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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HOMETOWN HEROES?

While a splashy and exciting signing will always get fans fired up, there’s something even more special about the local kid done good.

Think of Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti at Roma, Xavi and Andres Iniesta at Barcelona, Manchester United’s ‘Class of ‘92’ or Lukas Podolski in various spells at FC Koln - these are some of the most revered players in the history of their clubs, their connection to their hometown and boyhood clubs linking them with the fans in the stands in a way no big money purchase could ever hope to match. Think back also to Alan Shearer, who in 1996 turned down Manchester United and Real Madrid in favour of his beloved Newcastle United. His goals couldn’t bring a single trophy to the Magpies, yet his statue will stand outside St James’ Park forevermore. Of course, if you’re playing at the very top level it’s never going to be realistic to pack your squad with local boys and youth team products - the chances of that many world class players coming from such a small geographical area, or one academy, are just too slim. Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona were an exception, as were the Class of ’92 and Celtic’s 1967 European Cup winning side which famously featured a squad born within 30 miles of their Parkhead home. But in general, at the elite level, the hometown hero is a rare thing. With that in mind, we turn to one of the unintended consequences of various Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. This summer saw Emile Smith Rowe, an Arsenal fan favourite who joined their academy aged 10 shipped off

AFTER THE SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW IN EUROPE, GABY MCKAY WONDERS IF FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY RULES ARE TAKING SOMETHING SPECIAL AWAY FROM THE GAME.

to Fulham. Conor Gallagher, who grew up 10 minutes from Chelsea’s training ground and joined the club aged eight was told in no uncertain terms to accept a transfer or be frozen out, eventually moving to Atletico Madrid. The midfielder captained the side last season, while Smith Rowe has made over 100 appearances for the Gunners and is still just 24. So…what gives?

To explain this phenomenon, we need to look at the way football clubs book transfers on their accounts. When a player is signed they become, in effect, an asset and the transfer fee is broken down over the length of their contract in a process known as amortisation. What this means is that their notional value as a financial asset depreciates over the life of the contract - if Club X signs a player for £10m on a fouryear deal, their book value will decrease by £2.5m over the length of that deal.

However, when selling a player the transfer fee is booked immediately and anything above their book value is pure profit. For a youth product there was no initial transfer outlay involved in signing them, so whatever you bring in can go straight on the books as profit and help with Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), FFP or whatever it may be. To take the previous example, if Club X signed that hypothetical £10m player at the same time as selling one of their academy players for £10m they’d book a £7.5m profit across those two deals - the £10m fee minus the £2.5m for their new signing’s first year.

Basically Smith-Rowe, Gallagher, or any other youth team product is a quick-fix for compliance, meaning they’ll always be first on the chopping block when time comes to sell players. This summer, two clubs thought to be in peril of falling short of UEFA’s FFP laws and the Premier League’s own version were Aston Villa and Chelsea. With clubs’

ABOVE (MAIN): Smith Rowe made more than 100 appearances for Arsenal

BELOW: Local boy Francesco Totti was adored by the Roma fans

accounting periods running from July 1 to June 30 there’s a hard deadline to make sure you’re compliant. On June 28, Chelsea sold academy product Ian Maatsen to Villa for a reported £37.5m. The following day Omari Kellyman moved the other way for £19m. Both signed six-year deals, though thanks to a change in Premier League rules their fees can only be amortised over five. However, the deal would allow Villa to book a profit of £11.5m and Chelsea £33.7m. All of the above is perfectly legal, and indeed standard accounting practice, even if Maatsen and Kellyman can boast one Premier League start between them. While neither would qualify as being a ‘hometown hero’, the horse trading is indicative of the way big clubs are coming to view their academy players - not as talents to nurture for the future, but as ready ways of making a quick bit of cash. No-one’s comparing Smith Rowe to Totti or Gallagher to Iniesta, but it’s another development taking clubs away from their local communities.

Even Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca finds the situation less than ideal. “This is not Chelsea’s problem, these are the rules,” he said. “All the clubs at this moment are compelled to sell players from the academy because of the rules. It’s all of the Premier League clubs’ problems. “It’s a shame because in Italy, we have Totti with Roma, 20 years with the same club - one club man. We love that in football, the fans want to see that. But with the rules now it is different than the past.” All this suggests that the current version of the rules, despite their good intentions, need a little revising.

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale

2024 Maserati Grecale Trofeo

‘SPAIN

WERETHEBEST TEAMATEURO2024,AND BYANEMPHATICALLY WIDEMARGIN’

SENSATIONAL SPAIN

A COMPELLING TOURNAMENT FROM START TO FINISH, EURO 2024 CONJURED A SUCCESSION OF STORYLINES AND SAW SEVERAL RECORDS BROKEN WITH AN OUTSTANDING SPAIN COMING OUT ON TOP. STEPHEN DONOVAN REFLECTS ON HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED.

HOST COUNTRY: Germany

DATES: June 14 - July 14

TEAMS: 24

VENUES:

10 in 10 Host Cities

CHAMPIONS: Spain

RUNNERS-UP: England

MATCHES PLAYED: 51

GOALS SCORED: 117 (2.29 per match)

ATTENDANCE:

2,681,288 (52,574 per match)

TOP GOAL SCORERS: Harry Kane

G. Mikautadze

Jamal Musiala

Cody Gakpo

Ivan Schranz

Dani Olmo (3 Goals Each)

BEST PLAYER: Rodri

BEST YOUNG PLAYER:

Lamine Yamal

International football has always been the greatest showcase for the saying that individual talent only gets you so far, and the outcome of Euro 2024 did little to dispel that notion. Right from the outset when they kicked off against Croatia in their opening match, Spain ticked all the boxes. Yes, they had the flair of the outstanding Nico Williams and prodigious teenager Lamine Yamal, plus the indomitable midfield presence of Rodri, but from back to front La Roja were a fully functioning team in which every player slotted in seamlessly and fired on all possible cylinders.

They caught the eye immediately, putting three past the Croats and then putting in a dominant display to overcome defending champions Italy. That marked them out as the team to beat, especially with some of the other fancied sides yet to spark into life. And there were bigger tests to come. Hosts Germany pushed them all the way, only for Spain to show the mental fortitude

ABOVE: Rodrigo Cascante of Spain poses for photos with his trophy for best player during the UEFA EURO 2024

BELOW: Lamine Yamal of Spain celebrating with his trophy of 2024 Euro winners during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England

ROLL OF HONOUR

Stephen Donovan lists the winners of the individual awards at Euro 2024, dominated by members of the winning team.

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - RODRI

As his record for Manchester City will testify, the influence Rodri has on a team is immeasurable. The 28-year-old’s powerhouse performances saw Spain dominate the midfield in all their games as he repelled opposition attacks and continually kept his team on the front foot by starting attacks. Even despite going off at half-time in the final through injury, his startling efficiency earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENTLAMINE YAMAL

Who else? The record shattering teenager broke new ground every time he took to the field and after his exploits for Barcelona in 2023-24, became an instant superstar over the course of this tournament. He was a livewire, tying for the most assists in a single European Championship, and capping it all off with a special goal against France in the semi-finals on the way to glory.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

GOALKEEPER OF THE TOURNAMENT - GIORGI MAMARDASHVILI

Georgia won so many fans for their gutsy performances on the way to reaching the last 16, but they wouldn’t have got there without goalkeeper Mamardashvili. The Valencia stopper was in inspired form, making save after save to keep his side in contention, preventing 3.17 goals based on a measure of expected goals on target. His total of 30 saves across the tournament was the second highest in Euros history.

COACH OF THE TOURNAMENT - LUIS DE LA FUENTE

He keeps a very low profile and was not the biggest name outside of Spain coming into the tournament, but the way Luis de la Fuente made La Roja the standout side in Germany was something to behold. His years of working with the national team’s age groups proved pivotal as he implemented a system that got the best out of every member of his squad and took them all the way.

GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT - MERT MULDUR (TURKEY VS GEORGIA)

The opening group F match between Turkey and Georgia had everything, including two magnificent goals. Arda Guler’s curler to make it 2-1 was special, but right-back Mert Muldur’s strike earlier in the game was even better, showing world class technique and making the sweetest of connections with a volley that flew high into the net from the edge of the box.

SAVE OF THE TOURNAMENT - MERT GUNOK (AUSTRIA VS TURKEY)

Turkey also produced the save of the tournament, as Mert Gunok remarkably turned Christoph Baumgartner’s powerful downward header around the post with just minutes remaining of their last 16 clash to secure a 2-1 victory and a place in the quarter-finals.

‘ENGLAND’S INTERMINABLE WAITTOWIN AMAJOR TOURNAMENT GOESON’

to find a winner late in extra time. They then fell behind against pre-tournament favourites France, a side noted for its game management, but again came up with the

Compare that with England. Expected to overwhelm opponents with their long list of attacking stars, the Three Lions scratched and scraped their way to the final with moments of individual magic salvaging largely disjointed performances and sparing them from an ignominious exit. There was credit for the character they showed to hang in there, but the luck eventually ran out in the final as Spain ran out worthy champions. Back on top of the podium for the first time since Euro 2012, Luis de la Fuente’s side were the best team at Euro 2024, and by an emphatically wide margin. Indeed, a lot of the favourites underperformed yet still made it deep

ABOVE: England battled their way to the final but came up short once again

LEFT: Gareth Southgate stepped down as England coach after their final defeat

into the tournament. Aside from England’s bumpy road to the runners-up spot, France were a major letdown despite reaching the last four, while the Netherlands and Portugal both blew hot and cold on their way to the semi-finals and quarter-finals respectively. Germany were bright and the home fans had hope of a famous success, only to eventually fall short.

Many of the less fancied nations put in strong, competitive performances - with Georgia getting a special mention on their tournament debut, but there was a disappointing lack of knockout stage upsets with some underdogs threatening to cause a shock only to fail to get over the line. However, Euro 2024 was never short on entertainment and the right team came out on top. Here, Soccer 360 looks back on the competition’s top 20 moments.

THE OPENING GAME

After a long and frenzied build-up, the excitement of Euro 2024 finally got underway with an intriguing clash as hosts Germany met Scotland in Munich. There was cautious optimism among the home supporters while the Tartan Army quietly fancied their side’s hopes of springing a surprise, but the match itself was embarrassingly one-sided as Germany immediately marked themselves out as contenders with a crushing 5-1 victory. The front three of Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Kai Havertz were all among the scorers in a formidable performance.

RAPID BAJRAMI

Defending champions Italy were stunned in a dramatic start to their tournament opener against unfancied Albania as they fell behind after only 23 seconds. Nedim Bajrami seized on a poor throw-in by Federico Dimarco and smashed a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post to score the fastest ever Euros goal. The Azzurri soon recovered and eventually won 2-1, but Sassuolo midfielder Bajrami etched his name into the record books.

BELGIUM STUNG BY SLOVAKIA

There was a gap of 45 places in the FIFA rankings between Belgium and Slovakia when they met in Frankfurt, but Francisco Calzona’s side defied their status to claim the first shock result of Euro 2024. Ivan Schranz’s early goal was enough to settle the outcome as a misfiring Belgium were frustrated by poor finishing, committed defending, and having two goals disallowed. It left the Red Devils under serious pressure and with work to do in order to reach the knockout stages.

LEFT: Germany destroyed Scotland 5-1 in the tournament’s opening match

DIDYOU KNOW?

Germay started the tournament strong but eventually got taken out by eventual winners Spain in the quarterfinals after defeating Denmark in the round of 16.

THRILLING TURKEY TRIUMPH

Few may have seen it coming, but Turkey’s opening Group F encounter with debutants Georgia was easily one of the games of the tournament. Both teams threw caution to the wind and amid the chaos, delivered eyecatching football and some special goals. Mert Muldur’s fantastic volley opened the scoring for Turkey, only for the impressive Georges Mikautadze to equalise. The second half was more of the same with Arda Guler restoring the Crescent-Stars’ lead with a beautiful curling effort, and they survived a late onslaught before scoring a breakaway third goal to seal an enthralling 3-1 victory.

ENGLAND UNDER FIRE

One of the standout favourites to lift Euro 2024, England unconvincingly came through their opening match against Serbia with a 1-0 win, but their performance against Denmark in their second Group C outing set alarm bells ringing for Three Lions fans. While they escaped with a 1-1 draw that was enough to secure a last 16 place, a disjointed display riddled with errors was met with fury from the stands and criticism towards coach Gareth Southgate as a team full of world-class attacking players struggled to find a spark.

SPAIN MAKE A STATEMENT

The meeting of Spain and Italy was one of the most eagerly awaited match-ups of the group stage, and nobody expected it to be so one-sided. Spain had already laid down a marker with a clinical 3-0 win over Croatia in their opening game, but they produced an even more dominant performance to sink the holders as they controlled the midfield battle throughout and winger Nico

MAKING THEIR MARK

Lamine Yamal was not the only player to make a splash at Euro 2024, so Stephen Donovan names five of the tournament’s other breakout stars.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI - ITALY

It was a fairly underwhelming defence of the crown as far as Italy were concerned, but they have a new star defender in Riccardo Calafiori. With a good positional sense and a useful turn of pace, he is also good on the ball and represents a new generation of centre-backs for the Azzurri. His performances in Germany helped earn him a summer move to Arsenal.

MARC GUEHI - ENGLAND

Many fans of the Premier League will have already been aware of Marc Guehi’s talents through his mature displays for Crystal Palace, but amid the pressure cooker of a major tournament he took the place of Harry Maguire at the centre England’s defence and was totally seamless. He is now likely to be first choice for the Three Lions for years to come.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

ARDA GULER - TURKEY

Having already shown clear signs of his potential for Real Madrid towards the end of last season, there were high hopes for Arda Guler at Euro 2024 and he truly didn’t disappoint. His wondrous goal against Georgia in his side’s opening match set the tone and he was influential throughout their run to the quarter-finals, also assisting both goals in the last 16 win over Austria.

NUNO MENDES

Portugal flattered to deceive on their way to exiting the competition in the quarterfinals, but young defender Nuno Mendes was one of A Selecao’s outstanding performers throughout. The 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star showed pace and dynamism when supporting attacks but was also immaculate at the back as his side conceded just once while he was on the field.

DAN NDOYE - SWITZERLAND

One of many emerging stars at Bologna, the versatile Dan Ndoye was a lively presence for Switzerland, playing as both a striker and a wing-back. He continually got himself into threatening positions and always asked questions of opponents, grabbing a well-taken goal against Germany along the way. Even more exciting for the Swiss is that he still has room for improvement.

DIDYOU KNOW?

Romania, Belgium, Slovakia & Ukraine all finished with the exact same record, 1-1-1, with 4 points in Group E

Williams starred. The only surprise in the end was that they only won 1-0, thanks to an own goal from Riccardo Calafiori.

A SAD END FOR SCOTLAND

A battling draw with Switzerland gave Scotland a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time when they entered their final group match against Hungary. But as they chased the win they desperately needed, Steve Clarke’s side were to suffer agony at the end of a largely tense and cagey affair as they were caught on the counter attack in the 10th and final minute of stoppage time with Kevin Csoboth scoring a dramatic goal. Despite the win, Hungary also failed to make the last 16 having lost their opening two games.

ZACCAGNI LEAVES CROATIA CRESTFALLEN

After only picking up one point from their first two Group B games, perennial dark horses Croatia knew they had to overcome holders Italy in Leipzig to reach the last 16. They seemed set to advance when national team legend Luka Modric scored to make amends for his penalty miss just moments earlier, but their hearts were broken with the very last play of the game as Mattia Zaccagni curled a sweet finish past Dominik Livakovic to snatch second place for the Azzurri.

TOP LEFT: Albania’s Nedim Bajrami scored the fastest ever Euros goal

TOP RIGHT: The understated Luis de la Fuente masterminded Spain’s success

ABOVE LEFT: Turkey’s Group F clash with Georgia was arguably the game of the tournament

ABOVE RIGHT: Georges Mikautadze sealed Georgia’s place in the last 16 with his goal against Portugal

AUSTRIA HIT THE TOP

Austria were expected to be a dangerous opponent at Euro 2024 under the wise guidance of highly respected coach Ralf Rangnick, but not many would have tipped them to top a very strong looking Group D. However, a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in the final round of games saw them finish in first place ahead of the Dutch and tournament favourites France, who were struggling to find their rhythm. Their hopes would ultimately be ended by Turkey in the last 16.

GROUP E DEADLOCK

For the first time in European Championship history, all four teams in Group E finished locked on the same number of points after three fascinating rounds of matches. With head-to-head records cancelled out, the task of separating them came down to goal difference and Ukraine were the painfully unlucky side to miss out on the last 16 due to their opening 3-0 defeat to Romania, who in turn advanced as group winners. Belgium finished second, while Slovakia also went through as one of the best third placed teams.

GEORGIA’S GREATEST NIGHT

Simply qualifying for Euro 2024 was a famous achievement for Georgia, but reaching the knockout stages

was something far more remarkable. Having already caught the eye with their courageous performances and showed no shortage of quality in attack, the tournament’s lowest ranked team took on Portugal in their final group game needing a win to reach the last 16. Against one of the favourites, they produced the greatest night in the nation’s footballing history to prevail 2-0 with goals from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze. Although their run was subsequently ended by Spain, they went home as heroes.

STYLISH SWITZERLAND END ITALY’S REIGN

As the knockout stage began in Berlin, it was very hard to predict a winner between Switzerland and Italy with many expecting a close game. The reality couldn’t have been more different, as Murat Yakin’s impressive Swiss team bossed proceedings throughout with their intricate, attractive passing game. Remo Freuler finished off a lovely team move for the opener before Ruben Vargas curled in a beauty at the start of the second half, with a subdued Italy seeing the defence of their crown end with a whimper.

