Sports

Germany And Argentina Face Off In World Cup Final

6:22pm July 13, 2014

The World Cup final takes place on Sunday in Brazil. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Russell Lewis in Rio de Janeiro about the match, which went into extra time with a score of 0-0.

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Sports

Heading Home To Ohio, LeBron Returns To Cleveland Cavaliers

6:30pm July 12, 2014

by Nick Castele

Four years after famously leaving, NBA superstar LeBron James has decided to return to the team where he started his professional career. Many fans in Cleveland say they're excited to have him back.

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Barcelona football star Lionel Messi (right) leaves a courthouse in Gava, Spain, in September 2013, after a hearing on tax evasion charges. Messi and his father paid $6.5 million to try to settle the case, but his father may still go on trial.

Financial Scandals Tarnish Spanish Soccer Glory

12:12pm July 12, 2014

by Lauren Frayer

FC Barcelona — home to two of soccer's superstars, Messi and Neymar — has been indicted on tax fraud, a sign that the culture of impunity among Europe's top soccer clubs may be coming to an end.

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Sports

Cavaliers Fans Can Finally Make Peace WIth Their Old LeBron Jerseys

12:12pm July 12, 2014

From the basketball court to the soccer pitch, ESPN's Howard Bryant and NPR's Tamara Keith catch up on the latest news in sports.

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Sports

In One-Sided Semifinal, Germany Hands Brazil A Devastating Loss

10:46am July 09, 2014

by Robert Siegel

Germany poured seven goals on Brazil in the World Cup semifinal. The home team had faced a steep challenge, playing without two key players, one injured and one suspended.

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Brazil Wakes Up To Find Tuesday's Nightmare Was Not A Dream

9:46am July 09, 2014

by Tom Goldman

Host country Brazil was eliminated from the World Cup in epic fashion: Germany defeated Brazil 7-1 during the semifinal match. Brazilians are wondering how their beloved team could be so pulverized.

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Sports

The Collective Anguish Of The Brazilian Defeat

6:39pm July 08, 2014

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro watched Brazil's World Cup semifinal against Germany in a bar in Sao Paulo. She speaks to Robert Siegel about the game and the devastation it sowed among Brazilian fans.

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For Brazilians, Game-Day Rituals Lead To Sense Of Community

9:51am July 08, 2014

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

Brazil faces off with Germany on Tuesday in the semi-finals of the World Cup. Deep into the tournament now, Brazilian fans have developed a clockwork game-day routine they hope continues.

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Sports

Nil-ism In America: When You Stare At The Pitch, The Pitch Stares Back

7:56pm July 07, 2014

Amid this year's World Cup, American sportscasters have been turning frequently to the term "nil" when talking about scores, using it instead of zero. Nil, though, is a British term — not a soccer term. Katherine Connor Martin, head of U.S. dictionaries for the Oxford University Press, tells Robert Siegel why the word might be gaining currency.

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Acaraje are a regional food in Brazil made from fried balls of mashed-up beans, onions and salt. The balls are sliced in half, slathered with a spicy pepper sauce and cashew paste, and then topped with shrimp.

Want To Eat Brazilian Food At The World Cup? Please Step Outside

10:53am July 07, 2014

by Russell Lewis

There's virtually no Brazilian fare inside the World Cup stadiums, but outside you'll find proud vendors of traditional foods. They fought FIFA to be there, and surprisingly, they won.

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