Lakers' Steve Nash to try out for soccer tournament with Inter Milan

By Eric Pincus Los Angeles Times, July 27, 2013

Steve Nash will pursue his love of soccer this off-season, trying out for Inter Milan with hopes of joining the franchise for the Guinness International Champions Cup. "It's a dream come true to get a chance to try out, not just to try out but to take the field with Inter Milan, one of the great, storied franchises in professional sports," Nash said in an interview with the Associated Press. "I feel like a little kid." Tryouts will take place in New Jersey on Tuesday. The tournament will run through Aug. 7, ending in Miami Gardens, Fla. Nash is still working through the issues that kept him out late in the season (hamstring, hip and back) but is almost back to healthy. "I've had a really good summer of training and rehabilitating," Nash said. "I'm not 100%, but I'm pretty close. Good enough to go out there Tuesday. I'm thrilled I've had this time to build myself back up, and I believe I'll have a great year." Time Warner Cable SportsNet will air the All-Star guard's "Steve Nash Foundation's Showdown" on Tuesday. Nash recently held a charity soccer match in Los Angeles featuring NBA stars Jeremy Lin, Klay Thompson and Jared Dudley -- along with some of the top soccer players in the world (including Robbie Rogers, Carlo Cudicini and Robbie Keane). Proceeds from the event will work to benefit underserved children through Nash's foundation. This was the first event of its kind in Los Angeles -- Nash recently held his sixth annual Showdown in New York.

Fan Zone: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia

THE PROVINCE


A young supporter of Italy's football team, draped in an Italian flag, watches the team train at a camp in Sestriere on May 24, 2010 ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Photograph by: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, AFP/Getty Images


It seems the soccer gods are taking it easy on aged Italy. They are up against a team that finished third in South American qualifying (Paraguay), a team that's made the World Cup just once before (New Zealand), and a team that's never been there before (Slovakia). Plus, the rapidly aging Azzuri are 3-0 against their group in recent meetings, outscoring them 10-4 as well.

Look for the pasta eaters and Paraguay to put forth paramount performances.