BELLINGHAM FROM THE BRINK

There was still no improvement to be seen from England and their tournament seemed set to end in calamitous fashion as another goal from Ivan Schranz had Slovakia on the

LEFT: Mattia Zaccagni’s late goal broke Croatia hearts

BELOW: Jude Bellingham rescued England from a shock defeat to Slovakia

BOTTOM LEFT:

Ruben Vargas’ sweet strike saw Switzerland eliminate holders Italy

verge of pulling off an almighty shock in the last 16. The Three Lions had long run out of ideas, but with only seconds remaining their star player produced a world class moment as Jude Bellingham’s brilliant bicycle kick dramatically forced extra time, where Harry Kane’s header sent them to the quarter-

After failing to score in the group stage, Cristiano Ronaldo was totally desperate to find the net in Portugal’s last 16 clash with Slovenia. He ended up going on an emotional roller coaster, missing chances in normal time before seeing a penalty superbly saved by Jan Oblak in extra time, and he couldn’t hold back the tears. Underdogs Slovenia battled all the way to the end, but Ronaldo put his disappointment behind him to score in the penalty shootout as Portugal eventually

HOSTS SUFFER EXTRA TIME HEARTACHE

The opening quarter-final encounter between Spain and Germany promised a lot, and it truly delivered as two of the

HITTINGNEW HEIGHTS

Stephen Donovan examines some of the numerous records that were broken during Euro 2024.

LAMINE YAMAL

Lamine Yamal rewrote the history books with his record-breaking exploits - so much so that there are too many to mention here. He became the youngest player at a men’s European Championships when he started Spain’s opening game against Croatia, then the youngest goalscorer at any major tournament when he scored that special goal against France in the semi-finals. He was also the youngest player to appear in a final on the day after his 17th birthday, taking the record set by the one and only Pele in 1958.

MOST FINALS APPEARANCES

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

Cristiano Ronaldo may not have managed to score this time, but he did set a record by appearing in an incredible sixth European Championship finals. Having made his first tournament outing at the age of 19 at Euro 2004, he continues to be the main man for Portugal, with the crowning moment coming in 2016 when he lifted his nation’s first major trophy.

OLDEST PLAYER

He doesn’t go quite as far back as Ronaldo in terms of the Portuguese national team, but Pepe is two years older and continues to defy his age. The 41-year-old was first-choice at the heart of defence and showed all his experience to help them to the brink of the semi-finals, beating former Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly’s record as the oldest player in Euros history.

OLDEST GOALSCORER

Luka Modric suffered the anguish of seeing his Croatia side denied a place in the knockout stage by a last-gasp Italy equaliser, but that otherwise galling night at least saw him become the oldest player to score a goal in the history of the European Championships, at 38 years and 289 days.

MOST CARDS

When Antonin Barak was sent off after 20 minutes in the Czech Republic’s final group match against Turkey, it was the fastest red card in Euros history. However, things got increasingly bad tempered to the extent that a record 18 yellow cards were shown by referee Istvan Kovacs, while a brawl between both sets of players after the final whistle saw another Czech player, Tomas Chory, dismissed.

tournament’s outstanding teams went at each other punch for punch during a thrilling 120 minutes of action. Dani Olmo’s classy finish put Spain ahead only for the hosts to battle back with Florian Wirtz’s late goal forcing extra time, where things got considerably more tense. It looked like it could go either way, but with penalties looming Mikel Merino’s header sent a joyous La Roja through and ended the dreams of the home crowd.

FRANCE SCRAPE INTO SEMIS

For all the quality and pedigree in their squad, France were incredibly underwhelming at Euro 2024 but still managed to scrape their way to the semifinals despite only scoring with a penalty and two own goals over the course of five matches. Kylian Mbappe and co. were poor again in a heavyweight clash with Portugal but still had enough defensive resolve to force a penalty shootout, where they converted all of their kicks to gain some revenge for their painful loss in the Euro 2016 final.

ENGLAND’S PERFECT PENALTIES

England are infamous for their many heartbreaking penalty shootout defeats over the years, but their current side showed that those failures might just be a thing of the past as they scored five exquisite spot-kicks to overcome Switzerland in their quarter-final. After a closely fought 1-1 draw, the ice-cool quartet of Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all finished unerringly, while Bakayo Saka did likewise to help banish some of the memories from his fateful miss in the Euro 2020 final shootout. It was harsh on Switzerland - one of the best teams in the competition - but England marched on.

MAKES HISTORY

YAMAL

Spain set the standard throughout Euro 2024, and making headline after headline along the way was Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal. Already the youngest player to appear in a men’s European Championship

‘EURO2024 WASNEVER SHORTON ENTERTAINMENT &FASCINATING STORYLINES’

and many other records besides, the 16-year-old produced an unforgettable moment of history with a wonderful equalising goal in the semi-final against France as his curling strike from outside the penalty area flew in off the post. It made him the youngest ever scorer in a major tournament, and Spain went on to book their place in the final through Dani Olmo’s winner.

WATKINS WINNER

After a succession of indifferent performances, England finally showed what they are capable of as they recovered to beat the Netherlands in another tense semi-final. With the game locked at 1-1 after Harry Kane’s controversial penalty, substitute Ollie Watkins conjured a magical moment with extra time seemingly on the cards. The Aston Villa striker had barely a half-chance as he collected Cole Palmer’s pass, but turned and fired a razor-like finish to send England through to their second straight Euros final.

OLE FOR OYARZABAL

There were countless storylines attached to the Euro 2024 final as Spain, easily the standout team in Germany coming into the showpiece, looked to return to the

TOP LEFT: Mikel Merino’s goal ended hosts Germany’s hopes

TOP: Cristiano Ronaldo endured a roller coaster evening in the last 16 against Slovenia

ABOVE LEFT: Mikel Oyarzabal scored the winner to seal a deserved Euros triumph for Spain

ABOVE: France made it to the semi-finals despite poor performances

summit of European football against an England side who hadn’t lived up to their billing performance-wise but were within touching distance of lifting a first major tournament for 58 years. After a tense, goalless first half at the Olympiastadion, the real action began just after half-time when the remarkable Lamine Yamal set up opposite winger Nico Williams for a powerful low finish.

But far from lying down, the Three Lions then showed their class with a well-worked team goal of their own to equalise; Jude Bellingham setting up Cole Palmer to shoot low past Unai Simon with 17 minutes to go. At that stage it appeared the final could go either way, but Spain found another gear and their undoubted superiority was rewarded when Mikel Oyarzabal ran on to Marc Cucurella’s low cross to slide in the winner.

It sealed a famous achievement for Luis de la Fuente’s team, whose thoroughly deserved success gave them a record fourth Euros crown. For England, the interminable wait goes on following coach Gareth Southgate’s last stand.

THEKINGOF CROATIA

“I’LLCONTINUETOSTARTMODRIC EVENAFTERHE’S40.HE WON’TRETIREUNTILHEHAS MYPERMISSIONTORETIRE.”

ABOVE: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy and Luka Modric of Croatia at full time during the UEFA Euro 2024 match FAR LEFT: Modric celebrates after scoring against Italy during Euro 2024

STORY BY: DEREK ROSS

Idon’t think I will ever entirely erase the image from my mind. It’s the 98th minute against Italy and Croatia are poised to join the Euros 2024 last sixteen party only for Mattia Zaccagni to equalise. The camera pans to Luka Modric, the Croatian midfield genius sitting in the dugout after being substituted. It was Modric’s goal which had given his team the lead after he had earlier missed a penalty. His face appears stunned and ashen, cut with the disbelief of a man who was flicking through his mobile phone checking his home security cameras after going on holiday only to find that he has left his front door open! A legendary international football career wasn’t meant to end like this. This isn’t how the Gods of football treat one of their own.

Alas, we are reminded that amongst those rare days of glory there are many sad things in football, and all of us could no-doubt nominate our own particular moment when we felt as if our football world had ended.

A semi-final or final defeat, relegation, a points deduction or worse, going into administration or the crushing news that Jose Mourinho has just been appointed your club’s new manager.

And yes, to cite an annoying cliché’ there is more to life than football blah de blah. But when it comes to this particular brand of fanaticism, I am here to report that the dark cloud on the football horizon is drawing inevitably nearer. As the shadows lengthen over the career of, to my mind the greatest midfield player of his generation and one of the all-time greats, Luka Modric, one should truly reflect on the utter genius this man has brought to the game and the sheer delight in watching it in action wherever and whenever it is displayed. At 38 years of age, he has just won the Champions League for a record sixth time alongside teammate Dani Carvajal and is routinely, and correctly, described as the greatest Croatian player of all time. Honestly, the man has more legs than an Olympian relay team. It ain’t easy, but just how do you pay tribute to a legend such as he? I’ll give it a shot.

A FOOTBALLING

GENUIS.

Luka Modric. That soccer genius and ethereal virtuoso, a preternatural maestro who navigates the pitch with balletic legerdemain. His every manoeuvre is an arabesque of cunning stratagems, a chiaroscuro of kinetic sagacity, orchestrating the game’s cadence with symphonic precision, transmuting the banal into the sublime through pyrotechnic dexterity and kaleidoscopic vision. His prowess is an enigmatic confluence of cerebral alacrity and corporeal poetry, rendering the ordinary arcane and the predictable ineffable. But he’s also a man of appreciation and generosity. When he was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2018 Modric shelled out on 50 Rolex watches not only for his teammates but for the backroom staff at both Real Madrid and Croatia as a thank you for their tireless backing that helped him win the most prestigious individual accolade in world football. Even

“THEMANHASMORELEGSTHANAN OLYMPIANRELAYTEAM.ITAIN’TEASY, BUTJUST

HOWDOYOUPAYTRIBUTETOA LEGENDSUCHASHE?”

DIDYOU KNOW?

In recognition of his exceptional talent and contributions to both club and country, Luka Modric was awarded the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or. He became the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win

when he’s not playing, class just oozes out of him! Ronaldo conversely probably presented every one of his Portuguese teammates and back-room staff etc with a signed photo of himself. Modric doesn’t cry either. When he missed the penalty in the aforementioned game against the Italians, he didn’t collapse into a sea of self-pity with a tearful eye on his personal stats. He got up, and within four minutes had put his country ahead.

FROM WARZONE TO FOOTBALL LEGEND.

ABOVE: On the club level, Modric seems to add to his hardware collection every year

RIGHT: He has proved to be a leader on and off the field.

The great man got his name from his grandfather, Luka Modric Snr, who sadly was brutally executed by Serbian Militants when Luka junior was barely six years old. We can all only imagine at such a traumatizing childhood which he had to endure. At that stage in his life, I doubt whether he would have in any way fully understood that he was destined to go on to become one of the greatest midfield footballers that ever shoved a pair of shin guards down his socks. And yet the boy did just that and some. And who knows? Maybe it was

due to that very childhood trauma that contributed to making Modric so special then and now. And as his career progressed, Modric surpassed every contemporary with whom he was compared. And even as I concoct this little tribute, I cannot think of team anywhere which he wouldn’t waltz into. From the carnage of war arose one of Real Madrid’s, and football’s, greatest all-time midfielders, still playing like a fifteen-year-old at an unbelievable level at an age when most ex-players have already had at least three failed managerial appointments or have taken to airwaves to prove that although they were decent players they’re no better than the rest of us when it comes to punditry. But to draw just a minor comparison, Modric is fourteen years older than current England and Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher who is lauded by fans for his energy, and his non-stop running away from the lion that is obviously on the pitch at the same time as he is. And yet Modric’s footballing brain can cover more ground in a nanosecond that Gallagher’s legs can carry him for a complete ninety minutes. This is in no way meant to be disrespectful of Conor Gallagher who is a decent player. But it truly is remarkable what football intelligence does for the legs!

WHAT MAKES HIM SO GREAT?

Modric’s footballing uniqueness is not based upon any single identifiable trait. He is not defined by those seemingly nonchalant, outside-of-the-boot passes, or by mere outrageous talent, which is something many players also possess. Even at his current age he still possesses drive, and persistence. The man is a footballing will-o’-the-wisp who is rarely if ever injured which itself is a minor miracle given his physicality because he has the mental willpower to always take care of his body, plus it’s virtually impossible to get the ball off of him. As such, Modric doesn’t compete with others, but with himself. But when you put the great man under the microscope it becomes a little more apparent as to why he is the player he is. He isn’t just a central midfielder; he is the central player more often than not in every game in which he starts. His ability to link play so effectively and be both protector and supplier is borne out of his immaculate technical ability. For as long as I have watched him play, Modric has retained that vision and ability to pick passes between the lines as he ghosts into various areas of the pitch which always seem full of space. Moreover, his uncanny ability to maintain such a high level in the final third, without it negatively affecting his defensive duties, is part of what makes him such an asset to both club and country. Whenever he plays, he is usually Real’s instigator of attacks, the dictator of tempo and a player who possesses a symphony of long and short-range passing as well as the ability to smash one in from anywhere outside the penalty box. Yet what makes him truly amazing is that spends almost one hundred per-cent of the entire ninety minutes behind the ball, available for receiving a pass but also available to shift across and close down passing channels should Real’s own attacks break down. And whenever Real lose the ball high up field, and the initial line of forwards either

don’t challenge or don’t win back the ball quickly, Modric is often the one to break out of his middle line and attempt to force the opposition sideways or backwards. And it remains uncanny how, unlike so many of the world’s midfield players who move away from the man on the ball to receive it, Modric is without exception aways moving towards his teammate to receive it and yet every time he does it he finds himself in what looks like acres of space. Granted, there are many Central midfielders who possess the technical and physical prowess to play both offensively and defensively. There are few, though, who can match Modric for the capacity to do both simultaneously on account of the intelligence of his movement and his unrivalled reading of the game. And of course, there are even fewer who match him for an ability to be a match-winner, thanks to his relentless ability to see a pass and pick it out from any angle on the pitch. So, there you are. Luka Modric. For my money, the greatest midfielder of his generation.

But I think it only fitting that the last word on the great man be left to his manager who knows him better than most. For the rest of us we can all take pleasure in the fact the when Modric bestrode the midfield world ‘we were there.’

DIDYOU KNOW?

Growing up during the Croatian War of Independence, Luka Modric faced numerous challenges. His childhood home was destroyed by bombs, and his family was even forced to live in a refugee hotel. Despite the hardships, Modric Persevered and used his love for football as an escape.

Despite his incredible success and acclaim, Luka Modri? remains humble both on and off the field. He is known for his respectful attitude towards opponents, teammates, and the sport of football in general.

ABOVE, RIGHT: Modric excelled at Real Madrid while playing with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo

RIGHT: Croatia’s Luka Modric holds the World Cup’s Best Player trophy and France’s Kylian Mbappe holds the World Cup’s Best Young Player Trophy after winning 4-2 the 2018 FIFA World cup final

“MANCHESTER

CITY CONTINUE TO REWRITE THE RECORD BOOKS”

PREMIER LEAGUE

SEASON PREVIEW

MANCHESTER CITY WILL LOOK TO CONTINUE THEIR DOMINANCE AFTER FOUR CONSECUTIVE TITLE WINS, BUT THE RACE PROMISES TO BE ANOTHER THRILLING RIDE WITH ARSENAL GOING ALL OUT TO END THEIR OWN 21-YEAR WAIT. STEPHEN DONOVAN CASTS AN EYE OVER A PREMIER LEAGUE WHERE MORE CLUBS THAN EVER HOLD VAST AMBITIONS.

FINAL TABLE

Manchester

GOAL SCORING PREDICTIONS PREDICTIONS

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd place

RECORD: 28-5-5

MOST GOALS: Saka (16)

All the signs suggest that Arsenal won’t be kept waiting much longer to end their Premier League title drought. After collapsing on the home stretch in 2022-23 having led for most of the way, they couldn’t have come much closer last term as only the finest of margins saw them come second again to Manchester City. Manager Mikel Arteta has instilled an unshakeable mentality at the Emirates Stadium and is desperate to make the tiny gains that are needed for his side to make it third time lucky. To that end, he’s recruited Italy star Riccardo Calafiori to bolster a defence that now looks truly formidable, while the star quality provided by the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka further up the field will only intensify. It’s a Gunners side that has all the ingredients to come out on top, although finishing above Man City after 38 games is much easier said than done.

KEY PLAYER

Bukayo Saka

ASTON VILLA BRENTFORD BOURNEMOUTH

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th place

RECORD: 20-8-10

MOST GOALS: Watkins (19)

A historic campaign lies in wait for Aston Villa as they compete in the Champions League for the first time in four decades. They’ll savour every moment, but the task now for this huge club and its ambitious owners is to finish in the top four again and feature regularly in Europe’s premier competition in the years to come.

Unai Emery has overseen remarkable progress in less than two years in charge and Villa will almost certainly be contenders again in 2024-25, spearheaded by star man Ollie Watkins and bolstered by several bigmoney signings including Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, and Samuel Iling-Junior.

The only question marks arise from key midfielder Douglas Luiz’s move to Juventus and the surprise sale of Moussa Diaby to Saudi club Al-Ittihad, but this is a strong squad that expects to hit new heights.

Ollie Watkins

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 12th place

RECORD: 13-9-16

MOST GOALS: Solanke (19)

After a slow start, Bournemouth made fantastic progress in 2023-24 under the tutelage of Spanish coach Andoni Iraola, achieving their highest Premier League points total. The Cherries are a confident young side who have proven they shouldn’t be underestimated, but the sale of 19-goal top scorer Dominic Solanke to Tottenham is massive setback to their hopes of making further progress.

Teenage centre-back Dean Huijsen arrives from Juventus to join a defence already containing the precocious talents of Ilia Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez, while at the other end there is more to come from the likes of Justin Kluivert and Alex Scott. However, Bournemouth’s chances of avoiding a potential slide into relegation danger could rest on whether they can replace Solanke’s goals.

Alex Scott

Arsenal, TOP: Mikel Arteta is desperate to end Arsenal’s wait for the Premier League title

Aston Villa, Top: Midfielder Amadou Onana is Aston Villa’s headline summer signing Brentford, Top: Bryan Mbeumo and Yoann Wissa have formed an impressive partnership for Brentford

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 16th place

RECORD: 10-9-19

MOST GOALS: Wissa (12)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Mikel Arteta has been managing Arsenal since 2022 and has coached 233 games, won 138, has 38 draws, and 57 loses.

A spate of injuries hindered Brentford’s progress last term as they fell to a frustrating 16th place, and their luck has hardly got any better over the summer as after seeing their move for Leeds United starlet Archie Gray hijacked at the last second by Tottenham, new record signing Igor Thiago sustained an injury in preseason that will keep him out for the rest of 2024.

