There are lots of modules on CPAN that parse XML. You really don't want to do it yourself except as as a learning exercise. And then you will use a module from CPAN;)

When dealing with data structures it is very helpful to print the data you are working with. I've use YAML others use Data::Dumper, either is fine.

Update: I've changed the code below in light of ikegami's comments.

This is one approach using XML::Simple

#!/net/perl/5.10.0/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use YAML;

use XML::Simple;

my $teams = XMLin(
    do { local $/; <DATA> },
    ForceArray => [qw( football_team Player )],
);

print Dump $teams;

foreach my $team ( @{ $teams->{football_team} } ) {
    print "$team->{Name}\n";
    foreach my $player ( @{ $team->{Players}{Player} } ) {
        print "  $player->{ForeName} $player->{LastName}\n";
    }
}
__DATA__
[download]

<football_teams>
  <football_team>
    <Name>ONE</Name>
    <DateCreated>
      <Year>1990</Year>
      <Month>12</Month>
      <Day>04</Day>
    </DateCreated>
    <Players>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Wonguso</LastName>
        <ForeName>Jimm</ForeName>
        <Initials>JW</Initials>
      </Player>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Fearless</LastName>
        <ForeName>A</ForeName>
        <Initials>AF</Initials>
      </Player>
    </Players>
    <Hometown>New York</Hometown>
  </football_team>
  <football_team>
    <Name>TWO</Name>
    <DateCreated>
      <Year>1978</Year>
      <Month>9</Month>
      <Day>23</Day>
    </DateCreated>
    <Players>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Pedro</LastName>
        <ForeName>Therry</ForeName>
        <Initials>TP</Initials>
      </Player>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Haywardis</LastName>
        <ForeName>Richie</ForeName>
        <Initials>RH</Initials>
      </Player>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Eswa</LastName>
        <ForeName>Jeyan</ForeName>
        <Initials>JE</Initials>
      </Player>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Leongus</LastName>
        <ForeName>John</ForeName>
        <Initials>JL</Initials>
      </Player>
      <Player>
        <LastName>Bentson</LastName>
        <ForeName>Billie</ForeName>
        <Initials>BB</Initials>
      </Player>
    </Players>
    <Hometown>California</Hometown>
  </football_team>
</football_teams>
[download]

---
football_team:
  - DateCreated:
      Day: 04
      Month: 12
      Year: 1990
    Hometown: New York
    Name: ONE
    Players:
      Player:
        - ForeName: Jimm
          Initials: JW
          LastName: Wonguso
        - ForeName: A
          Initials: AF
          LastName: Fearless
  - DateCreated:
      Day: 23
      Month: 9
      Year: 1978
    Hometown: California
    Name: TWO
    Players:
      Player:
        - ForeName: Therry
          Initials: TP
          LastName: Pedro
        - ForeName: Richie
          Initials: RH
          LastName: Haywardis
        - ForeName: Jeyan
          Initials: JE
          LastName: Eswa
        - ForeName: John
          Initials: JL
          LastName: Leongus
        - ForeName: Billie
          Initials: BB
          LastName: Bentson
ONE
  Jimm Wonguso
  A Fearless
TWO
  Therry Pedro
  Richie Haywardis
  Jeyan Eswa
  John Leongus
  Billie Bentson
[download]