Floyd. Located in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Floyd draws a regular crowd throughout the soccer season. Great beer selection and they don’t mind if you order food from across the street. For those who like to multitask, you can play bocce ball on its indoor court. Sign up early, though, the wait is a doozer.

Say what you want, American soccer fans are alive and well. Empire Supporters Club sang and danced during the entire Red Bulls-Montreal game, even when the Red Bulls were losing. They were probably the only warm people in the stadium. It was freezing!

On the way to the New York Red Bulls-Montreal game. It’s a beautiful stadium and we’re lucky to have it in the U.S.

What happens to boots that don’t sell in Europe and the US? They make their way to secondary and tertiary markets in places like Lome, Togo (Africa).

While walking through the main markets of Lome last month, we came across thousands and thousands of futbol cleats. Some were used, others were new. Either way, it was quite clear that unused or unloved boots make it to one final place before they’re deemed worthless.

Yep, we were there. In 2006 at the Final World Cup match we witnessed Zinedine Zidane’s final performance and his final professional goal in Berlin, Germany. It was an amazing moment – accentuating an incredible career. (Only to be marred a few minutes later with the head-butt heard around the world.)

The FIFA World Cup Trophy arriving at the 2006 World Cup.

The first day, the first moment of our World Cup trip in Germany, I had a chance to see the World Cup trophy up close and personal. Of course, this was just a promotion by adidas, but a brilliant one at that.

What fans *think* they see when they’re watching a live match. Imagined by Vuvuzealots. The real Cristiano Ronaldo lines up for a free kick against Spain in the 2nd round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. (We held down the A button too long and he missed.)

Bend it like Beckham with this bending ball how-to guide

Fans are an afterthought at the African Nations Cup

With a Garmin Forerunner 610, pickup soccer will never be the same.

Check out this view of a casual pick-up soccer game. We typically play on Saturday afternoons. Being able to track full distances, speeds and calories burned has been amazing.