There were high hopes for Brazilian striker Thiago, but the Bees unexpectedly still have main man Ivan Toney to call upon along with the impressive attacking duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoann Wissa. The £28m capture of Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool provides another exciting option for a side looking to rediscover its home form and climb back towards mid-table.

Yoane Wissa

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 11th place

RECORD: 12-12-14

MOST GOALS: Pedro (9)

For all he achieved during his relatively short time in charge, including the club’s first ever foray into Europe, it was surprising how things fizzled out for Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton. To help enliven things again, the Seagulls have hired the youngest ever Premier League manager in Fabian Hurzeler, who looks a good fit for their possession-based approach.

It’s tricky to predict how Brighton will fare under the German. They’ll need to overcome the loss of club legend Pascal Gross to Borussia Dortmund, which leaves them slightly short on creative options in midfield. That said, wingers Simon Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma will offer a major threat while they’ll hope Deniz Undav can be the prolific striker they need after his excellent return of 18 Bundesliga goals for Stuttgart in 2023-24.

CRYSTAL PALACE CHELSEA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 6th place

RECORD: 18-9-11

MOST GOALS: Palmer (22)

Two years on from the takeover by BlueCo, instability continues to reign at Stamford Bridge. Despite a strong finish to 2023-24 which secured a top-six finish and a return to European competition, Chelsea unexpectedly dispensed with coach Mauricio Pochettino and opted for another clean slate under the considerably less experienced Enzo Maresca. It’s a risk that the club and its increasingly restless fanbase hope will pay off. After another signing spree this summer with arrivals including Pedro Neto and Barcelona starlet Marc Guiu, the main aim for the Italian this season will be to take Chelsea back into the Premier League’s top four and consistently compete towards the top. Those hopes will be written off by many, but with an abundance of expensively assembled talent at his disposal including jewel in the crown Cole Palmer and the fit-again Christopher Nkunku - who promises to be the clinical striker the Blues have lacked in recent years - expectations are high.

KEY PLAYER

Cole Palmer

Brighton Hove & Albion, Top: Fabian Hurzeler is the Premier League’s youngest ever full-time head coach

Chelsea, Top: Enzo Maresca signed a fiveyear contract, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until June 2029

Crystal Palace, Top: Crystal Palace star JeanPhilippe Mateta is one of Europe’s most in-form strikers

Everton, Bottom: Dominic CalvertLewin remains key in attack

Fulham, Bottom:

Fulham made Emile Smith Rowe their new record signing

“THE HIREOF ENZO MARESCA ISA RISK CHELSEA HOPE WILLPAY OFF”

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 10th place

RECORD: 13-10-15

MOST GOALS: Mateta (16)

After a thrilling finish to last season which sealed them a place in the top 10, there is real excitement and anticipation for what Crystal Palace might produce this time around. The impact of manager Oliver Glasner following his appointment in March was such that the Eagles transformed themselves into a free-scoring force, and if they can keep that up, they have the potential to make a serious claim for a European place.

Undoubtedly the loss of the uniquely talented Michael Olise to Bayern Munich is a significant one, but Eberechi Eze and red-hot striker Jean-Philippe Mateta remain while the arrivals of explosive winger Ismaila Sarr and Japan playmaker Daichi Kamada put them in a good position to progress higher up the table. Full of energy, pace, and creativity, Palace should be exhilarating to watch.

KEY PLAYER

Jean-Philippe Mateta

KEY PLAYER

Deniz Undav

EVERTONFULHAM

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 16th place

RECORD: 13-9-16

MOST GOALS: Doucoure (7)

Despite seeing 10 points deducted and enduring continued off-field turmoil throughout 2023-24, Everton managed to stave off the threat of relegation with relative comfort. A collapsed takeover bid by the Friedkins over the summer suggests their problems aren’t over as they enter the final season at the historic Goodison Park, but it feels like there’s light at the end of the tunnel and in manager Sean Dyche, they have a safe pair of hands. Given the challenges faced by the club, the main target this season will be to avoid being dragged into a battle for top-flight safety. Dominic Calvert-Lewin remains key in attack, but Iliman Ndiaye and Jesper Lindstrom are both shrewd signings who will give the Toffees an extra dimension, which means they may not have to rely on the England man so heavily.

KEY PLAYER

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

LAST SEASON FINISH: 13th place

RECORD: 13-8-17

MOST GOALS: Muniz (9)

Marco Silva rarely gets the credit he deserves, but the way he’s re-established Fulham as a comfortable, stable Premier League outfit in the space of two seasons is mightily impressive. His side are capable of some standout performances as they showed with a clutch of eye-catching results last term, but the next stage is to find a little more consistency in order to reclaim a place in the top 10. The loss of key midfielder Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich is a major blow, but equally the Cottagers have shown ambition by making Arsenal playmaker Emile Smith Rowe their record signing, while Ryan Sessegnon returns to the banks of the River Thames looking to get his career back on track. Another mid-table finish looks on the cards, but along the way they’ll provide tough opposition for several of the top clubs.

KEY PLAYER

Emile Smith Rowe

DOKU

THE ONES TO WATCH

Stephen Donovan picks out five players who may emerge as standout performers in the Premier League in 2024-25

JEREMY DOKU - MANCHESTER CITY

To see a winger with genuine pace frightening defenders is an exhilarating sight, and Jeremy Doku provided many moments like that in his first season in a Manchester City shirt. The best thing for manager Pep Guardiola is that the Belgian still has the potential to improve considerably and become a fully-fledged world class talent, with 2024-25 the next step on that particular journey.

MOHAMMED KUDUSWEST HAM UNITED

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

An explosive player with the quality to produce moments out of the ordinary, Mohammed Kudus had some standout moments in his first season in the Premier League, but one assumes that much more is to come from the Ghanaian. It’ll be interesting to see how much licence he is given by new manager Julen Lopetegui, yet he’s capable of carrying West Ham towards a return to European qualification.

COLE PALMER - CHELSEA

Everyone knew Cole Palmer had talent, but few could have foreseen the amazing impact he would make at Chelsea after arriving last summer. Playing with a swagger that underlines his confidence, the 22-year-old is blessed with the incredible natural ability to score goals and produce incisive passes that other players could only dream of. His performances so far have been nothing short of phenomenal, and it’s exciting to imagine what he may deliver in 2024-25.

SANDRO TONALI - NEWCASTLE UNITED

DIDYOU KNOW?

Joshua Zirkzee is coming off a 12 goal in 37 game season with Bologna, and already scored in his Manchester United EPL debut.

Dynamic midfielder Sandro Tonali’s all-action midfield performances thrilled Newcastle United fans in the opening weeks of 2023-24, only for the Italian to receive a season-ending ban for numerous breaches of betting regulations.

JOSHUA ZIRKZEEMANCHESTER UNITED

Of the many stars to emerge from Bologna’s unexpected run to Champions League qualification last term, Joshua Zirkzee was arguably the standout with 11 goals in 34 Serie A appearances. Manchester United were quick to secure his services and make him the poster boy for their new transfer policy, with the Netherlands international set to add an exciting new dimension to a forward line which struggled in 2023-24.

JEREMY

Manchester City

COLE PALMER Chelsea

MOHAMMED KUDUS West Ham United

SANDRO TONALI Newcastle United

JOSHUA ZIRKZEE Manchester United

IPSWICH TOWN LIVERPOOL LEICESTER CITY

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd (Championship)

RECORD: 28-12-6

MOST GOALS: Chaplin (13)

Ipswich return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002, and they couldn’t have done it in finer style. When head coach Kieran McKenna was appointed in December 2021, the club was struggling to even assert itself in League One, but in just two and-a-half years he’s introduced a winning mentality and masterminded successive promotions with a thrilling, attack-minded approach.

The Northern Irishman decided to stay amid interest from elsewhere and his blooming reputation will only be enhanced if he manages to keep the Tractor Boys in the top-flight. Although his side will be many people’s favourites to go down, they’ll relish the challenge and could end up causing a few surprises. Central defender Jacob Greaves and a permanent move for exciting Chelsea winger Omari Hutchinson represent their standout summer signings.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st (Championship)

RECORD: 31-4-11

MOST GOALS: Vardy (18)

They made rather hard work of it in the end amid concerns they’d broken financial rules, but Leicester are back in the Premier League at the first attempt having suffered an almost inexplicable relegation in 2022-23. After masterminding their Championship title success in his only season in charge, manager Enzo Marescawho never received universal approval from the fans - left to take over at Chelsea, with the highly respected Steve Cooper making for a popular choice as his replacement.

As a newly promoted club, the first aim will be to ensure survival but there is enough quality in this Foxes side to exceed that, with Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu offering a threat in wide areas, and new signing Caleb Okoli a key addition to their defence. Elsewhere, club legend Jamie Vardy, at the age of 37, is back for more.

KEY

Jamie Vardy

Liverpool, Top: Arne Slot takes over the reins at Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp’s departure

Manchester City, Bottom: Can Manchester City win a fifth straight Premier League title

Manchester United, Bottom: Manchester United hope Joshua Zirkzee can carry them back into the Champions League

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 3rd place

RECORD: 24-10-4

MOST GOALS: Salah (18)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Jurgen Klopp managed Liverpool from 2015-2023, and left the club one win shy of 300 total. In 491 games, he coached the Reds to 109 draws and 83 loses as well.

Life after Jurgen Klopp begins for Liverpool as Arne Slot takes his place in the Anfield dugout. The laidback Dutchman introduces a more measured, elegant playing style but will try to retain the same level of entertainment that Reds fans have been treated to for the better part of a decade, and set a course for another Premier League title challenge.

To do that, he is largely keeping faith with the squad he inherited, led by titans such as Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. At the same time it’ll be interesting to see how he utilises the talent of Trent AlexanderArnold, and attempts to get more consistent performances from the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, as a lack of ruthlessness occasionally cost Liverpool last term. A top four finish would represent a decent first season.

KEY PLAYER

Omari Hutchinson

KEY PLAYER

Mohammed Salah

PLAYER

MANCHESTER CITY MANCHESTER UNITED

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st place

RECORD: 28-7-3

MOST GOALS: Haaland (27)

This all-conquering, generation-defining Manchester City team continues to rewrite the record books, following a historic treble in 2022-23 with an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title last term. The aura that surrounds them; the mesmeric contributions of Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden, Rodri, and goal machine Erling Haaland among others, instantly makes the defending champions favourites to make it five in a row.

However, the challenge from Arsenal has never been greater and they have to be at their near faultless best in order to lift that trophy yet again. The arrival of Savinho - one of the stars of last season’s La Liga - helps compensate for the sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid, and there is focus on manager Pep Guardiola as he enters the final year of his contract. If this was to be his last dance at the Etihad Stadium, then he’ll want to go out with a bang.

KEY PLAYER

Erling Haaland

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 8th place

RECORD: 18-6-14

MOST GOALS: Fernandes (10)

After an otherwise disastrous 202324 campaign was partially salvaged by winning the FA Cup, manager Erik ten Hag was given a stay of execution by Manchester United after a behind the scenes review. The Dutchman knows he’s under severe pressure to lift the Red Devils back into the Premier League’s top four and improve performances, as last season they were too easy to play against, were defensively shambolic, and too many players underperformed.

As new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe oversees a change of strategy, promising new signings have arrived in the shape of Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee and highly-rated defender Leny Yoro, along with Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. With other young talents such as Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, and Rasmus Hojlund having already emerged at Old Trafford, the future looks bright for United, but Champions League qualification in 2024-25 may just be beyond their reach.

KEY PLAYER

Joshua Zirkzee

ARNE SLOT

ENZO MARESCA

STEVE COOPER

RUSSELL MARTIN Southampton

FABIAN HURZELER

Brighton Hove

DIDYOU KNOW?

Hürzeler was born in Houston, Texas, to a Swiss father and a German mother. His family moved back to Germany when he was two years old, and grew up in Munich.

COACH CONTEST

With multiple coaching changes and new men in the hotseat at some of English football’s most illustrious clubs, Stephen Donovan explains why it is worth keeping an eye on those occupying the Premier League’s dugouts in 2024-25.

The final day of 2023-24 marked the end of an era as Jurgen Klopp was given the big send-off, saying goodbye to Liverpool after nine magnificent years in charge. The charismatic German became so synonymous with the club that it’ll be hard at first to get used to seeing someone else prowl the Anfield touchline, but all eyes will be on his replacement Arne Slot to see how the transition plays out. With an excellent record at Feyenoord including the Eredivisie title in 2022-23, the 45-year-old arrives as one of Europe’s top emerging coaches and has become known for implementing elegant passing football. He clearly has huge boots to fill and could do with a good start just to settle things down, but his positive mindset and forward-thinking approach should quickly see Slot build a connection with the Reds supporters. An equally intriguing prospect is how Enzo Maresca will fare at Chelsea after the Blues’ shock decision to part with Mauricio Pochettino. The Italian successfully guided Leicester City back to the top-flight last term, but a move to West London represents a major step-up and he’s under pressure to restore the club to competing towards the top, while also having to convince the fans over his patient style of play.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

With former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper taking Maresca’s place at Leicester, all three promoted sides have managers who have the opportunity to enhance growing reputations. Russell Martin’s passing philosophy has received admiring glances across the country as he leads Southampton back into the Premier League, while Kieran McKenna is in high demand after achieving consecutive promotions with Ipswich Town. In 2024-25 the Premier League will see its youngest ever full-time head coach as 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler takes the reins at Brighton & Hove Albion, fresh from winning promotion to the Bundesliga with St. Pauli. In contrast, West Ham United have opted for experience after the departure of David Moyes, appointing erstwhile Spain national team boss Julen Lopetegui. Both will attempt to take their new clubs back into Europe. Elsewhere, Erik ten Hag simply must oversee an improvement after being kept on by Manchester United, and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta will finally hope to get his hands on that elusive Premier League trophy.

NEWCASTLE UNITED SOUTHAMPTON NOTTINGHAM FOREST

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 7th Place

RECORD: 18-6-14

MOST GOALS: Isak (21)

Although they couldn’t make it back-toback seasons in the Champions League, Newcastle are now firmly established as a major force in English football again and are setting their sights on reclaiming a place in the top four in 2024-25. With more teams than ever battling it out, the Magpies will need to have better luck with injuries and improve on a poor away record last term if they are to swing the tide in their favour. Due to spending restrictions, it’s been a quiet summer on Tyneside in terms of comings and goings. However, the return of tenacious midfielder Sandro Tonali from a 10-month ban will feel like a new signing, with the Italian rejoining a squad that still has further potential to unleash.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 17th

RECORD: 9-9-20

MOST GOALS: Wood (14)

It has been a turbulent two seasons for Nottingham Forest since their long-awaited return to the Premier League, but they’ve managed to survive relegation and now the aim will be to push on towards midtable. After the points deductions and VAR controversies of 2023-24, owner Evangelos Marinakis wants a stress-free campaign and has provided coach Nuno Espirito Santo with a squad that should be capable of making the desired progress.

Defender Nikola Milenkovic and wingers Jota Silva and Elliot Anderson are all impressive additions to a side that is full of counter-attacking threat but needs to improve defensively. Taiwo Awoniyi’s return from long-term injury will make for an intriguing battle with Chris Wood for the lone striker position, while Callum HudsonOdoi could be one to watch this season if he stays fit.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th (Championship)

RECORD: 26-9-11

MOST GOALS: Armstrong (24)

“THE BIGGEST HURDLE FORTHE HOTSPUR ISTO CREATEA WINNING MINDSET THROUGHOUTTHE CLUB”

Victory over Leeds United in the Championship play-off final saw Southampton gain an instant return to the Premier League at the end of an eventful season. It was an impressive achievement from coach Russell Martin, who had to navigate a tough start to his reign but claimed success with the help of his muchadmired brand of passing football.

This style of play will make the Saints attractive to watch, but they’ll be keen to avoid the same mistakes Burnley made last term and find a way to be efficient at both ends. New signing Ben Brereton-Diaz and 2023-24 top scorer Adam Armstrong have to prove they can score goals consistently in the top-flight to give them a chance of staying up, while Martin has addressed his team’s poor defensive record by signing three centre-backs in a busy transfer window.

KEY PLAYER

Sandro Tonali

KEY PLAYER

Adam Armstrong

KEY PLAYER

Chris Wood

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR WEST HAM UNITED WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 5th place

RECORD: 20-6-12

MOST GOALS: Heung-min (17)

They may have missed out on Champions League qualification in the end after a superb start, but Tottenham undoubtedly made impressive strides in Ange Postecoglu’s first season in charge. The positivity has returned to the club and the football on show under the Australian coach is some of the most scintillating the Premier League has to offer, so there’s potential for further progress in 2024-25 as they look to take that extra step into the top four.

Summer signing Archie Gray promises to be a star of the future as the squad continues to evolve nicely, with £65m spent on Dominic Solanke to provide a focal point alongside the enduringly excellent Heungmin Son. Indeed, arguably the biggest challenge for Postecoglu is to create a winning mindset throughout the club, something which he publicly questioned towards the end of last term.

KEY PLAYER

Heung-min

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 9th place

RECORD: 14-10-14

MOST GOALS: Bowen (16)

Julen Lopetegui begins his first season in the West Ham hotseat and if their summer transfer activity is anything to go by, exciting times may lie ahead. The capture of Borussia Dortmund and Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug is a real coup while Crysencio Summerville offers pace and trickery, giving the Hammers an extra outstanding attacking option to go along with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus. With Max Kilman and Aaron Wan Bissaka also arriving to strengthen the defence, this is a side that even in an ultra-competitive Premier League, should be setting its sights on the top six with fans expecting more of a front-foot approach than under previous boss David Moyes. The only serious concern is the fate of star midfielder Lucas Pacqueta, should he be found guilty of spot-fixing charges.

