Nike taking a shot on goal

Forgive the labored headline, please. Nike's goal is to be the major power in soccer by World Cup 2010, so they've bought British supplier Umbro to give them an assist.

The acquisition is a major step for the U.S. apparel and shoe maker, which has said it wants to become soccer's top brand by the next World Cup in 2010.

Nike's soccer brand has performed well and grown in recent years, but Umbro's ties to the United Kingdom, where Nike has struggled, should boost the company's profile and performance.

Umbro will apparently continue to operate as a separate brand, largely because of its high brand awareness in the soccer world -- "... Umbro supplies uniforms to the national teams of England, Ireland, Sweden and Norway, six English Premier League teams and more than 100 other professional teams globally."