Ultras Alive returns Monday February 13 at 10pm, Colombia vs Mexico ticket give away!

WE'RE BACK! Ultras Alive returns this Monday February 13 at 10pm for it's 35th show and the first one in 2012 with guests Gabriel Gabor Major League Soccer / Soccer United Marketing's  (Twitter: @MLSGabor )who will be promoting the Mexico vs Colombia game this coming February 29, 2012
We will also be giving out 2 tickets to the game so stay tuned on how you can win them.
Also making a cameo will be the Ultras new partner ESPN Deportes Miami Radio 1210 AM who will be discussing our partnership, programing and future events.
Be sure to tune into the show by going to: http://www.ultrasalive.com
Our live chat room will be opened 10 minutes before the show, you can ask questions there or you can call in with your questions by dialing (323) 927-1455
Follow us on Twitter: @ultrasalive
or follow @miamiultras
Join and LIKE our new facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MiamiUltras

If you don't win the free tickets don't worry! The Ultras have a discount for the Mexico vs Colombia game. Go to Ticketmaster and use Ultras discount code: Ultra12

Be sure to join the Ultras, South Florida's premiere soccer supporters group and come out to support the Fort Lauderdale Strikers! You can join us at Lockhart Stadium in section 117 or become an official member for only $20 which will get you an Ultras scarf, T-shirt and ID card good for discounts with the Strikers, 20% discount at both Fritz & Franz Bierhaus locations (Miami and Fort Lauderdale), 15% discount at Mickey Byrnes Irish Pub in Hollywood (official home of USMNT games), 15% discount at Wecando, printing anything you need as well as other soon to be announced discounts at local businesses.
Get your membership HERE

The Ultras at SunLife Stadium for preview of Mexico vs Colombia

Journalist and South Florida's premier soccer supporters club the Ultras met up with a couple of legends this past Wednesday as part of a preview for the clash between Colombia vs Mexico at Sun Life Stadium in Miami February 29, 2012.
The Ultras will be attending this game and have been assigned to section 129 at SunLife Stadium.
Be sure to stay tuned to www.miamiultras.com as they will be revealing a discount code soon.
We hope to see everyone there!
Check out the following pictures and video. More to come including interviews with the legends!

All pictures by Mitch Rivera

Colombia and Mexico meet at Sun Life Stadium on Feb. 29

More Soccer coming to South Florida! Here is the press release:

World-class international soccer returns to South Florida as national teams of Colombia and Mexico meet at Sun Life Stadium on Feb. 29

Match to be played on official FIFA match date; both teams expected to bring their top squads as they continue their paths to World Cup 2014

MIAMI (Tuesday, December 6, 2011) – Top flight international soccer returns to South Florida when the Mexican national team takes on Colombia on February 29, 2012 (8 p.m. ET) at Sun Life Stadium, presented by AT&T. The game, announced today by The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF), together with Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and Sun Life Stadium, is part of the annual Mexican National Team U.S. Tour, which has drawn nearly 2 million fans from coast to coast since 2004.

An exclusive Visa pre-sale for the game will begin on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 10:00 a.m. ET via www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Dec. 12 at 10:00 a.m. ET on www.Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster locations. The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol invites fans to use their Visa cards.

The match between Mexico and Colombia in Miami will mark the 28 encounter between both teams, with a record of 12-9-6 in favor of the Aztec nation. The last meeting between the two ended on a 1-0 Mexico victory in 2011.

Festivities surrounding the game will include several days of pre-game sponsor activities and media events, including appearances by team legends, fan giveaways, news conferences and training sessions. On game day, fans are invited to visit “Futbol Fiesta,” a 120,000 square feet interactive soccer fan zone which opens four hours before kickoff just outside the stadium and features live entertainment, sponsor exhibits, and interactive games.