KEY PLAYER Jarrod Bowen

Tottenham, TOP: Dominic Solanke joined Tottenham for £65m

West Ham, Top: Niclas Fullkrug is one of several standout signings by West Ham

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 14th place

RECORD: 13-7-18

MOST GOALS: Cunha (12)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Julen Lopetegui was a goalkeeper, he played 149 La Liga matches over nine seasons, representing Real Madrid, Logroñés, Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano in the competition. He added 168 appearances in the Segunda División for three clubs

After being widely tipped to struggle amid a troubled build-up to 2023-24, Wolves exceeded expectations by finishing a respectable 14th place and head coach Gary O’Neil enhanced his reputation in the process. It would therefore be foolish to underestimate them again this time despite Max Kilman and fan favourite Pedro Neto being the latest key players to depart. Promising midfielder Rodrigo Gomes has joined from Braga and is expected to make an impact, while Jorgen Strand Larsen’s arrival on loan from Celta Vigo gives them an extra forward option to go with last season’s top scorer Hwang Hee-chan. There’s still lots of quality in this Wolves squad, but the main priority for O’Neil will be to keep them up and it’ll be another good achievement if he does.

KEY PLAYER Hwang Hee-chan

YOUR PREDICTIONS

FILL IN YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE STANDINGS, LEADING SCORER, AND MOST ASSISTS, AND SHARE IT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN US!

Mohammed Salah will look to take back the EPL goal scorer title.

BY DEREK ROSS

HERE WE GO AGAIN W

ell, are Tottenham Hotspur fans ready and buckled in for Ange Postecoglou’s ’s second season? Will his second season mark a second coming and bring glory to the lane? The electrified foretaste of anticipation abounds among the hinterlands of the mind. Last season the faithful bore witness to a collection of promising signs. The defensive high line, the clever interplay, the speed of movement, and the fact that losing Harry Kane had less effect on the team than a Neil Ruddock diet. The team couldn’t stop scoring. Indeed, half-way through last season only the goalkeeper had failed to get on the scoresheet. Everyone loved them. They loved Ange. They loved Son and even smiled benignly on Romero. Everyone raved over the footballing buckle being swashed. And the pundits loved the style. A football team conducting a celestial choreography as luminous orbs pirouette

ABOVE: Tottenham Hotspur versus Everton; Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with his manager Ange Postecoglou after he scored for 3-0 in the 71st minute

RIGHT: Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung Min is celebrated from head coach Ange Postecoglou

amidst the ebony expanse. Those grey dull days of Antonio Conte, and Jose Mourinho were but a painful, forgettable chapter of yore. Ange Postecoglou was the new man occupying the aching hearts of Tottenham fans across the globe. Fans for whom winning something, anything had become a scar of desperation of the soul. For more years than any of them care to be reminded, they had been locked in a tempest of anguish and yearning that had ensnared their very spirit in its unforgiving grasp. And yet, for the first nine games of the last campaign Spurs were the most beautiful girl in the room. Son scored for fun. Bissouma looked like that commanding midfield presence that had been stolen away from Brighton. Romero took chances but not prisoners, Maddison surely the buy of the season, and then Mickey Van Der Vin, a greyhound in football boots, but who could play a bit and usually stopped anything that crossed his or anybody else’s path.

DIDYOU KNOW?

Postecoglou grew up in Melbourne, initially making his name at South Melbourne FC and winning national championships including as captain and coach.

“‘ANGEBALL’ISAWOVENTAPESTRY OFCOLLECTIVEARTISTRYTHAT ENRAPTURESTHESENSESANDSTIRSTHE SOULWITHITSVISCERALSPLENDOUR.”

Contenders for the Premier League. Surely a cup and a Champions League shoe-in. Even Roy Keane was convinced, and Gary Neville regularly conducted a public love-in with the club on almost every occasion he was cocommentator on any of their fixtures. The fans lapped up the carnival of front foot-football, the tantalizing glimpses above the knee of the raised skirt of what might have been if only the club hadn’t ben suddenly struck by so many injuries to crucial players at crucial times, and if only Romero could have remained a consummate defender instead of an unexploded bomb! Things fell apart. They always do. Goals and points dried up quicker than a free bar at a wedding.

ANOTHER EMPTY SEASON

Alas, as is so often the case in this particular corner of North London, the season ended in yet more fractured remnants of aspirations, scattered like stardust across

the desolate expanse of disillusionment. Spurs have, arguably, the finest football stadium in world football, the finest training facilities in the Premier League. They used to employ Harry Kane who can barely take a leak without scoring a goal. They had Son. Not too long ago they had Luka Modric, the finest midfield player of his generation. They had Cristian Erikson. They had Michael Carrick. They once had Kyle Walker who now hasn’t enough space in his home for all his accumulated silverware. They had Jose Mourinho. They had Antonio Conte. Serial winners who couldn’t administer enough medicine to cure the Tottenham virus of non-achievement.

ANGEBALL TO THE RESCUE!

And then suddenly the fans had ‘Angeball.’ And boy wasn’t ‘Angeball’ great to watch. And let’s be honest. Isn’t football played at its best supposed to be beautiful? A woven tapestry of collective artistry that

enraptures the senses and stirs the soul with its visceral splendour. Audere est Facere is the club’s Latin motto. ‘To Dare is to Do.’ Alas, while there was plenty of daring, there wasn’t very much doing unless of course you include Cristian Romero who would ‘do’ anyone who came within six feet of him! And let it not be forgotten that the beautiful Tottenham Hotspur stadium screams it from the stadium banner, ‘The Game is About Glory.’ Yes, indeed it is. But for Spurs, glory is a but a starless sky and a continuing haunting melody of unfulfilled promise, a void that longs to be filled. Glory currently resides at Manchester City who have been drowning in it season after season. Liverpool still feels its warm embrace. Chelsea and Manchester United have taken long sips from Glory’s cup and Arsenal almost reacquainted themselves with its delicious flavour. For Tottenham Hotspur however, glory remains the missing child who not only refuses to come home but adamantly refuses to divulge his whereabouts. Through the empty years, team after team, and manager after manager has sought the child out. Millions upon millions have been shelled out on the search. Missing persons were called. The police have been forever on the lookout. Managerial bounty hunters were brought in to track him down. Nothing worked. Even a brand-new stadium was built to welcome him home and now Ange stands with arms outstretched, a father hopeful to finally reunite with the missing child.

WILL GLORY COME HOME?

Tottenham will play second tier European football this season and Postecoglou, like every predecessor, has been given more millions by Daniel Levy to recruit better players in order to finally find glory. Among the new signings the standout name is striker Dominic Solanke who has been stolen away from Bournemouth to start his new goalscoring career. Alas the club’s very first game of the season away to Leicester City reminded everyone that despite a slew of new signings Spurs haven’t forgotten how to snatch one point away from a certain three. And so, the crucible of suffering where the souls of everyone connected to this great club are forged in the haunting melody of failure upon failure, they still long for the object of their devotion to rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes of anguish. If you happen to see Glory, can you please ask him to phone Ange!

ABOVE: Ange Postecoglou giving encouragement to his team

RIGHT: Dominic Solanke of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League football match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur

THE BIGGER PICTURE

BY DEREK ROSS

It was only three weeks ago when my wife demanded to know when I was finally going to get around to decorating the spare room, that I ambled into the nearest DIY store and enquired if they had any FA Cup wallpaper. The eyebrows of the young shop assistant drew together like a drawbridge as she searched the aisles of her mind for the product. Of course there’s no such item. This is because Erik Ten Hag bought up every available role after his team’s unlikely win in the FA Cup final against a Manchester City team who obviously hadn’t finished their league winning cocktails. Anyway, not only does this product paper over every crack in the football club. It’s also guaranteed to blind the owners, and every member of the club’s board to their manager’s shortcomings. The new season is barely older than an embryo and already Eric has turned on the tap of excuses. Even before the season

ABOVE: Manchester United Manager Erik ten Hag reacts angry during the Manchester United FC v Fulham FC English Premier League match at Old Trafford

LEFT: Ten Hag may not have been the best choice to run Manchester United

opener at home to the mighty Fulham he appeared at the customary pre-match conference lost in the labyrinth of perplexity, ensnared within the enigmatic tendrils of bewilderment to line up his opening excuse of the season that ‘The team is not ready …’ unfortunately, United will never be ready under this man. Last season it was injuries. This season it’s erm … injuries before the first game. Such an emerging pattern where the United medical room resembles a Ukrainian field hospital should be giving the fans and the owners some very serious concerns. Often, Erik likes to trot out one of favourite excuses when he talks about the bigger picture. Maybe because he likes to imagine himself navigating the labyrinthine corridors of football’s greatest realm, where the thunderous cadence of both the club’s tragic and glorious winning history echoes through the corridors of time, as he still visibly struggles to impose his own legacy upon the annals of this footballing giant.

DIDYOU KNOW?

Hennie, Erik’s father, made his money as a real estate tycoon, founding the company ‘Ten Hag Assurantie

Adviseurs B.V.’ in 1967 and in the process became one of the richest businessmen in the country.

“OFTEN,ERIKLIKESTO TROTOUTONEOFFAVOURITE EXCUSESWHENHETALKS ABOUTTHEBIGGERPICTURE.”

In fact, I would venture to posit that ‘the bigger picture,’ remains his favourite footballing excuse. Sadly, the bigger picture, like a lot of his previous bigger pictures, has long resembled a fake.

Many observers of his continued and unconvincing attempts to drag one of football’s largest ships away from the rocks, are constantly reminded that the man who was appointed to salvage this monolith couldn’t navigate his way out of a parking space. United did eventually get the better of Fulham but it took over eighty minutes of uninspiring football and much of the same old, same old from only a few months ago. The FA Cup win notwithstanding, I simply cannot find any words to explain how this man continues to dodge the fecking sack!

THE DAMNING EVIDENCE

Ten Hag has repeatedly managed to escape being surplus to requirements for his uncanny knack of overseeing a few

mini resurgences. Last season each new resurgence was soon met with the usual pallid performances. None of them ever suggested that somehow United were back, or indeed anywhere near approaching the required levels to be considered a top side again. For long periods during the Fulham game, one still couldn’t identify any distinct patterns or combinations. His team still concede too many chances. They still fail to control games, and the space between the back four and the midfield is large enough for a Manchester housing estate. When it comes to that footballing imperative, possession, they rarely maintain possession better than the opposition. There are no legs at the back. Maguire can’t run, and Rashford still won’t run! I could go on. But what continues to fuel Ten Hag’s escapology is that he is fortunate enough to have players who can win him matches. These players do little more than play for fleeting moments during a

game, but those fleeting moments are too readily being exhibited as the evidence for what Ten Haag sees as improvement. Last season these all too often shapeless improvisations represented a strategy and playing style. Will anything change? The team is developing, moving forward. It’s all part of the bigger … you know? Last season his team won away from home against a top nine side only once in twenty attempts. Poor performances were met with what had long become the manager’s stock-in-trade excuses. ‘The team showed big character to fight back. We are missing players, we showed big personality and character. We are working hard.’ He believed all this stuff.

TEN HAG ISN’T PEP.

A guiding principles of Pep Guardiola’s football can be witnessed by his team’s slow and deliberate build-up play, designed to ensure every player keeps in a compressed block. Their opening fixture of the season away to Chelsea whom they comfortably swatted away like a pesky wasp at a picnic, put in plain view Pep’s team’s ability to move up and down the pitch as one, slowly building attacks yet also ensuring they are correctly positioned to defend anytime they lose possession. Ten Hag’s fast and furious approach stands in stark contrast to this way of playing. His insistence that his front players remain high and make constant runs on the shoulder of the last defender, and instructing his midfield, particularly his captain, Bruno Fernandes to play long racking passes towards them, means that the team’s shape inevitably becomes stretched. The result of such game management results in the distance between United’s defensive and attacking line becoming too large. This in turn exposes the full backs. And due to this stretched shape, the team’s midfield is asked to cover more and more space between the lines, but the current United midfield still lacks the legs to do this for ninety minutes. Basically, it comes down to Ten Hag’s defensive structure exhibiting too many defects that can be boiled down to what is a basic flaw. This is his team’s lack of central compactness. No matter if they defend in a low block, mid-block or even when the team presses high up the pitch, it is all too easy to isolate or overrun the team’s pivot. As most opposition managers worked out last term, this makes Ten Hag’s team too easy to play through. Most serious observers can see it. Why doesn’t he?

THE NOISY NEIGHBOURS STILL RULE

ABOVE: Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee (11) scores a GOAL 1-0 and celebrates Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay (39) during the Manchester United FC v Fulham FC

Unfortunately for United fans and their manager, the club remain further away than ever from bridging the gap to their noisy sky-blue neighbours City at the very top of English football.

Since the departure of Alex Ferguson United have launched more projects than NASA! They might have beaten Fulham, but Ten Hag’s tenure still feels like just the end of another beginning. Recently Sir Jim Ratcliffe rocked up, shirtsleeves rolled and a no-nonsense demeanour. Sir Jim had descended from the top of the mount, tablets in hand, hopefully not Prozac, bearing the new commandments of the club. Unfortunately, I rather think the first one to be read aloud to Erik before Christmas will probably be ‘Thou Shalt No Longer Manage!

“INTER ARE CLEAR FAVOURITES TO DEFEND THEIR TITLE”

SERIE A

SEASON PREVIEW

INTER STORMED TO THE SERIE A TITLE LAST SEASON AS THEIR GOALSCORING POWER PROVED TOO MUCH FOR THEIR RIVALS, BUT THE RACE LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE MUCH CLOSER IN 2024-25. STEPHEN KASIEWICZ GIVES THE LOWDOWN ON EACH TEAM’S PROSPECTS.

ATALANTA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th place

RECORD: 21-6-11

MOST GOALS: Scamacca (12)

Inter Milan

Atalanta

AC Milan

Juventus

Roma

Lazio

Bologna

Napoli

Fiorentina

Torino

Genoa

Hellas Verona

Lecce

Udinese

Empoli

Como

Cagliari

Parma

Monza

Venezia

FINAL TABLE GOAL SCORING PREDICTIONS PREDICTIONS

Martinez

Osimhen

Vlahovic

Çalhanoğlu

Dybala

Thuram

Guðmundsson

Zapata

The Europa League winners have kept most of the squad which achieved a historic victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin last term. Tactical mastermind Gian Piero Gasperini also led La Dea to fourth place and the Champions League in a phenomenally successful season, which will be a tough act to follow, but the 66-year-old coach is used to performing heroics.

The Bergamo based outsiders take on the big boys again with the additions of mercurial Italy international Nicolo Zaniolo, English centre-back Ben Godfrey, and Genoa striker Mateo Retegui.

Europa League hat-trick hero Ademola Lookman remains, while Retegui was signed after 2023-24 top scorer Gianluca Scamacca sustained a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.

KEY PLAYER

Ademola Lookman

BOLOGNACOMO CAGLIARI

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 5th place

RECORD: 18-14-6

MOST GOALS: Zirkzee (11)

The Rossoblu shocked Serie A by placing fifth in the 2023-24 campaign and securing a place in the Champions League with a squad full of breakout stars. Yet after clinching a spot in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 60 years they lost coach Thiago Motta to Juventus, Italy’s newest defensive linchpin Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal, and top marksman Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United. How the Emilia-Romagna club balances the demands of Serie A and Europe will determine if they can challenge for the top six again under new manager Vincenzo Italiano. Injured captain Lewis Ferguson is sidelined until the end of 2024 while they’ll hope Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga can make an impact following his move from Toulouse, along with fellow new recruits Emil Holm (Atalanta) and Nicolo Cambiaghi.

KEY PLAYER

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 16th place

RECORD: 8-12-18

MOST GOALS: Viola (5)

Veteran coach Claudio Ranieri bowed out from club football on a high after keeping the Sardinian club in Serie A last season. Now survival specialist Davide Nicola has the challenging objective of making sure the island side stay in Serie A for a third year in succession.

Long serving Uruguayan Nahitan Nandez departed for Saudi Pro League side AlQadsiah, yet fresh additions Sebastiano Luperto and former Atalanta duo Roberto Piccoli and Nadir Zortea add depth and elite level experience. Angolan international winger Zito Luvumbo was a potent creative presence in the 2023-24 campaign and will be expected to make further progress this term.

KEY PLAYER

Zito Luvumbo

Bologna, TOP: Vincenzo Italiano leads Bologna in 2024-25 after replacing Thiago Motta

Como, Top: Former Spain star Cesc Fabregas is a high-profile appointment as Como boss

DIDYOU KNOW?

Fabergas, the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Monaco midfielder joined Como as a player in 2022, also becoming a shareholder in the club alongside Thierry Henry. By then, Como had already reached Serie B and having retired a year later, Fabregas would be appointed as Coach in November 2023.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd (Serie B)

RECORD: 21-10-7

MOST GOALS: Cutrone (14)

Back in Serie A for the first time in 21 years the Lariani’s billionaire Indonesian owners spent heavily to ensure they stay in the Italian top-flight, catching the eye with a number of high-profile signings to go with the appointment of former Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas as head coach.

In a stunning summer move, World Cup winning French centre-back Raphael Varane was recruited from Manchester United, one of several squad additions funded by The Djarum group, who took control of the Lombardy club in 2019 after two bankruptcies in the last 20 years. Italy striker Andrea Belotti arrived from Roma, as well as defender Albert Dossena, Spanish veterans Pepe Reina and Alberto Moreno from Villarreal and experienced Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero. It’ll be interesting to see how this new-look team fares in Serie A.

KEY PLAYER

Andrea Belotti

Thijs Dallinga

EMPOILIGENOA FIORENTINA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 17th place

RECORD: 9-9-20

MOST GOALS: Niang (6)

Only M’Baye Niang’s last-gasp goal on the final day of last season prevented the Tuscan underdogs from relegation. Senegalese forward Niang, who netted six goals in 14 matches, subsequently retired from football and coach Davide Nicola also left before joining Cagliari. Club president Fabrizio Corsi made the risky move of appointing Roberto D’Aversa as coach to ensure a fourth consecutive stay in Serie A. D’Aversa was fired by Lecce after headbutting Hellas Verona’s Thomas Henry but now has the chance to restore his reputation. Loan signings Sebastiano Esposito from Inter and Milan’s Lorenzo Colombo will bolster the Tuscan club’s attacking options ahead of what is likely to be another battle against the drop.

