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LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham was in Athens this week for the handover of the Olympic flame and helped fly it back to the UK as the build-up to the London Olympics cranks up a notch.

But he still doesn't know if he will be at the Olympics as a spectator or competitor, trying to bring home a gold medal for the host nation.

After much speculation and debate over his presence at the London 2012 Olympics, Beckham reiterated his strong hope that he will be wearing the Union Jack in his hometown this summer.

Beckham spoke openly in an exclusive interview with the BBC about his chances of making the final 18-man roster for Team GB’s Olympic soccer team. The man in charge of the Olympics in London, Lord Sebastian Coe, recently stated there is no pressure from his staff for Beckham to be selected for the games.

Beckham also agrees there should be no room for sentiment, stating he has never relied on sentiment in the past to make a squad or team:

"You don't play for a Manchester United team managed by Sir Alex Ferguson or an England or Real Madrid team managed by Fabio Capello and get picked on sentiment."

"I've been picked to play in many games over my career because of what I've achieved on the field and that doesn't change. I'm in good form, I've scored a couple of goals lately and I'm feeling fit and working hard. So yes, if I'm called upon of course I'm ready. I've always said I wanted to represent my country in any way, shape or form."

"I've done that for many years with England, and I hope to do that with the Great Britain team."

Team GB manager Stuart Pearce will be announcing his squad at the end of May, so Beckham has a few anxious days ahead of him.

Dan Gargan usually paints to find an escape from his day job, but the Chicago Fire defender mixed his two passions in a piece he painted for Wednesday’s “Art of Futbol” Gallery showing in Chicago, which takes place on Wednesday and benefits the Chicago Fire Foundation.

Gargan’s piece is called “The Beautiful Game,” and is an abstract vision of what Gargan believes soccer embodies.

“It’s pretty simple,” Gargan told MLSsoccer.com. “It’s got a bunch of flowers in it. When I think of the game, there’s just a bunch of different ways you can express yourself through the game.

"I feel like no one person’s expression or interpretation of the game is the same, and that’s reminiscent of how flowers are. They’re all unique, and they’re all beautiful in their own way.”

Gargan has loved painting since he was a kid, and he minored in studio art at Georgetown University.

Most of his painting nowadays comes in the offseason. His paintings usually end up somewhere in his apartment or in a family member’s home, but a few players around MLS have asked him to paint for them.

This offseason, Colorado forward Conor Casey, Gargan’s former teammate, gave him a wall in his home to use as his canvas.

“He’s always been a big fan of my art,” Gargan said. “He gave me a wall and said, ‘Go for it.’”

Gargan is working on a web site to promote his art work, which he said should be up in the next few weeks.

The Fire defender is hoping people will be interested in his work, and is excited about Wednesday’s showing, which takes place from 7 to 9 pm CT at Society Art Gallery in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.

But he’s perfectly fine if painting remains just a hobby.

“What I’m getting out of it right now is exactly what I’m looking for,” Gargan said. “That’s the ability to step away from soccer and just have fun with it. It gives me a lot of joy and a lot of happiness to me and my friends and my family. If it was to get bigger, or people were interested in it, that’s great. But it’s more of just an outlet for me.”

En la edición de esta semana del podcast Tiro Libre tuvimos como invitados a dos jugadores colombianos de experiencia que tienen algo en común: ambos han vestido los colores de su selección nacional… pero hace tiempo.

Tressor Moreno y Nelson Rivas ahora le ofrecen su talento a la MLS y ambos jugadores no pierden la esperanza de que el seleccionador de Colombia José Pekerman le de una miradita a lo que pasa en la MLS.

ESCUCHA: MORENO Y RIVAS EN TIRO LIBRE

Moreno es una de las razones por las cuales su equipo está en los primeros lugares de la liga, por encima del Galaxy de Beckham, Donovan y Keane, entre otros. Por su parte, Rivas jugó su primer partido para Montreal el fin de semana anterior, en un juego donde el club de expansión sorprendió a los líderes del Este, Sporting Kansas City, con un contundente 2-0 como visitantes. El defensa colombiano fue señalado por la prensa como uno de los mejores de su equipo.

Aun así, si ambos colombianos llegarán a mantener su ritmo y a ser los mejores en la MLS, ¿les llegaría el llamado?

Colombia es un país particularmente conocido por no reconocer el nivel de la MLS, lo cual es gracioso cuando se toma en cuenta que es el país que más ofrece jugadores internacionales a esta liga. Países como Honduras, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Irlanda y por supuesto Estados Unidos, entre otros, miran al talento de sus países en la MLS y lo convocan. ¿Por qué no Colombia?

Este tema se puede ir para largo, entonces paro ahí, pero los dejo con la encuesta: ¿Crees que Tressor Moreno y Nelson Rivas tengan chances de regresar a su selección?

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Take a few minutes of your time to watch New York Red Bulls and US national team star Juan Agudelo talk about his childhood memories playing the game he loves – badminton.

Just kidding.

No offense to badminton, but Agudelo has grown up with soccer on the brain since, apparently, birth. 

His first word was one you'd expect from a soccer obsessed child, instead of uttering "Mom" or "Dad" Agudelo screamed "Goooooaaal!"

As a youngster, the lightning-quick winger also scribbled a note on the back wall of his closet, a reminder to help make his dream become a reality:

"John pro soccer player. If God lets me or if he wants me to. Or maybe a pro basketball player. It's all up to me and God."

The video is part of Team Kellogg's new series "Start Stories," which looks at how young US athletes got started in the sport they now get paid to play.