Colombia is a contender in the ongoing South American World Cup qualifiers, currently in sixth place in CONMEBOL with a game at hand. Led by their captain Mario Yepes (AC Milan/Italy) and star Radamel Falcao (Atlético Madrid/Spain), Colombia is coached by former MLS star Leonel Álvarez, who hopes to build from their Copa America 2011 quarterfinal performance.

Mexico, a perennial powerhouse in the CONCACAF region, will begin its run for World Cup qualification in mid 2012, with games on June 8 against Guyana and June 12 versus El Salvador. Under the direction of Jose Manuel de la Torre, the teams boasts a powerful lineup that includes standouts such as Manchester United striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, New York red Bulls defender Rafa Marquez, and Tottenham midfielder Giovani Dos Santos.

The annual Mexican national team U.S. Tour, a partnership between FMF and SUM, features up to five matches across the United States. The other tour dates will be announced as they are confirmed.

Details for media accreditation will be released in the coming days for media members who plan to cover the upcoming Mexican national team games.

The 2012 Mexican national team U.S. Tour sponsors are adidas, Allstate, AT&T, Bud Light, Cacique, Coca-Cola, Castrol, Degree Men, el Jimador, Makita, NAPA Auto Parts, The Home Depot, Visa and Wrigley’s Extra® Gum.

2012 Mexican National Team U.S. Tour
Date Opponent Venue City Time (ET)
Jan. 25 Venezuela Reliant Stadium Houston, TX 9 p.m.
Feb. 29 Colombia Sun Life Stadium Miami, FL 8 p.m.

About Soccer United Marketing
Founded in 2002, Soccer United Marketing (SUM) is the preeminent soccer business company in North
America. SUM holds the exclusive rights to the most important soccer properties in the region, including: all commercial rights to Major League Soccer; the United States Soccer Federation; promotional and marketing rights to Mexican National Team games played in the United States; and the CONCACAF Gold Cup™. SUM also manages promotional and marketing rights in the United States for Mexico’s most popular sports team, Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas).

In 2008, SUM entered into a long term partnership with FC Barcelona which includes tours of the legendary Spanish club. In early 2009, SUM announced the creation of the SUM Digital Network, the only soccer advertising network of its kind, covering all facets of the sport in the U.S., and which allows advertisers to reach millions of soccer fans via online advertising and sponsorships campaigns. In addition, SUM created InterLiga, the former qualifier for Mexican clubs into Copa Libertadores; SuperLiga, the innovative professional tournament between MLS and Mexico’s First Division clubs, as well as the Pan-Pacific Championship, an international soccer tournament that crowned the top club from the Pan Pacific region. These global properties are represented by SUM’s slogan: One Sport. One Company.™ For more information, please visit www.SUMworld.com.

****Attention South Florida fans! There will be a special section with a discount for Ultras members. More details soon so please:
Follow the Ultras on twitter: @miamiultras
and facebook: Miami Ultras
or visit our website: www.miamiultras.com

Copa America Trophy in Miami - Play Guru del Futbol Copa America

COPA AMERICA TROPHY ON DISPLAY AT AVENTURA MALL THIS WEEKEND
AVENTURA, Fla. – June 30, 2011 – Copa America kicks off in Argentina on Friday, but South Florida residents and visitors will have a unique opportunity to view the soccer tournament’s prestigious trophy this weekend at Aventura Mall. MasterCard Worldwide, Copa America’s official card and preferred payment method, will display the trophy in Aventura Mall’s Center Court from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 2, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 3. Guests will receive a complimentary photo with the trophy. Following a seven-month, 14-city journey throughout Latin America, the Copa America Trophy Tour, sponsored by MasterCard, will make its only U.S. stop at Aventura Mall. Since December, more than 130,000 people in countries such as Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru have viewed and been able to take photos with the trophy. The trophy will return to Argentina Monday in time for the kickoff of the long-awaited tournament, which runs through July 24. The Copa America Trophy was originally donated to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) in 1916 by Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The trophy, which was crafted by a Buenos Aires jewelry shop at a cost of 3,000 Swiss francs, is silver with a wooden base and contains small plaques of each Copa America winning team. Twelve national teams from South America (plus Costa Rica and Mexico) will compete for Copa America. Soccer powerhouse Brazil is the two-time defending champion.For more information, visit www.ca2011.com.