KEY PLAYER

Sebastiano Esposito

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 8th place

RECORD: 17-9-12

MOST GOALS: Gonzalez (12)

It’s a tough ask for new coach Raffaele Palladino to lead the Viola into the top six this year. They have not finished higher than seventh since the 2015-16 campaign and could not find a dependable goal scorer last season. Whether new signing Moise Kean is the man to fire them up the table remains to be seen as the former Juventus man has struggled to live up to his early promise.

Palladino was reunited with playmaker Andrea Colpani in Tuscany and Croatian international centre-back Marin Pongracic arrived from Lecce, with David de Gea is a high-profile arrival in goal after a season away from competitive action. Meanwhile, experienced duo Giacomo Bonaventura and Nikola Milenkovic both departed Florence in the summer for Al-Shabab and Nottingham Forest respectively.

KEY PLAYER

Moise Kean

Fiorentina, Top: Fiorentina hope Moise Kean can lead them towards the top six of Serie A

Inter, Bottom: Inter are favourites to retain the Scudetto

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 11th place

RECORD: 12-13-13

MOST GOALS: Guðmundsson (14)

“INTER

ARE CLEAR FAVOURITESTO DEFEND THEIR TITLE”

Alberto Gilardino exceeded expectations last term as he steered the oldest club in Italy to a very respectable 11th place on their return to the big time and after that achievement, Il Grifone will not lack support as they set a season ticket record for the second straight season. Just more than 28,000 fans bought briefs for the new term as the Ligurian club target a third successive season in Serie A. Gilardino will prioritize safety first with fresh additions Alessandro Zanoli and Aaron Martin providing options on the flanks, while Italy striker Mateo Retegui departed for Atalanta in the summer and Spanish goalkeeper Josep Martinez also left to join champions Inter.

KEY PLAYER

Alessandro Zanoli

HELLAS VERONA INTERNAZIONALE

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 13th place

RECORD: 9-11-18

MOST GOALS: Ngonge (6)

A complete squad overhaul in January almost cost the Gialloblu their place in the top-flight. They survived by the skin of their teeth in a dramatic end to last term, yet another summer window full of incomings and outgoings will pose a huge test for new coach Paolo Zanetti. It promises to be another exacting campaign for a club that likes to gamble on emerging talents. A host of relative unknowns arrived ahead of the 2024-25 edition of Serie A, including forwards Dailon Livramento from Dutch club MVV Maastricht and Colombian midfielder Daniel Mosquera. That makes Hellas Verona a difficult side to predict for the months ahead, but they could cause a few surprises if the new signings hit the ground running.

KEY PLAYER

Daniel Mosquera

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st place

RECORD: 29-7-2

MOST GOALS: Martinez (24)

The Nerazzurri are clear favourites to defend their title after coasting to the Scudetto in a milestone year. Simone Inzaghi earned himself a new contract after the Milan giants claimed a historic 20th Serie A championship by finishing 19 points clear at the top last season, in which they left the rest of Italian top-flight trailing in their wake with an unrivalled attack and the strongest defensive record. It is unlikely to be quite as straightforward this time around, with improvements expected from Juventus and 2023 title winners Napoli among others. Yet despite a change of ownership the champions retained all their star players - including Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez and defensive leader Alessandro Bastoni - and added experienced free agents Piotr Zielinski and Mehdi Taremi to boost an already multi-talented squad.

KEY PLAYER

Lautaro Martinez

THE ONES TO WATCH

DIDYOU KNOW?

Since 2016,

Martinez has been in a relationship with Agustina Gandolfo. On May 27, 2023, they were married in Villa d’Este (Cernobbio) on Lake Como, Italy.

Stephen Kasiewicz selects five players who are tipped to impress in Serie A during 2024-25.

ALESSANDRO BUONGIORNO - NAPOLI

The Partenopei splashed out $38m for the much sought after centre-back as part of a major defensive rebuild under new coach Antonio Conte. Known for his speed, timing in the tackle and aerial ability, the 25-year-old has the task of shoring up a porous Napoli backline which shipped 48 goals as they struggled last term.

RAFAEL LEAO - AC MILAN

The fluctuating form of the dazzling Portuguese winger was a cause of disagreement among Rossoneri fans last season, as the 2021-22 Serie A Most Valuable Player was irresistible in some games and invisible in others. New coach Paulo Fonseca must bring out the absolute best in the 25-year-old for Milan to become legitimate title contenders.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

DOUGLAS LUIZ - JUVENTUS

Much is expected of the expensive marquee signing at Italy’s most popular club, as the Old Lady shelled out $54m to secure the Brazilian midfielder from Aston Villa, where he shone as both a midfield enforcer and a deep-lying playmaker. How he adapts to life in Italy will be crucial as a resurgent Juve plots a title challenge under new coach Thiago Motta.

LAUTARO MARTINEZ - INTER

The reigning capocannoniere - Serie A Golden Boot winner - had the season of his life as the Nerazzurri coasted to a 20th Serie A title last year as his 24 goals propelled the Milan giants beyond the chasing pack into a league of their own. Inter will be hard to stop if the deadly Argentinian striker maintains his goalscoring exploits this season.

MATIAS SOULE - ROMA

Compatriot Paulo Dybala helped convince the skilful left-footed winger to join the Giallorossi after a breakout season at Frosinone. The Argentinian pair will link up with La Liga top scorer Artem Dovbyk at Stadio Olimpico in a formidable attacking triumvirate this season, and the 21-year-old appears ready to step up after scoring 11 goals and providing three assists last season.

ALESSANDRO BUONGIORNO

DOUGLAS LUIZ

RAFAEL LEAO

LAUTARO MARTINEZ Inter Milan

MATIAS SOULE Roma

Lautauro

JUVENTUSLECCE LAZIO

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 3rd Place

RECORD: 19-14-5

MOST GOALS: Vlahovic (16)

The Bianconeri underwent a major revamp at the behest of new coach Thiago Motta, who replaces Maximiliano Allegri. Brazilian international midfielder Douglas Luiz joined in a blockbuster $54 million deal from Aston Villa along with French international Khephren Thuram, goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and defender Juan Cabal. Long-serving midfielder Adrien Rabiot left while ex-Next Gen players Matias Soule, Samuel Iling-Junior and Dean Huijsen were all sold. Defensive mainstay Bremer, exciting Turkish wide man Kenan Yildiz and leading scorer Dusan Vlahovic will all be expected to step up if Juve are to mount a credible title challenge. That is the least that the club and its supporters demand, having gone four years without claiming the Scudetto.

KEY PLAYER

Douglas Luiz

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 7th Place

RECORD: 18-7-13

MOST GOALS: Immobile (7)

Former Hellas Verona coach Marco Baroni was an unexpected choice to fill the Biancocelesti hotseat after the abrupt departure of Igor Tudor, who oversaw the final weeks of last season after Maurizio Sarri resigned. A season of transition awaits the capital club following the departure of iconic all-time leading goalscorer Ciro Immobile to Besiktas, and influential Spanish playmaker Luis Alberto’s move to Qatari club Al-Duhail.

Matching last season’s seventh place could be a tall order for a squad which underperformed under both Sarri and Tudor. New forwards Tijjani Noslin and Loum Tchaouna will compete for starting places with Taty Castellanos up front, while left-back Nuno Tavares arrived on loan from Arsenal.

KEY PLAYER

Taty Castellanos

Juventus, Bottom: Douglas Luiz is Juventus’ standout signing under new coach Thiago Motta

AC Milan, Top: Paulo Fonseca was a surprise choice as AC Milan’s new head coach

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 14th place

RECORD: 8-14-16

MOST GOALS: Krstovic (7)

DIDYOU KNOW?

AC Milan signed Raphael Leao in 2019 for a reported fee of €35 million. In his third season with the club, he helped them win the 2021–22 Serie A, which ended the club’s lack of league titles for 11-years.

Luca Gotti’s remit is to lead the Puglia club to safety after he steadied the ship following Roberto D’Aversa’s dismissal last season. The Salentini finished 14th following Gotti’s appointment in March and enter their third straight top-flight campaign among the likely relegation candidates. Director Pantaleo Corvino has a habit of finding previously unheralded talentsteenage Danish wing-back Patrick Dorgu shone last term - and new additions Filip Marchwinski and Tete Morente - recruited from Lech Poznan and Elche respectively - will be among those aiming to make a name for themselves this year. The big summer departure was Croatian defender Marin Pongracic who joined Fiorentina.

KEY PLAYER

Patrick Dorgu

AC MILAN MONZA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd place

RECORD: 22-9-7

MOST GOALS: Giroud (15)

Italian football is nothing if not unpredictable yet only an enlightened few would have foreseen Paulo Fonseca as the new Rossoneri coach. The seven-time European champions placed a distant second behind city rivals Inter in the 2023-24 campaign and the former Roma tactician will be under immense pressure to bridge the gap as the other San Siro club strives to be in title contention.

Veterans Olivier Giroud and Simon Kjaer left with Alvaro Morata and Strahinja Pavlovic arriving in their place, while full-back Emerson Royal also joined from Tottenham. Talented but inconsistent winger Rafael Leao and US international midfielder Christian Pulisic will be pivotal players for the perennial championship challengers, and a change of energy is needed after just one win in the past seven games of last term.

KEY PLAYER

Rafael Leao

LAST SEASON FINISH: 12th place

RECORD: 11-12-15

MOST GOALS: Colpani (8)

Legendary Italy defender and first time Serie A coach Alessandro Nesta has his work cut out to replicate last season’s 12th placed finish. The Biancorossi lost the best goalkeeper of the 2023-24 campaign when Michele Di Gregorio moved to Juventus and breakout goalscoring midfielder Andrea Colpani switched to Fiorentina.

Another mid-table finish would be acceptable for the Lombardy club who added 20-year-old Manchester United forward Omari Forson and attacker Daniel Maldini, 22, in a low-key transfer window. Club captain Matteo Pessina, veteran stopper Armando Izzo and Portuguese forward Dany Mota will all be key players for a club competing in Serie A for just the third time in their history.

COACH CONTEST

KEY PLAYER

Matteo Pessina

DIDYOU KNOW?

Conte is the proud holder of an impressive record. He guided Juventus to a whole league season unbeaten in his first year in charge, as they won the 2011/12 title.

The coaching landscape is in constant flux in Serie A and with some highprofile appointments for 2024-25, Stephen Kasiewicz keeps track of everything following a summer of mass changes.

Only six Serie A clubs retained their coaches as club presidents across Italy decided change was the only way forward. The coaching merry-go-round almost whirled out of control as a familiar gallery of old faces and surprise appointments started new positions across the league. Milan made the most unanticipated move when they announced ex-Roma tactician Paulo Fonseca as their new coach. Napoli chose a serial winner in former Juventus and Inter coach Antonio Conte to lead them back to the top four after a disastrous 10th place finish last term. Meanwhile, it was an open secret that Thiago Motta would take the reins at Juve after he led Bologna to fifth place in a memorable campaign and Maximiliano Allegri’s second stint with the Old Lady ended with his dramatic dismissal in May. Motta’s replacement at Bologna was Vincenzo Italiano, who left after steering Fiorentina to back-to-back UEFA Conference League finals, and the musical chairs continued with Raffaele Palladino leaving Monza to take his place in Florence. Elsewhere, Lazio left their supporters underwhelmed by selecting Marco Baroni after Igor Tudor unexpectedly departed following the end of last season; World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta moved up from the second tier to take the Monza hotseat, while Udinese made the left-field selection of German tactician Kosta Runjaic. Paolo Vanoli (Torino), Eusebio Di Francesco (Venezia), Davide Nicola (Cagliari), and Paolo Zanetti (Hellas Verona) all entered new jobs with a wealth of previous top flight experience. Empoli handed Roberto D’Aversa a second chance after he left Lecce in disgrace last season. D’Aversa was sacked after headbutting Hellas Verona striker Thomas Henry following a defeat but has a chance to redeem himself in Tuscany.  One of the most eye-catching appointments sees former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas take the reins at newly promoted Como after spells as interim and assistant coach. The Spaniard has an impressive footballing brain, and will look to build his coaching reputation with the Lombardy side. Reigning champions Inter were in the minority as they stuck with Simone Inzaghi after he guided the Nerazzurri to a historic 20th Scudetto. Anything is possible in the ever-volatile world of calcio, but the 48-year-old was handed a new deal after the Milan giants sauntered to the title.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

PAULO FONSECA AC Milan

THIAGO MOTTA Juventus

ANTONIO CONTE Napoli

VINCENZO ITALIANO Bologna

MARCO BARONI Lazio

NAPOLIROMA PARMA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 10th Place

RECORD: 13-14-11

MOST GOALS: Osimhen (15)

The Partenopei slumped to 10th in one of the worst ever Serie A title defences in recent history, which began badly and became even more of a car crash as the months slid by. President Aurelio De Laurentiis hired four-time title winner Antonio Conte - after going through three coaches during that disastrous 2023-24 season - to bring stability and ambition back to the Campania based club. Italy central defender Alessandro Buongiorno arrives from Torino to shore up a leaky backline, along with Real Madrid’s Rafa Marin and dynamic left-back Leonardo Spinazzola. Club captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo contemplated leaving before pledging his future to the three-time Scudetto winners, while star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will also be a part of the Conte revolution after a summer full of transfer rumours.

KEY PLAYER

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st (Serie B)

RECORD: 21-13-4

MOST GOALS: Man (11)

The Serie B champions lost just four games as they secured a return to the top-flight under coach Fabio Pecchia. Yet the Crociati will find it considerably more demanding as they compete at the highest level of Italian football after three campaigns in the second tier.

The Emilia-Romagna based club has progressed steadily since American businessman Kyle Krause took control in 2020. They kept the talented forward trio of Romanian leading scorer Dennis Man and his compatriot Valentin Mihaila, and Polish winger Adrian Benedyczak.

Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki joined from Belgian club Sint-Truiden and leftback Emanuele Valeri also arrived from Cremonese and Pecchia aims to prevent his side’s stay in Serie A from being just a fleeting one.

KEY PLAYER

Dennis Man

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 6th place

RECORD: 18-9-11

MOST GOALS: Dybala (13)

“NAPOLI HIRED ANTONIO CONTE TOBRING BACK STABILITY AFTER THEIR AWFUL TITLE DEFENCE”

The Friedkin Group spared no expense in backing coach Daniele De Rossi as the capital club target a Champions League place in the 2024-25 edition of Serie A.

The Giallorossi owners splashed out more than $100m on new recruits after missing out on Europe’s top competition for the last five seasons, where underperformance in Serie A has often been offset by good results in the UEFA Europa League and Conference League.

Expectations are high after La Liga leading scorer Artem Dovbyk arrived in a big money deal from Girona. Argentinian winger Matias Soule turned down English Premier League interest to sign from Juventus. French midfielder Enzo Le Fee and pacy leftback Angelino from RB Leipzig were among the other new captures, as they look to build on a promising end to last term.

KEY PLAYER

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Artem Dovbyk

TORINOUDINESEVENEZIA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 9th place

RECORD: 13-14-11

MOST GOALS: Zapata (12)

Croatian tactician Ivan Juric departed after failing to elevate the Granata above mid-table in three eventful years in Turin. Replacement Paolo Vanoli, who led Venezia to promotion last term, has the taxing mission of steering Toro above ninth place in the table for the first time in 10 seasons. The loss of Italy centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno to Napoli did not make Vanoli’s task any easier, while defensive stalwart Ricardo Rodriguez also departed for Real Betis after four campaigns with the Piedmont based club. The seven-time champions of Italy purchased defender Saul Coco from Las Palmas and Scottish international striker Che Adams ahead of the new term, where mid-table again looks the most likely outcome.

KEY PLAYER

Che Adams

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 15th place

RECORD: 6-19-13

MOST GOALS: Lucca (8)

Le Zebrette will compete in their 30th consecutive Serie A campaign after a final day victory at Frosinone kept them in Italy’s top division last season in a narrow - and some may say fortunate - escape. World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro was only in charge for six games before being replaced this summer by the surprise choice of German coach Kosta Runjaic.

The former Legia Warsaw boss inherits a team that claimed a paltry six wins in 2023-24 and only stayed up by virtue of being draw specialists. The return of Alexis Sanchez will boost hopes, but survival is the realistic objective again for the Udine club, who also brought in Swedish international midfielder Jesper Karlstrom and Spanish under-19 forward Iker Bravo. Brazilian mainstay Walace and veteran Argentinian Roberto Pereyra have left after long spells in Italy.

KEY PLAYER

Jesper Karlstrom

Napoli, Top: Napoli hope new boss Antonio Conte can banish the memory of a season to forget

Roma, Bottom: Roma have high hopes after adding Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk to their forward line

Torino, Top: Can Paulo Vanoli lead Torino back into the top eight of Serie A?

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 3rd (Serie B)

RECORD: 21-13-14

MOST GOALS: Pohjanpalo (18)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Inter coach

Simone Inzaghi is one of only six coaches in Serie A not to have moved on in the summer

Experienced tactician Eusebio Di Francesco faces another relegation dogfight in his journeyman coaching career with the newly promoted Arancioneroverdi, after taking over from Paolo Vanoli. Former Italy leftback Vanoli guided the Veneto club through the Serie B play-offs before departing for Torino, while Di Francesco left Frosinone after they were relegated on the last day of the 2023-24 Serie A season.

The form of talismanic Finnish striker Joel Pohjanpalo - who claimed 22 goals in the second tier - will be crucial if the top-flight newcomers are to avoid the drop. Inter attacking midfielder Gaetano Oristanio and seasoned Serie A campaigner Alfred Duncan from Fiorentina were notable summer recruits.

KEY PLAYER

Joel Pohjanpalo

YOUR PREDICTIONS

FILL IN YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S SERIE A STANDINGS, LEADING SCORER, AND MOST ASSISTS, AND SHARE IT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN US!

