There were a few smirks and sarcastic nudges among the Spanish press corps on Tuesday when Landon Donovan admitted his desire to play in La Liga.

No one is laughing anymore.

The USA playmaker has heard all the doubting and sniping for years and is well accustomed to others not sharing his own confident view of his ability. Yet with his performance in the Americans' 2-0 Confederations Cup semifinal triumph over Spain, the best team in the world, Donovan greatly increased the chance that he will get to prove himself on one of the greatest stages in club soccer.

With respect to the Los Angeles Galaxy and Major League Soccer, the U.S. domestic league is not a suitable platform for Donovan to fulfill his potential. At 27 and at the peak of his powers, he must stretch his boundaries now because there may not be many more opportunities. Three separate stints in Germany, the most recent with Bayern Munich, did not work out, and occasional linked reports with English Premier League teams never

Finally, the U.S. men's national team's long-standing advertising slogan titled "Don't Tread On Me" can be worn proudly – and accurately.

After all too often curling up into a ball and pleading for mercy against world powers, Bob Bradley's team threw off its shackles on Wednesday night to deliver one of the greatest results in U.S. soccer history.

Written off going into the Confederations Cup and ridiculed after blowout losses in their first two games, somehow Bradley's players found the will and the way to defeat Spain 2-0 on Wednesday and clinch a place in Sunday's championship game of South Africa's 2010 World Cup warmup event.

Somewhere in that wondrous and diverse land, this collection of players from clubs all around Europe and North America found a common understanding. Out of the ashes of a 3-0 defeat to Brazil that resembled champions against children came the most improbable of revivals. Last Sunday's 3-0 victory over Egypt sparked some confidence, but even that improved

The last glimpse we got of Wimbledon, 11-and-a-half months ago, was etched in the most spine-tingling form of unscripted drama.

That epic final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer can not be repeated this time around, with the Spaniard having been ruled out with a debilitating knee injury.

However, there are still plenty of fascinating storylines to pore over as the most iconic fortnight of the tennis calendar gets under way on Monday.

Here we take a glance, in no particular order, at what to look out for as the search for Wimbledon glory begins.

1. The home hero

The British wait for a home-grown winner of the men’s singles is into its eighth decade, a history of failure that is an ongoing source of embarrassment to the host nation.

Finally there is a genuine contender, in the form of Andy Murray, the snarling, pugnacious 22-year-old Scot.

Murray has avoided Federer’s half of the draw and hopes are high that he can go all the way.

Already the London newspapers have him plastered all

It is part of Wimbledon and always has been.

More than strawberries and cream, freshly mown grass, Martina Navratilova's serve-volley, jugs of Pimm's and lemonade, the Royal Box, Pete Sampras' leaping smash, all-white clothing, the hill, the museum and that iconic old scoreboard, it is rain and the interminable delays it has caused that have so often defined the greatest tournament in tennis.

But that all changes Monday when one more of this hallowed venue's ancient traditions makes way for modernity.

For the first time, a Wimbledon tournament will begin without organizers, players and fans splitting their time between tennis and meteorology and a guessing game against the unpredictable elements of late June in London.

Centre Court's new retractable roof doesn't just alter the face of the All England Club's primary scene of combat, it could have a great bearing on the way the tournament plays out.

Those endless hours spent in the locker room waiting for the heavens to lighten have

When Rafael Nadal prevailed in that Wimbledon final for the ages 50 weeks ago it was a triumph built on superhuman strength, force of will and ferocious determination.

As the Spaniard scaled the dark green walls of Centre Court to celebrate with his family, then graciously accepted the greatest prize in tennis, one thing was blindingly obvious: If Nadal was to surrender his title he had battled so tirelessly for, it would take something remarkable to wrest it away from him.

In the end, though, it didn't take a perfect performance from an inspired rival, a revenge mission from Roger Federer or even an off-day for the world No.1 to end Nadal's reign as the king of the All England Club.

It was instead a chink in the game's most revered physical armor, a damaged knee that knocked the 23-year-old out of the draw before hostilities had even commenced on the hallowed London lawns.

No man since Goran Ivanisevic in 2002 has been unable to defend his Wimbledon title. The popular joke surrounding

Venus Williams shuns comparisons with tennis' modern greats with as much velocity as she imparts upon her fiercest service or ground stroke.

The five-time Wimbledon champion doesn't want to be mentioned in the same breath as Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova or Steffi Graf, and won't humor interviewers by answering questions on the topic.

However, if Williams is once again hoisting aloft the appropriately named Venus Rosewater Dish in a fortnight, then the debate over where she stands among Wimbledon legends will be unavoidable, prolonged and heated.

A sixth title at the All England Club would put her level with King and one shy of Graf, with Navratilova leading the way on the awe-inspiring mark of nine victories.

"I don't really compare myself to anyone," Williams said as she prepared for another assault on the sport's most prestigious event. "If other people want to do that, it is up to them. But I want to win for just that reason, not to compare myself against someone else from

It matters little that the United States has yet to be fully gripped by the soccer bug. This month's Confederations Cup won't spark discussion in the sports bars of New York or Los Angeles, but it won't generate much more interest in soccer's traditional havens of Brazil, Italy or Spain, either.

The three big nations to take part in the Confederations Cup, the eight-team World Cup warm-up in South Africa held one year out from the tournament itself, will read little into the fortnight-long event. They have qualifying for the World Cup all but taken care of and will have plenty of meaningful opposition in their remaining continental group matches to provide an accurate barometer of progress. The event will allow the big boys to try out some new players and systems and get a feel for the South African soccer environment.

For the USA, however, this competition must, by default, take on more significance than otherwise might be expected.

The Americans have far less exposure to top-level

How Diego Maradona must wish that out of sight meant out of mind in World Cup qualification.

The Argentina head coach has encountered few problems on home turf, but his side's woeful away form has put its participation in next year's tournament in doubt.

The rarefied air of Quito, Ecuador, was the scene of Maradona's latest setback on Wednesday, as Argentina suffered a 2-0 defeat to follow a 6-1 thrashing in Bolivia during the last time it played at altitude.

An Argentinean public that celebrated joyously when its former playing hero was appointed last year is quickly learning that Maradona's magnificent touch and skill of yesteryear does little to help him on the sidelines.

His biggest crime must surely be in preparation. Argentina has a team packed with superstars, including