Soccer, er, football — yeah, yeah, the world's most popular sport. We've heard it before, but we're pretty much unmoved. Cuz football really means helmets, quarterbacks and a time clock that actually signals the game's end. But as we're trying to improve our international image, we'll give soccer a second chance this summer, when four of the world's premier soccer, er, football teams head across the Pond to attempt to sway you (okay, us) to cheer for a sport we mostly don't get. The inaugural World Football Challenge , a six-city round-robin soccer tourney, will pit two of the best, Chelsea FC and FC Internazionale Milano, at a match at the vaunted Rose Bowl (where come fall, you'll find collegiate football in full swing). U.S. would-be and genuine fans can witness firsthand the exploits of players we've only heard about: Adriano, Ronaldinho, Julio Cesar, Pavel Pardo, Zlatan Ibrahimovich, John Terry (pictured). They'll play for the chance to advance and eventually take home the tourney's first Old Oaken Bucket, er, title.

Tue., July 21, 8 p.m., 2009

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