Dybala will look to get his goal scoring stride back this year for Roma

“IT WOULD BE QUITE THE SURPRISE IF REAL MADRID DON’T MANAGE TO RETAIN THE TITLE THAT THEY WON SO POWERFULLY IN 2023-24”

LA LIGA

SEASON PREVIEW

ALAVES

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 10th place

RECORD: 12-10-16

MOST GOALS: Omorodion (8)

FINAL TABLE

Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid

Barcelona

Girona

Real Sociedad

Athletic Bilbao

Villareal

Real Betis

Valencia

Alaves

Getafe Osasuna

Sevilla

Celta Vigo

Mallorca

Rayo Vallecano

Osasuna

Valladolid

Las Palmas

Leganes

Espanyol

SCORING PREDICTIONS PREDICTIONS

Mbappe

Alvarez

Griezmann

Lewandowski

Sorloth

Vini Jr.

Budimir

Alaves’ end of season form sealed a top 10 spot at finale of 2023-24 and will look to carry that momentum into the new season, with coach Luis Garcia a solid operator for the Basque side. The brilliantly named Stoichkov is one of a number of summer arrivals, with particularly high hopes for right-back Hugo Novoa from RB Leipzig and former Mallorca forward Luka Romero, who arrived on loan from Milan. They will be confident of avoiding any real relegation danger, and perhaps even making further progress towards the top eight, with this being the club’s best period for nearly a quarter of a century.

KEY PLAYER

Luka Romero

ATHLETIC BILBAO BARCELONA ATLETICO

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 5th place

RECORD: 19-11-8

MOST GOALS: Guruzeta (14)

Athletic Club’s main summer objective was to hold off Barcelona’s relentless pursuit of Nico Williams, a mission which they accomplished as his value skyrocketed following his electric performances for Spain throughout Euro 2024. On the pitch, he will be their chief difference maker in what looks set to be a marathon season, with a UEFA Europa League campaign expected to test Ernesto Valverde’s squad. However, these are good times for the Basque club after famously lifting the Copa Del Rey and securing fifth place last term, so they’ll be hopeful of another strong showing on all fronts. The €15m capture of Braga winger Alvaro Djalo is their headline summer signing.

KEY PLAYER

Nico Williams

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th place

RECORD: 24-4-10

MOST GOALS: Griezmann (16)

It has been a dramatic summer of transfer activity in Madrid this summer, including at the Wanda Metropolitana where Diego Simeone has splashed the cash on Julian Alvarez. The long-serving coach will hope that his fellow Argentine will inspire the team to close the gap on Real Madrid and Barcelona, and even potentially compete for the title as well as in Europe.

Euro 2024 winner Robin Le Normand arrives from Real Sociedad to strengthen the defence, while Alvarez is joined in attack by prolific Villarreal striker Alexander Sorloth, meaning that this is the most powerful Atletico have looked in years. The eternal top four spot will be no issue for Los Rojiblancos but they need something special from their new man to push the top two.

KEY PLAYER

Julian Alvarez

Athletic Bilbao, Top: Athletic Bilbao have managed to stave off interest in Nico Williams this summer

Atletico Madrid

Top: Julian Alvarez will hope to fire Atletico Madrid into contention this season

Barcelona, Top: Hansi Flick has replaced club legend Xavi Hernandez as Barcelona coach

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd place

RECORD: 26-7-5

MOST GOALS: Lewandowski (19)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Going 156.9 kilometres by road from his birthplace, Nico Williams began his football career at CD Pamplona at age 8 in 2010. After two years at CD Pamplona, he moved to Osasuna’s Youth Academy

New boss Hansi Flick will be quietly confident in the battle to haul back Real Madrid after La Blaugrana’s title charge faded late on last season, resulting in the extraordinary sacking of club legend Xavi Hernandez after he had reversed his decision to step down. Flick has something to prove after his disastrous stint as Germany coach, but is still revered for his achievements at Bayern Munich.

With Real Madrid looking even stronger this time around, it would take a magnificent effort from all involved if Barca are to regain La Liga. Dani Olmo adds another gear to the squad and constant attention will focus on Lamine Yamal, but the real decisive point will be their performances in El Clasico.

KEY PLAYER

Lamine Yamal

CELTA VIGO GETAFE ESPANYOL

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 13th place

RECORD: 10-11-17

MOST GOALS: Larsen (13)

Claudio Giraldez was rewarded with the permanent job after guiding Celta Vigo into mid-table last season after months of struggling to win games under highprofile manager Rafael Benitez. The arrival of Unai Nunez from Athletic Bilbao is a strong signing to boost the defence and potentially stop sloppy points being given up in Galicia, with fine margins often costing the team in 2023-24. Loanees Ilaix Moriba and Borja Iglesias could also prove crucial, but even at the age of 37 club legend Iago Aspas remains the star turn and shows no sign of slowing down, having moved past the 200-goal mark for club.

KEY PLAYER

Iago Aspas

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th (Segunda)

RECORD: 17-8-7

MOST GOALS: Braithwaite (22)

Securing an immediate return to La Liga after relegation in 2023 proved tricky for Espanyol, but they ultimately came prevailed from the not insignificant demands of the Segunda Division via the play-off labyrinth. Espanyol will face a relegation battle from the off, with the goals of experienced top scorer Martin Braithwaite now removed and no proven finisher signed in his place despite loan deals for Irvin Cardona and promising Tottenham striker Alejo Valiz. With what is on paper one of the weakest squads in La Liga, there is a real danger of Espanyol suffering the same fate of Almeria and Granada last term by sliding into an irreversible position before the mid-season break.

KEY PLAYER

Irvin Cardona

Celta Vigo, Bottom: Iago Aspas has now scored over 200 goals for Celta Vigo

Girona, Top: It will be difficult for Girona boss Michel to emulate the achievements of 2023-24

Las Palmas, Top: New Las Palmas coach Luis Carrion has made some intriguing summer signings

“ESPANYOL WILL FACEA RELEGATION BATTLE FROMTHE OFF.”

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 12th place

RECORD: 10-13-15

MOST GOALS: Mayoral (15)

Jose Bordalas’ first full season back at the helm in the Spanish capital saw Getafe finish in mid-table with the minimum of fuss, as the goals of Borja Mayoral kept them comfortably away from danger in spite of ending the campaign with a disappointing run of five straight defeats. With several other forward players moving on this summer, the onus will be on Mayoral even more as the Estadio Coliseum club look to find the attacking flair to match their grit, and avoid slipping down the table. The major signings include experienced left-back Diego Rico and Real Sociedad teammate Alex Sola, while young winger Peter Federico arrives from the Real Madrid setup.

KEY PLAYER

Borja Mayoral

GIRONA LAS PALMAS

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 3rd place

RECORD: 25-6-7

MOST GOALS: Dovbyk (24)

For a long time, Girona were La Liga’s biggest story of 2023-24 as their sensational form during the first half of the season led to a most unlikely title bid. They faded slightly towards the end, but Michel’s side still did more than enough to seal Champions League football for the first time in the club’s relatively unremarkable history.

At the risk of sounding ungenerous, Girona’s La Liga season this time around might resemble something of a sideshow as they prepare to compete in Europe’s premier competition. Matching last season’s feat - a task made harder by the loss of key duo Savinho and Artem Dovbyk - will be almost impossible, but they may still have enough to claim a lesser European place.

PLAYER

LAST SEASON FINISH: 16th place

RECORD: 10-10-18

MOST GOALS: Rodriguez (6)

A change of manager could be the most impactful call made in Gran Canaria with Luis Carrion facing a first season at the top level after taking Real Oviedo to the final of the Segundo Division play-offs back in June. Sergi Cardona is a key loss, with the leftback moving to Villarreal in what has been a busy summer of ins and outs.

Experienced former Netherlands goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen arrives along with defender Scott McKenna and veteran striker Jaime Mata, while there are also some real wildcard arrivals, including former Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie and the much-travelled Adnan Januzaj on loan. After a poor finish to last season, the aim for Las Palmas to earn another year of topflight football.

THE ONES TO WATCH

Soccer 360 picks out five star names who will be under the La Liga spotlight this term.

JULIAN ALVAREZ - ATLETICO MADRID

The £81.5m deal that took Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid from Manchester City caused a few shockwaves in European football. The Argentine World Cup winner has already lifted nearly every major trophy going, but wanted a new challenge and has the quality to help Diego Simeone’s side threaten arch rivals Real Madrid’s dominance both domestically and in Europe.

ENDRICK - REAL MADRID

So much of the talk is about Kylian Mbappe’s arrival, but another prodigy has pitched up at the Bernabeu with 18-yearold Brazilian Endrick expected to follow in his teammate’s footsteps and become a global superstar. Endrick is a natural goalscorer and will add an extra weapon to an already formidable attack.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

KYLIAN MBAPPE - REAL MADRID

The deal to take Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid finally happened in the summer and there is no doubt about it: seeing him in a Los Blancos jersey is one of the most anticipated events of this season. The France superstar will surely guarantee that many more great things will be achieved at the club in the year ahead, while he is desperate for that long-awaited Champions League winners’ medal.

DANI OLMO - BARCELONA

DIDYOU KNOW?

Lamine Yamal has become the youngest player in Euros and World Cup history to score in a match (16 years and 362 days old).

One of the standout players at Euro 2024, Dani Olmo has always been an outstanding, technically gifted footballer who until recently had gone somewhat under the radar. That is unlikely to happen at Barcelona, where he arrives as Hansi Flick’s headline summer signing, promising to give that extra bit of dynamism and the ability to deliver at key moments, which the team arguably lacked last term.

LAMINE YAMAL - BARCELONA

Few outside La Masia had heard of Lamine Yamal at this time last year, but he enters 2024-25 as football’s newest superstar talent after his astonishing exploits at the European Championships. He also broke records for Barcelona last term, and all eyes will be on the 17-yearold as he looks to rewrite even more history in the months ahead.

JULIAN ALVAREZ Atletico Madrid

KYLIAN MBAPPE Real Madrid

ENDRICK Real Madrid

DANI OLMO Barcelona

LAMINE YAMAL Barcelona

KEY

Cristhian Stuani

KEY PLAYER

Jaime Mata

LEGANESOSASUNA MALLORCA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st (Segunda)

RECORD: 20-14-8

MOST GOALS: De La Fuente (13)

Leganes edged themselves back into the top-flight as Segunda champions last season, but they will be in clutch of sides concerned about relegation from the off in what promises to be another tight battle for survival. Serbian international Darko Brasanic provides some steel to the midfield but the main concern about this team is its lack of creative spark. That said, some promising signings have been made in the shape of striker Miguel de la Fuente from Alaves, and midfielder Oscar Rodriguez on a free transfer from Real Sociedad. There will also be a change in goal where Villarreal bound Diego Conde is replaced by Marko Dmitrovic, with defence a key area of the side in their first La Liga campaign since 2018-19.

KEY PLAYER

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 15th Place

RECORD: 8-16-14

MOST GOALS: Muriqi (7)

Despite being almost 20 years younger than his predecessor Javier Aguirre, new Mallorca boss Jagoba Arrasate brings crucial experience as he takes his place in the Palma dugout after six years with Osasuna. The Basque coach was an expert at keeping Los Rojillos in the top-flight and his very presence should be enough to keep Mallorca in mid-table and out of harm’s way.

First and foremost, the club will look to improve on last season’s 15th place. To that end, Arrasate is mostly keeping faith with the squad he inherited, with fullbacks Johan Mojica and Takuma Asano among their few summer signings. He will, however, need to find a goalscorer, with improvements expected from the likes of Cyle Larin and Abdon Prats.

KEY PLAYER

Cyle Larin

Real Betis, Opposite Top: Real Betis expect to challenge for the top six again this season

Leganes, Left: Returning to the top flight this year. Leganes will be fighting for survival

Mallorca, Middle: New Veteran Coach Arrasate Will look to better last season’s 15th table finish

Osasuna, Right: Could push for mid table but survival will be the main objective

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 11th place

RECORD: 12-9-17

MOST GOALS: Budimir (17)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Moreno made his top-tier debut on 30 August 2009 with Xerez –two months shy of his 35th birthday –playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away loss against RCD Mallorca.

Vicente Moreno was the first managerial casualty of Almeria’s abysmal 2023-24, but he is back in La Liga as he takes over the reigns at El Sadar from Jagoba Arrasate, who will be an extremely tough act to follow and is synonymous with the stability of the past few seasons. He could find it tough to emulate the 11th place Arrasate managed last season, with supporters wary of being drawn into a battle for survival. The loss of defender David Lopez to Qatari side Al-Rayyan is a blow, but Bryan Zaragoza could be a shrewd addition on loan from Bayern Munich to complement powerful striker Ante Budemir, who they’ll again be relying upon for goals.

KEY PLAYER

Ante Budemir

Miguel de la Fuente

RAYO VALLECANOREAL BETIS

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 17th place

RECORD: 8-14-16

MOST GOALS: Garcia (6)

Inigo Perez was not even meant to be at Rayo last season, but proved a steadying influence as he saw the club to safety after being appointed in February. They will be among the sides discussed as relegation candidates this time around, with their hopes of staying up potentially resting on whether Los Franjirrojos can improve on a paltry record of just 29 La Liga goals in 2023-24.

The power of the home crowd in Vallecas will again be the strongest card for Rayo, but they are boosted by the return of former star Adri Embarba on loan from Almeria. That was the main headline of a quiet summer, with Pedro Diaz also arriving from financially stricken Bordeaux.

KEY PLAYER

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 7th place

RECORD: 14-15-9

MOST GOALS: Jose (10)

Real Betis will not be expecting a major shift in either direction in terms of league position with a push for Europe anticipated again having consistently challenged in or around the top six throughout the past two seasons. Some experienced names have moved on such as Guido Rodriguez to West Ham United, Willian Jose to Spartak Moscow, and Ayoze Perez to Villarreal, but Manuel Pellegrini’s nous should ensure no panic at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. Indeed, they have added shrewdly to their defence with long-time Switzerland international Ricardo Rodriguez signing from Torino, and Leeds United duo Diego Llorente and Marc Roca also making the move to Seville. If Isco can keep up his encouraging form and the goals of Willian Jose can be replaced, another decent season looks on the cards.

KEY PLAYER

COACH CONTEST

Feargal Brennan discusses La Liga’s managerial headlines ahead of 202425, including Hansi Flick’s Barcelona assignment.

Barcelona’s decision to opt for Hansi Flick as the figure to lead them into the new campaign was the culmination of president Joan Laporta’s long-term plan to bring the German coach to Catalonia. Despite the ugliness of Xavi’s eventual departure, after he initially agreed to stay on, Laporta’s ruthless approach yielded the result he wanted. The focus now centres on whether or not it was the correct call to dispense with a club legend.

Flick’s resumé of having guided Bayern Munich to the treble in 2019-20 hints at him being able to get Barcelona ‘over the line’ in certain situations where Xavi occasionally came up short but there is still work to do to convince the La Blaugrana fan base over the debacle. Laporta’s desire to flex will need to be balanced by a genuine title challenge to Real Madrid, which Flick will be quietly confident about masterminding, particularly after the summer acquisition of Euro 2024 winner Dani Olmo. Injuries were a key derailment of Xavi in the final throes of last season and Olmo’s arrival eases the lingering concerns over Frenkie de Jong’s ability to stay fit for a full season.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

DIDYOU KNOW?

Diego Simeone, known as “El Cholo,” had a remarkable career as a midfielder, playing for top clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, and Lazio.

Elsewhere in La Liga, veteran coach Quique Sanchez Flores joined Xavi in moving on at the end of last season after keeping Sevilla away from relegation. This is a time where the Andalucians are craving stability after two disappointing league campaigns, yet their choice of replacement looks to be a risk with new boss Garcia Pimienta not inspiring too much confidence based on his time at Las Palmas.

Mallorca have also changed their manager, opting for experience with the appointment of Jagoba Arrasate, who clearly felt he had taken Osasuna as far as possible in La Liga after six years with the club. However, the situation in Palma is less stable than in Pamplona, and expectations will be raised even without merit or major transfer investment from the islanders. Replacing Arrasate at El Sadar is Vicente Moreno, who’ll hope to last longer in this role than he did with Almeria a year ago.

And it is as you were in the capital, with Diego Simeone signing a new contract to extend his lengthy tenure at Atletico while Carlo Ancelotti has assembled the most envied forward line in world football as he looks to replicate last season’s triumphs.

Adri Embarba

Isco

HANSI FLICK Barcelona

JAGOBA ARRASATE Mallorca

GARCIA PIMIENTA Sevilla

VICENTE MORENO Osasuna

DIEGO SIMEONE Atletico Madrid

REAL MADRIDREAL VALLADOLID REAL SOCIEDAD

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st Place

RECORD: 29-8-1

MOST GOALS: Bellingham (19)

Real Madrid will be the team to catch again for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with Carlo Ancelotti’s team adding Kylian Mbappe to their galaxy of stars. The insertion of the superstar Frenchman to their attack to join Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and fellow new signing Endrick should be a sight to behold, and if they find the right balance there will surely be only one team winning La Liga this term.

There has been no drop off for Los Blancos, even after the retirement of club legend Toni Kroos, and it will only be rivals improvements that can threaten them. In all honesty, it would be quite the surprise if they don’t manage to retain the title that they won so powerfully in 2023-24, with only one defeat all season.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 6th

RECORD: 16-12-10

MOST GOALS: Oyarzabal (9)

Squad departures have dented confidence in San Sebastian but the core of their 2023-24 team remains in place and that should be more than enough to challenge the top six again. Euro 2024 winners Robin Le Normand and Mikel Merino are among those to leave for significant transfer fees, but equally they were boosted by Martin Zubimendi’s decision to stay amid interest from Liverpool.

With midfielder Luka Sukic and full-back Sergio Gomez signing from RB Salzburg and Manchester City respectively, Sociedad are well placed to progress and may even have half an eye on fourth place. After all, in attack, Mikel Oyarzabal and Takefusa Kubo are still one of the deadliest duos in La Liga.

Mikel Oyarzabal

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd (Segunda)

RECORD: 21-9-12

MOST GOALS: Sylla (8)

“IT WOULDBE QUITETHE SURPRISE IFREAL MADRID DON’T MANAGE TORETAIN THETITLE THATTHEY WONSO POWERFULLYIN 2023-24”

Real Valladolid finished second in the Segunda, in behind Leganes, to force themselves back into the top tier. They bounced back impressively after the agony of a final day relegation in 2022-23, but now they’ll be utterly desperate to avoid the drop this term and cease being the great yo-yo team of Spanish football.