Guru del Futbol - Copa America game
From the makers of NASLGuru comes the latest Guru game. This time, its the Copa America version. 12 teams compete for the trophy of the oldest running soccer championship in the world and you can prognosticate the results in this fun game. You can even log in using your facebook account.
The game is catered to the South American crowd and in Spanish but it's easy to figure out. After logging in go to "Predicciones" to make your predictions. You have 3 options Local (Home team) Empate (Tie) and Visitante (Visitor) click on your desired winner and below predict the goal diffrence. It's that simple! You can even go to the "Estadisticas" tab for statistics. If you're not sure about your predictions and want to see what everyone else predicted then use this tool.
Be sure to visit and play Guru del Futbol - Copa America.

Don't forget to also play NASLGuru and win a North American Soccer League team jersey every month!
Check out April and May's winners: Puerto Rico Islanders fans José Alvarado and Francisco Díaz.

Find the Guru in you!

ONE, The Story of a Goal at the Miami International Film Festival

The Soccer movie of the month will not be displayed on the blog itself like the last few times. You'll have to buy a ticket and watch it at a theater and I'll tell you where.
As some of you might know the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) is going on right now and for those that don't know what I'm talking about:

It's a world-class platform for film and filmmakers promoting Miami as an educational and international film destination. The Festival presents the best of emerging and established film to the local and international community within an educational framework.

For us Soccer fans I will have to recommend ONE, The Story of a Goal (UNO, La Historia de un Gol) by director Carlos Moreno and Gerardo Muyshondt. Run time is 102 minute in Spanish with English subtitles
Here is a synopsis:

In the early 1980s, El Salvador was experiencing the beginning of what would be a harsh 12-year-long civil war. It was also in this time that a group of Salvadoran fútbol players emerged to unite their entire nation with their game. This tiny Central American country’s national team achieved an unforgettable qualification to the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where against the world's strongest soccer lineup they would try to score their first World Cup goal ever. With a homeland ripped apart by conflict and maligned in the international press as a haven for guns and guerrillas, their team’s selection provided hope for all Salvadorans. However, they were defeated by Hungary 10-1 in the first match, and in this game, history’s worst World Cup defeat ever, El Salvador scored their only goal ever in this type of competition. This insightful and honest film recounts a David-and-Goliath story of great hope and terrible disappointment.

You can see this movie at 7:45 PM on Thursday, March 11 at the Regal South Beach 9 or at 9:30 PM on Friday, March 12 at the Tower Theater 2 for more information go HERE

Miami FC signs Brazilian WC Veteran Junior Baiano

First it was Gale Agbossoumonde, defender for the U.S. Under-20 National team. Now Miami FC signs 1998 World Cup Veteran Junior Baiano to replenish a team plagued with injuries and recent transfers. The Blues have been struggling and the Brazilian will be a needed addition.

Raimundo Ferreira Ramos Júnior, known as Júnior (or adding demonym of Bahia state, became Júnior Baiano) (born March 14, 1970 in Feira de Santana, Bahia) is a Brazilian football centre back. He retired in the end of 2005, but in December 2006 he signed a professional contract with América from Rio de Janeiro to defend the club in Rio State Championship in the beginning of 2007. Baiano signed a contract with Brasiliense to play Série B Brazilian League in 2007
Baiano is an imposing 6ft 3in and will most likely be the target man on the team. No word yet if Junior will be available for this Friday's game versus the Minnesota Thunder at Lockhart Stadium.
For More info go to the Miami FC site.
Check out a goal by Junior Baiano