Five things happening around the world:
1 The e-mail query from Galaxy fan Dan Williams on Tuesday morning was succinct: “We signed the Dennis Rodman of soccer?” he asked.
Well, yes and no. The Galaxy’s acquisition of Mozambique-born Portuguese international Abel Xavier will bring considerable personality to the team, but Xavier is nowhere near as outrageously flamboyant as the former NBA star.
Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy’s general manager, is thrilled to have landed the 34-year-old defender.
The well-traveled Xavier, who has played for 10 teams in six countries over 17 years, will be a colorful figure on the field. Once nicknamed “King Neptune” because he dyed his hair and beard blond, Xavier has the reputation of being a little off the wall.
“He’s crazy, but crazy in a good way,” said Lalas, who once sported his own wild ginger hairdo and goatee. “So we got along pretty well. I know something about being crazy and I certainly know something about hair.
“He has a love of life, but ultimately when he gets on the field we’re talking about a guy with some bite and some intensity, and we need that.”
2 The fifth Women’s World Cup, to be played in China from Sept. 10-30, might be the last one to feature 16 teams because FIFA is considering expanding the world championship to 24 teams.
The sixth tournament will be in 2011 and six countries -- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Peru and Switzerland -- have indicated an interest in staging the event.
The quality of play at this year’s World Cup will help FIFA determine whether there is enough depth in the women’s game to expand the field. No decision will be made until November.
3 Under the strange arrangement that allows Mexican clubs to simply pick up and move house on a whim, Atlante has announced it will abandon Mexico City and from now on will play in the beach resort of Cancun.
4 With the Home Depot Center and Toyota Park flourishing in Carson and Bridgeview, Ill., respectively, AEG has now set its sights on building a soccer-specific stadium in Houston.
The group this week entered into negotiations with the city to develop a 20,000-plus-seat stadium near downtown at a projected cost of $70 million. The stadium, which is supposed to be ready by 2009, would serve as home to the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo.
The Dynamo currently play at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium.
5 DaMarcus Beasley, the U.S. international winger who starred at the 2002 World Cup and flopped in 2006, has ended his season-long loan to Manchester City in the English Premier League and has returned to Dutch champion PSV Eindhoven.
Beasley, 24, scored four goals in 13 games for Manchester City, which is being targeted for a possible $185-million purchase by Thai billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former prime minister.
--GRAHAME L. JONES