Coach Paulo Pezzolano is on new ground in La Liga and they have lost some big characters with Joel Masip and Alvaro Negredo leaving on free transfers. However, Valladolid have recruited heavily with Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein joining on loan, with standout permanent acquisitions including Croatian midfielder Stipe Biuk from Los Angeles FC, and Real Madrid forward Juanmi Latasa.

KEY PLAYER

Kylian Mbappe

KEY PLAYER

KEY PLAYER

SEVILLAVALENCIAVILLARREAL

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 14th place

RECORD: 10-11-17

MOST GOALS: En-Nesyri (16)

A big improvement is needed for Sevilla in the new season if they want to jump from mid-table to European contention again. Not even their notorious record on the continental stage could rescue them last term as they finished bottom of their Champions League group, with their league form continually underwhelming.

They have their work cut out this time around too, as the departures of Rafa Mir and Youssef En-Nesyri will cut plenty of goals from the squad, so new signings Kelechi Iheanacho and Peque Fernandez will need to hit the ground running for the club to avoid a potentially awkward season. It will certainly be a test for new head coach Garcia Pimienta as he steps into the most demanding role of his career.

KEY PLAYER

Peque Fernandez

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 9th place

RECORD: 13-10-15

MOST GOALS: Duro (13)

Ruben Baraja surprised plenty of La Liga fans last season as he proved to be the steadying influence Valencia were in firm need of. The ninth place finish he helped to secure was an enormous improvement on 2022-23, where the club almost suffered the ignominy of being relegated to the Segunda Division.

The next step is bridging the gap to Europe, which they are capable of, but new loan signing Rafa Mir will need to make an immediate impact. Valencia will hope the 27-year-old striker is the missing piece of the puzzle, with Hugo Duro the only player to find the net with any regularity last season.

KEY PLAYER

Hugo Duro

Real Madrid, Bottom: The arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick give Real Madrid an unrivalled attack

Sevilla, Top: Garcia Pimienta has his work cut out in his first season as Sevilla coach

Valencia, Top: Valencia will hope to continue the steady progress they made in 2023-24

Villareal, Top: Villarreal are relying on Ayoze Perez to help replace the goals of departed striker Alexander Sorloth

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 8th place

RECORD: 14-11-13

MOST GOALS: Sorloth (23)

DIDYOU KNOW?

In domestic football, Real Madrid have won 71 trophies: a record 36 La Liga titles, 20 Copa del Rey, 13 Supercopa de España, a Copa Eva Duarte, and a Copa de la Liga.

Marcelino was unlucky to see his Villarreal side miss out on a place in Europe last season as he eventually transformed the club’s form after a terrible start, with a succession of positive results leading them to eighth place. That form suggests they can take the next step in 2024-25, however, replacing the goals of Alexander Sorloth will be no easy feat, on the back of brilliant year in Castellon.

The Norwegian struck 26 times in all competitions and has moved to Atletico Madrid, so somebody else will need to take the baton. Experienced duo Ayoze Perez and Nicolas Pepe are both useful additions to their attack and capable of great things on their day, while the defence is bolstered by the arrivals of Willy Kambwala and Pape Gueye.

KEY PLAYER

YOUR PREDICTIONS

FILL IN YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S LALIGA STANDINGS, LEADING SCORER, AND MOST ASSISTS, AND SHARE IT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN US!

Vini Jr. looks to continue his success with Real Madrid

‘BAYER LEVERKUSEN WROTE THEIR NAME IN THE HISTORY BOOKS BY BECOMING THE FIRST BUNDESLIGA TEAM TO COMPLETE A CAMPAIGN

SANS DEFEAT LAST TERM’

BUNDESLIGA

SEASON PREVIEW

THE 2023-24 BUNDESLIGA SEASON ARGUABLY WAS ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING FANS HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME AS BAYER LEVERKUSEN BECAME THE FIRST TEAM TO COMPLETE A BUNDESLIGA CAMPAIGN WITHOUT DEFEAT, AND IN DOING SO, ENDED BAYERN’S STRANGLEHOLD ON THE LEAGUE TITLE. WILL THE 2024-25 SEASON BE ABLE TO TOP ITS PREDECESSOR? MICHELLE OSEI BONSU PREVIEWS THE UPCOMING INSTALLMENT OF GERMANY’S TOP-FLIGHT.

AUGSBURG

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 11th place

RECORD: 10-9-15

MOST GOALS: Demirovic (14)

FINAL TABLE

Bayern Munich

Leverkusen

Stuttgart

Dortmund

Leipzig

Hoffenheim

Frankfurt

Bremen

Augsburg

Frieburg

Wolfsburg

Heidenheim

Mainz 05

Monchengladbach

Berlin

St. Pauli

Kiel

Bochum

GOAL SCORING PREDICTIONS PREDICTIONS

Kane

Undav

Boniface

Openda

Guirassy

Beier

Sesko

Malen

Kramaric

Last season saw Augsburg post their best result since 2015 as they earned a 11th placed finish. It’s a far cry from when they finished fifth during the 2014-15 season and made their bow in the Europa League, but given the fact that they have had some major relegation scares, fans will surely be relieved that Jess Thorup was able to steer the team out of trouble for them to maintain their top-flight status for yet another season. Still, with top striker Ermedin Demirovic being sold to Stuttgart, Thorup will really face some major challenges in what will be his first full season on the tactician’s bench.

KEY PLAYER

Phillip Tietz

BAYER LEVERKUSEN BOCHUM BAYERN MUNICH

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st place

RECORD: 28-6-0

MOST GOALS: Boniface (14)

The Invincibles. Bayer Leverkusen wrote their name in the history books by becoming the first Bundesliga team to complete a campaign sans defeat last term. Even Bayern Munich, for all their dominance, never were able to do that. Fortunately, they have been able to retain the services of not just their manager Xabi Alonso, but also key players such as Florian Wirtz and Ajejandro Grimaldo.

Last season, Leverkusen were a surprise package, and in the absence of expectations, they flourished. Now, the hard work will begin for die Werkself - will they be able to thrive or will they crumble under pressure? It will be fascinating not only to find out, but to see how opposing teams will approach facing them this term.

KEY PLAYER

Florian Wirtz

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 3rd place

RECORD: 23-3-8

MOST GOALS: Kane (36)

For most teams, going a season without silverware certainly will not set off a major crisis. But Bayern Munich are not most teams. The Bavarian titans have largely enjoyed an unchallenged dominance of the Bundesliga for ages, but now come into this season without silverware for the first time since the 2011-12 term.

New manager Vincent Kompany was a surprise appointment after the club missed out on several other potential candidates, and will not have much room for error as Bayern are notoriously unforgiven of new hires who don’t meet their high standards. How will die Roten, now in unfamiliar territory as they start a season without a trophy to defend, fare this time around? At least one trophy is the absolute minimum requirement.

KEY PLAYER

Harry Kane

Leverkusen, TOP: Xabi Alonso looks to achieve another special season with Bayer Leverkusen

Bayern Munich, Top: Vincent Kompany was an unexpected choice to replace Thomas Tuchel as Bayern Munich coach

Bochum, Bottom: Philipp Hofmann captain of Bochum

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 16th place

RECORD: 7-12-15

MOST GOALS: Asano (6)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Kane scored 44 goals for Bayern Munich in the 2023/24 season in all competitions. Of these 44 goals, 36 were scored in the Bundesliga, with Kane netting in all but nine of his 33 league outings.

Bochum pulled off a great escape last season, but they may not be so lucky this time around. Not surprisingly, they have struggled to keep the services of several key players, with both Kevin Stöger and Keven Schlotterbeck departing, and so far, it doesn’t appear that the replacements just may be what the team needs.

New coach Peter Zeidler will have his work cut out for him, especially as there are several other sides who will be equally determined to avoid the drop this term. It will be interesting to see how Bochum fare against some of their relegation rivals, as they look to prove the doubters wrong once again by staying up.

KEY PLAYER

Philipp Hofmann

BORUSSIA

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 5th place

RECORD: 18-9-7

MOST GOALS: Malen (13)

For the first time in over ten years, Borussia Dortmund will not have Marco Reus in their ranks, but they do have a familiar face in charge: Nuri Sahin. The former midfielder will look to Xabi Alonso for inspiration as he aims to lead die Schwarzgelben to what would be their first Bundesliga title in well over a decade.

Although Dortmund made an impressive - not to mention unexpected - run to the Champions League final last term, they come into the 2024-25 Bundesliga season having finished in fifth spot, which was their worst showing since 2015. They have made some exciting additions, with Serhou Guirassy and Waldemar Anton both being poached from Stuttgart, but while there are high expectations of this Dortmund side, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to match those expectations or will fall short.

BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 14th place

RECORD: 7-13-14

MOST GOALS: Hack (9)

After finishing 14th last season and thus missing out on European football by a distance, Borussia Mönchengladbach will be another team desperate to chase down a coveted spot in one of the continental competitions.

It will be much easier said than done, however. Die Fohlen come into this season off the back of their worst ever performance in the Bundesliga since 2011, and they have not exactly made major waves in the transfer market, either.

Gerardo Seoane still has his employers’ confidence - for now - but it goes without saying that Gladbach will need to improve by leaps and bounds in order to challenge for a spot in the European football places.

KEY PLAYER

Alassane Pléa

Dortmund, Bottom:

Serhou Guirassy joins Borussia Dortmund after a phenomenal season with Stuttgart

Dortmund, Top: Nuri Sahin becomes the Bundesliga’s youngest head coach as he takes over at Borussia Dortmund

Frankfurt, Top: Youngster Can Uzun is expected to prosper at Eintracht Frankfurt this season

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 6th place

RECORD: 11-14-9

MOST GOALS: Marmoush (12)

‘EINTRACHT FRANKFURT HAVE SHOWN THATTHEY CANMIXIT UPWITH THEBIGGER SIDES,AND NOWARE AIMINGFOR THETOP FOUR.’

Eintracht Frankfurt posted a very impressive sixth placed finish last season under current manager Dino Toppmöller, and on top of that, they have made some interesting signings, including Can Uzun from Nuremberg as well as securing PSG’s Hugo Ekitiké on a permanent basis. However, they will need to improve even further if they want to have any shot at forcing their way into what will be some stiff competition for a spot in next season’s Champions League.

Retaining Egyptian international Omar Marmoush, who was his team’s top marksman with 17 goals across all comps, will hopefully be a boost, but simply put, Frankfurt will need to find a way of scoring more goals in order to really compete for a top four berth.

KEY PLAYER

Omar Marmoush

KEY PLAYER

Serhou Guirassy

FREIBURGHEIDENHEIM

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 10th place

RECORD: 11-9-14

MOST GOALS: Grifo (8)

Can a former player help Freiburg crack into the top half of the table this term after finishing in 10th last season? That’s what the club and its fans will hope with the appointment of Julian Schuster, who will take on his first managerial job at senior level.

Schuster, who at 39, is yet another young manager testing his tactical nous in the Bundesliga this season, spent a decade as a player on the books of Freiburg between 2008 and 2018. He certainly will have some huge shoes to fill following the end of Christian Streich’s 12-year tenure in charge of the club, where they constantly exceeded expectations.

KEY PLAYER

Vincenzo Grifo

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 8th place

RECORD: 10-12-12

MOST GOALS: Kleindienst (12)

Once again, Frank Schmidt will be leading Heidenheim this season as the longestserving manager of any German team - having taken over in 2007 - begins his 17th term in charge. Schmidt, who has seen Heidenheim successfully navigate their way from the fourth tier all the way up to the Bundesliga, guided his team into an excellent eighth spot, which means that Heidenheim will be featuring in European competition for the first time in club history. The departures of key players Tim Kleindienst and Jan-Niklas Beste could make navigating in unchartered territory even more difficult, but if they can stay well clear of danger and match last season’s league campaign, it would be a major success.

KEY PLAYER

Marvin Pieringer

SERHOU GUIRASSY Borussia Dortmund

AIBRIJON IBRAHIMOVIC Bayern Munich

HARRY KANE Bayern Munich

LOIS OPENDA RB Leipzig

CAN UZUN Frankfurt

DIDYOU

KNOW?

Guirassy scored 14 goals in his firat 8 Bundesliga games, breaking the record set Lewandowski in the 2020/21 season.

THE ONES TO WATCH

Michelle Osei Bonsu takes a quick look at five players who could have a huge impact for their respective sides during the 2024-25 Bundesliga season

SERHOU GUIRASSYBORUSSIA DORTMUND

At one point last season, Guirassy was a firm contender with Harry Kane for the Torjägerkanone, only for injuries to take its toll. Still, 28 goals in 28 appearances is nothing to scoff at, and the FrenchGuinean striker not surprisingly was the subject of interest for a number of clubs. Now on the books of Borussia Dortmund after signing a four-year contract, expectations will be high of the player to help Die Schwarzgelben’s title ambitions this term.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

ARIJON IBRAHIMOVIC - BAYERN MUNICH

Although the Bayern Munich starlet interestingly shares a surname with none other than Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovi , the two are not related whatsoever. Still, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t big things expected of the 18-year-old, who not only received a contract extension until 2027 but also is expected to play a big role in Vincent Kompany’s team this season.

HARRY KANE - BAYERN MUNICH

Despite enjoying his most prolific season to date, Harry Kane still experienced a great deal of disappointment with Bayern Munich as he again ended without any silverware. Now, off the back of more frustration with England at this summer’s Euro competition, fans will hope to see the veteran striker reach even higher heights this season as he chases both titles and personal records.

LOÏS OPENDA - RB LEIPZIG

Only two players scored more goals in the Bundesliga in 2023-24 than Belgian international Openda: Harry Kane and Serhou Guirassy. Openda had a debut campaign to remember as he netted 24 times in 34 appearances for RB Leipzig last term, and alongside the likes of Dutch youngster Xavi Simons and Slovenian starlet Benjamin Sesko, is expected to form a key part of Marco Rose’s squad as die Roten Bullen look to challenge for titles.

CAN UZUN - EINTRACHT FRANKFURT

He’s still a teenager, but there’s a lot of buzz about Can Uzun following his impressive spell at Nurnberg, during which he scored 16 goals in just 30 appearances in the 2.Bundesliga last season.

HOFFENHEIMMAINZ HOLSTEIN KIEL

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 7th place

RECORD: 13-7-14

MOST GOALS: Beier (16)

Despite shipping a whopping 66 goals last season - their worst defensive record in the Bundesliga in a decadeHoffenheim nonetheless did enough to secure European football for the 2024-25 campaign. However, they have now seen key player Maximilian Beier depart in a big money move to Borussia Dortmund, and while they have still retained the services of loyal servant Andrej Kramaric, it remains to be seen how Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team are able to successfully compete on multiple fronts over the course of the season. This is especially as Hoffenheim are expected to face fiercer competition in the race for European qualification.

KEY PLAYER

Andrej Kramaric

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd (2. Bundesliga)

RECORD: 21-5-8

MOST GOALS: Skrzybski (10)

For the first time in the club’s history, Holstein Kiel will be playing in the Bundesliga. Die Störche secured their spot after finishing second in the 2.Bundesliga, and will be the Bundesliga’s 58th debutant plus the first team from the SchleswigHolstein to participate in the top-flight. Naturally, there is a great deal of excitement about the newest kids on the block, but they’ve been dealt some big setbacks at the start of the term. Key players Tom Rothe and Philipp Sander have since departed, and there are concerns about how Marcel Rapp’s team took their foot off the gas last season to end up losing out on the 2.Bundesliga title. As such, the jury’s still out as to whether they will avoid the drop this term.

KEY PLAYER

Benedikt Pichler

Kiel, Top: Holstein Kiel will be navigating unfamiliar territory after securing top flight status for the first time in club history during.

Hoffenheim, Top: Hoffenheim face stronger competition for a European place in 2024-25

Mainz, Top: Bo Henriksen successfully kept Mainz in the Bundesliga last term

RB Leipzig, Top: Xavi Simons will aim to continue his exciting development with RB Leipzig

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 13th place

RECORD: 7-14-13

MOST GOALS: Burkardt (8)

‘VINCENT KOMPANY KNOWSHE HASLITTLE MARGIN FORERROR AFTER BEING APPOINTED BAYERN MUNICH BOSS’

Mainz had a tough time last season, with just one win in their first 21 games seeing them dangerously close to relegation. The club finally were forced into action and brought in Bo Henriksen to turn things around - and that’s exactly what he did. Save for a heavy defeat to Bayern Munich, Mainz were mostly solid in his three months in charge and successfully secured a 13th placed finish. All in all, one can assume that Henriksen’s goal in his first full season will be to try to fully steady the wobbly ship and ensure that Mainz avoid being sucked into another relegation scrap.

KEY PLAYER Lee Jae-sung

RB LEIPZIG

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 4th place

RECORD: 19-8-7

MOST GOALS: Openda (24)

RB Leipzig’s unprecedented rise to the topflight has earned them their fair share of detractors, but die Roten Bullen have done more than enough to prove that they can certainly compete with more established clubs. Since bursting onto the scene in 2016, Leipzig have never finished lower than sixth in the Bundesliga, which means that they have consistently featured in European football.

Current manager Marco Rose, who himself played for Leipzig at both youth and senior level, has - with the notable exception of Dani Olmo - been able to keep several key players, including Bayern Munich target Xavi Simons, and expectations are high that this team could potentially follow in the steps of Bayer Leverkusen to upset the odds in the Bundesliga title race this term.

KEY PLAYER

Xavi Simons

NURI SAHIN Dortmund

SEBASTIAN HOENESS

DIDYOU KNOW?

Bayern asked Pep Guardiola about Kompany before they hired him, to which Pep repsonded:

“I have the biggest admiration for his work, personality and expertise. It doesn’t matter if he got relegated with Burnley. I would love Bayern to take the best decision,”

COACH CONTEST

Michelle Osei Bonsu takes a look at some of the personalities who will be leading the various Bundesliga teams during the 2024-25 season.

VINCENT KOMPANY

The award for the most protracted search for a new manager this summer went to Bayern Munich, who were turned down by numerous candidates before finally settling on Vincent Kompany, whose links to the job and subsequent unveiling was a great surprise to many, having just overseen relegation from the Premier League with Burnley. The Belgian, for many years the inspirational captain of Manchester City, had led Burnley back to the English top-flight in exhilarating style in 2022-23, but the Clarets never really threatened to stay up as Kompany was often criticised for refusing to show any tactical flexibility. Bayern Munich will present the biggest appointment of Vincent Kompany’s nascent managerial career. The former defender is no stranger to the Bundesliga as he spent a couple of seasons on the books of Hamburg in the mid noughties, and has mixed results so far as a manager. Still, it’s clear that Bayern are looking to try to copy Leverkusen’s success with Xabi Alonso, during which die Werkself took a major punt on an unproven manager and it paid dividends. Speaking of Alonso, what’s next? The Spaniard was at the helm as Bayer Leverkusen completed a historic Bundesliga campaign during the 2023-24 term, and then decided to stay amid the clamour for him to replace Jurgen Klopp at former club Liverpool. Not only did his Leverkusen finally beat Bayern Munich to the coveted Bundesliga title, but they did so without losing a single match - indeed with their only defeat in any competition coming in the Europa League final. After such an outstanding season, expectations will be high for the former midfielder and his squad, and it will be interesting to see how die Werkself fare as they aim to successfully challenge for titles again. Another team that clearly seems to be inspired by Leverkusen’s success with a younger, untested manager, is none other than Borussia Dortmund. Fans will be quite familiar with Nuri Sahin, who both played for Dortmund’s youth academies as well as spent two spells with die Schwarzgelben from 2005 to 2011 and then again from 2014 to 2018. Sahin, who was born in Germany but played his international football for Turkey, was previously one of Edin Terzic’s assistants alongside fellow Dortmund teammate Sven Bender. With Terzic’s departure, Sahin has now replaced his former boss to become the youngest manager in the league this season. So, with two new, young managers arriving at Bayer Leverkusen’s two main rivals, it promises to be an exciting battle between Xabi Alonso and his generational peers for this latest Bundesliga title race.

Stuttgart

DINO TOPPMÖLLER Frankfurt

Bayern munich

XABI ALONSO Leverkusen

ST. PAULIUNION BERLIN STUTTGART

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 1st (2. Bundesliga)

RECORD: 20-9-5

MOST GOALS: Hartel (17)

One of two newly promoted sides who will be featuring in the top-flight this season, St. Pauli will be looking to make their stay a longer-term affair. They are back in the Bundesliga for the first time in over a decade, and interestingly, for the first time in club history, are playing in a higher tier than cross-town rivals Hamburg, who failed to secure promotion after finishing fourth in the 2.Bundesliga last season. Fabian Hürzeler, who led them to the title, has since departed, with Alexander Blessin hoping to endear himself to his new fans by keeping them afloat this term. It will be tricky, but opponents will face a unique atmosphere when visiting Millerntor-Stadion.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 2nd place

RECORD: 23-4-7

MOST GOALS: Guirassy (28)

If it wasn’t for the sensational, recordbreaking achievements of Bayer Leverkusen, there would have been so much more attention of Stuttgart’s magnificent performance last term. Led by the goalscoring exploits of Serhou Guirassy as well as Deniz Undav, Sebastian Hoeneß’s squad went from relegation contenders during the 2022-23 term to successfully securing second in the league in 2023-24. That means that Stuttgart will be competing in the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign - but they have been dealt a huge blow with the departure of key striker Guirassy to rival club Borussia Dortmund during this summer’s transfer window. Undav has also returned to parent club Brighton & Hove Albion, so a repeat of last season seems unlikely.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 15th place

RECORD: 9-6-19

MOST GOALS: Gosens (6)

‘UNION BERLIN REALLY HADA AMAZING FALLFROM GRACE LAST SEASON ASTHEY WENT FROM4TH TO15TH INTHE SPANOF JUST12 MONTHS.’

Union Berlin earned plenty of rave reviews during the 2022-23 season as their fourth placed finish earned them a spot in the Champions League for the first time in club history. Fast forward 12 months later, and they were battling for their top-flight status in a nightmare 2023-24 campaign. In fact, were it not for a very late goal on the final matchday, Union Berlin would have had to try their luck during the relegation playoffs. Now under the guidance of Bo Svensson, will they be able to prove that last season’s disaster was just a minor blip? Midfielder Laszlo Benes and former Borussia Dortmund youngster Tom Rothe are the standout summer additions.

KEY PLAYER

Jackson Irvine

KEY PLAYER

Laszlo Benes

KEY PLAYER

Chris Führich

WERDER BREMEN WOLFSBURG

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 9th place

RECORD: 11-9-14

MOST GOALS: Ducksch (12)

Led by Ole Werner, who took over in November 2021, Werder Bremen posted a very respectable ninth place in 2023-24. Key to this success was the goalscoring form of Marvin Ducksch, who netted 12 times in 34 appearances for the club. Werner is currently the second youngest manager in the Bundesliga - behind new Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin - and under his guidance, the team have shown signs of improvement. However, will they be able to take another big step and possibly try to contest for a Europa Conference League spot, or will that still be a bridge too far for this season? Skelly Alvero arrives from Lyon to bolster an energetic midfield.

LAST SEASON

FINISH: 12th place

RECORD: 10-7-17

MOST GOALS: Wind (11)

‘SINCE BURSTING ONTOTHE SCENE IN2016, LEIPZIG HAVE NEVER FINISHED LOWER THAN SIXTHIN THE GERMAN TOP FLIGHT.”

Both Wolfsburg and their new manager, Ralph Hasenhüttl, will be looking for a major reset this season. Wolfsburg finished in a disappointing 12th spot last term, which means no European football this season, while Hasenhüttl will be aiming to maintain his reputation after a decidedly up-and-down spell with Southampton in the Premier League.

Hasenhüttl did enjoy some success in his last Bundesliga adventure - namely with leading RB Leipzig to a very impressive second-place finish in the team’s debut season - so with sides looking to turn their respective fortunes around, it will be fascinating to see if this new partnership reaps positive rewards.

KEY PLAYER

Marco Friedl

KEY PLAYER

Jonas Wind

St. Pauli TOP:

St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin reacts on the touchline.

YOUR PREDICTIONS

FILL IN YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S BUNDESLIGA STANDINGS, LEADING SCORER, AND MOST ASSISTS, AND SHARE IT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN US!

Boniface will lead the goal scoring race for Leverkusen

“MBAPPEJOINEDLOSBLANCOS ASAFREEAGENTONAFIVE-YEAR

CONTRACTINWHATWASDUBBED

THEMOSTEXPENSIVEFREE TRANSFERINHISTORY”

THE 2024 SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW WASN’T THE BUSIEST IN RECENT MEMORY, BUT IT STILL BROUGHT MANY HEADLINE MOVES THAT WHET THE APPETITE FOR THE 2024-25 SEASON. HERE, CIRO DI BRITA PICKS OUT ONE STANDOUT SIGNING FROM EACH OF EUROPE’S TOP FOUR LEAGUES.

TINKER TIME

LA LIGA - KYLIAN MBAPPE

The protracted transfer saga surrounding Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid finally concluded with the French superstar joining the Spanish and European champions at the start of June. The 25-year-old joined Los Blancos as a free agent on a five-year contract in what was dubbed the most expensive free transfer in history. Mbappe received a massive signing-on bonus somewhere reputably to be between €117m and €150m, as well as retaining 20% of his image rights and a whole host of various performance bonuses.

The World Cup winner scored 256 goals in 308 appearances for Paris SaintGermain while also providing 108 assists, ridiculous numbers that certainly cement his legendary status in France. Winning seven Ligue 1 titles for both Monaco and PSG as well as four liftings of the Coupe de France among several other trophies has given Mbappe a huge chest of silverware,

however, the Champions League remains elusive to him. Where better to go in search of Old Big Ears than to the Santiago Bernabeu and the home of the holders and record 15-times champions Real Madrid?

Mbappe will be joining a club that is already stacked with attacking talent in the shape of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Endrick and their coach Carlo Ancelotti will have a job on his hands to keep all his superstars happy.

With Vinicius happy playing wide on the left it is likely for us to see Mbappe stake his place in the side playing through the middle with Federico Valverde or Arda Guler coming in off the right and Bellingham driving on from midfield. A scary proposition for any opponent before you even consider the midfield and defensive talent that shape the rest of the team. The only thing that could derail this juggernaut is perhaps if Ancelotti doesn’t quite find the right balance in his attempts to accommodate all

Mbappe has been one of the fastest players to win a trophy with a new club since transfering to that club.

Within 2 months of transfering to Real Madrid, Mbape won the Supercup with his new team.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa poses for photos with Real Madrid jersey during his presentation at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

BOTTOM LEFT: Dani Olmo being presented as a new Barcelona player.

TOP:

Kylian Mbappe of Real celebrates a goal during the UEFA Super Cup 2024 final match between Real Madrid and Atalanta

ABOVE: Chelsea’s new signing Pedro Neto

LEFT: The signing of Joshua Zirkzee represents a change of strategy for Manchester United

BELOW”: Manchester United’s new transfer Leny Yoro during the pre-season friendly match at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

these remarkably gifted forward players. However, the prospect of seeing Mbappe in the Real Madrid shirt in combination with Vinicius and Bellingham et al is unbelievably irresistible, and if all goes to plan we could witness something phenomenal. Mbappe has the move he always wanted, and he could add many more chapters to his growing legend in the years ahead.

PREMIER LEAGUE - JOSHUA ZIRKZEE

Joshua Zirkzee ended last season as Bologna’s top goalscorer with 11 league goals and helped inspire the Rossoblu to a fifthplace finish in Serie A and qualification to the Champions League for the first time since 1964. He was arguably the biggest star of all in a squad full of emerging talents that became the surprise package of Italian football and

his performances marked him out as a highly sought after player heading into the summer transfer window Manchester United were one of the teams convinced by his talent and they swooped quickly, splashing out a fee of €42.5 million for the Dutchman’s services.

The signing heralded the beginning of a new recruitment policy at United, whose transfer plans this summer fall under the control of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who bought a 27.7% stake in the Red Devils last winter, and newly appointed sporting director Dan Ashworth. Ratcliffe’s strategy for the fallen giants is to sign young and emerging talent instead of spending huge and inflated transfer fees and wages on older, big-name players who might be heading into the twilight of their careers, with Edinson Cavani and Casemiro among several recent examples. Zirkzee falls into the bracket of up-and-coming potential that is under the age of 25 and is someone to build the attack around along with Danish international Rasmus Hojlund.

What can United fans expect from their

new signing? Zirkzee is 6”4 yet has the tidy ball control and dribbling ability of a more diminutive playmaker rather than a typical run-of-the-mill target man. The former Bayern Munich youth team product likes to drop deep, get on the ball, and pick out intricate passes or attempt to beat his man while also being capable of using his huge frame to hold the ball up and be a danger in the air. The Dutchman recorded an average of 4.3 dribble attempts a game, just behind the likes of Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matias Soule at Frosinone in the Serie A charts.

The 24-year-old, who made his debut for the Netherlands at Euro 2024 after being drafted into the squad as a late replacement, will be relied upon by Man Utd to give a new dimension to a team that struggled in all departments last season. His range of attributes will be a major asset to go with the pace of their other forward options, so he’ll certainly be one to watch.

PORTFOLIO POWER

The multi-club ownership in football model has come to increased prominence in recent years due in part to the precarious financial state of the game outside of the European giants, who despite recording losses each year can operate without major sanctions. Another huge reason for the appeal of the multi-club model for prospective owners is the ability to operate in different markets like Europe, Asia, and the Americas while having easy access to emerging talent from those regions that can then feed into one main team playing in a major European league. Arguably the most notable owners in the multi-club model are those of the City Football Group which controls Manchester City, New York City FC, Melbourne City, Girona, Palermo, and Troyes among others - and Red Bull who can boast of having RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, and Red Bull Bragatino in Brazil on their books. But we are seeing many more examples spring up across Europe. In the Premier League alone, new Manchester United minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group have stakes in two other clubs. Nottingham Forest’s Evangelos Marinakis also owns Olympiakos, Brighton owner Tony Bloom holds a stake at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, and Bournemouth chief Bill Foley is involved at Scottish Premiership club Hibernian. Even this summer, Liverpool owners the Fenway Sports Group were in talks to purchase financially troubled Bordeaux, while Roma’s ruling Friedkin family saw a bid to add Everton to their portfolio fall through. So far, these clubs under a multiple ownership model are free to send players between themselves for fees that may not be considered market valuee. For example, the City Football Group oversaw the transfer of Savinho to Man City for €25m from French club Troyes this summer. Last year one of the hottest up-and-coming names in football Benjamin Sesko left RB Salzburg for RB Leipzig for a relatively cheap fee of €24m.

Until now clubs under the same ownership have been able to transfer players between themselves either on loan or outright which raised concerns from competitors about the revenue streams these transactions generate, and from a wider perspective, sporting integrity.

The Premier League recently changed their rules surrounding inflated values of deals between clubs under the same ownership as well as considering banning loan transfers between those clubs. The danger from a financial fair play angle is the transfer of players between clubs under the same umbrella for a higher market value that then adds a fiscal surplus in the books and circumnavigates the rules on spending more than the club generates. A crackdown on these loopholes is likely to be imminent for the sake of fairness, although, appeals and legal proceedings will surely follow if wide scale bans on transfers between teams owned by the same investors come into effect.

RIGHT: Joshua Zirkzee played a big part of getting Bologna FC into the Champions league

LEFT: Amadou Onana of Aston Villa

Ciro Di Brita discusses the growing trend of multi-club ownership and the impact it is having on player transfers.

the

“LAST

SEASON

WAS DOUGLASLUIZ’SBESTIN TERMSOFNUMBERSAND HIGH-LEVELPERFORMANCES

ASHISNINEGOALSFIRED VILLATOFOURTHPLACEIN THEPREMIERLEAGUE”

On 7 August 2021, Luiz won a gold medal as part of the Brazil football team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo

The excitement of Euro 2024 and the Copa America meant high-profile signings in the early part of summer were in short supply, but one exception was Juventus splashing the cash to lock down the services of Douglas Luiz on a five-year contract from Aston Villa for €50m. Meanwhile, Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea and England U-21 international Samuel Iling-Junior moved in the opposite direction for a reported €8 m fee. Brazilian Luiz first arrived in Europe in 2017 when Manchester City signed the then 19-year-old from Vasco da Gama, however, the midfielder never kicked a ball in anger for the Citizens as he was loaned out to another City Football Group club Girona. Luiz spent two seasons with the Catalans before joining the Premier League side in 2019 where his

€48.9

The Rio de Janeiro native scored 20 goals in 175 league appearances for the Villans while providing 18 assists. Last season was his best in terms of numbers and high-level performances as his nine goals fired Villa to fourth place in the Premier League table and their first qualification to European football’s premium competition since 1983.

Current Villa boss Unai Emery has helped take Luiz’s game to the next level, as he often dominated games in midfield during 2023-24. His creativity from deep was a major factor in the team’s success, while he also has the ability to be more of an enforcer, breaking up opposition attacks before setting his side on their way. His new team Juventus are looking to rebuild after freeing themselves from the

SERIE A - DOUGLAS LUIZ

performances would make him a firm fan favourite at Villa Park.

BELOW: SSC Napoli’s Italian defender Alessandro Buongiorno controls

ball during the the Coppa Italia football match between SSC Napoli vs Modena

RIGHT: Douglas Luiz arrives at Juventus following the best season of his career

A VERYBUSY SUMMER INDEED

Julian Alvarez

(Man. City to Atletico Madrid) – €75m

Dominic Solanke

(Bournemouth to Tottenham) – €64m

Leny Yoro

(Lille to Manchester United) – €62m

Pedro Neto

(Wolves to Chelsea) – €60m

Moussa Diaby

(Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad) – €60m

Joao Neves

(Benfica to PSG) – €57.8m

Amadou Onana

(Everton to Aston Villa) – €58m

Dani Olmo

(Leipzig to Barcelona) – €54.5m

Michael Olise

(Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich) – €52m

Joao Felix

(Atletico Madrid to Chelsea) - €52m

Douglas Luiz

(Aston Villa to Juventus) – €51.5m

Joao Palhinha

(Fulham to Bayern Munich) – €51m

Désiré Doué

(Stade Rennais to PSG)- €50m

Endrick

(Palmeiras to Real Madrid) – €47.5m

Max Kilman

(Wolves to West Ham) – €47.5m

Georginio Rutter

(Leeds to Brighton) – €46.7m

Matthijs de Ligt

(Bayern Munich to Man. United) – €45m

Riccardo Calafiori

(Bologna to Arsenal) – €45m

Ian Maatsen

(Chelsea to Aston Villa) – €43.4m

Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna to Man. United) – €42.5m

CLUB SPENDING LEADERS

Chelsea (€189m)

Aston Villa (€176m)

Manchester United (€165m)

West Ham United (€144m)

Bayern Munich (€142m)

Atletico Madrid (€142m)

Olympique Lyon (€134m)

Brighton & Hove Albion (€121m)

Parid Saint Germain (€119m)

Tottenham Hotspur (€119m)

Al-Ittihad Club (€97m)

Juventus (€89m)

AS Roma (€88.60)

Olympique Marseille (€85m)

Borussia Dortmund (€80m)

Arsenal FC (€77m)

Nottingham Forest (€73m)

tight grip that Massimiliano Allegri had on the club over the past few years. His replacement Thiago Motta led Bologna to their highest finish in Serie A since 1971 by coming fifth and qualifying for the Champions League group stage for the first time. Motta could look to build his midfield around the Brazilian international in his preferred 4-3-3 formation or by switching to 4-2-3-1 with Luiz playing in a double pivot with fellow new signing Khephren Thuram or Manuel Locatelli.

Luiz had been courted by the likes of Arsenal with their Coach Mikel Arteta reportedly a huge fan of the 26-year-old and was hoping to use his technical ability and game intelligence to help the Gunners to the Premier League title; fortunately for Juventus fans those talents will now be showcased in Turin. Motta and Luiz will have to hit the ground running this season as the Old Lady is unlikely to tolerate another year of watching bitter rivals lifting the Scudetto.

BUNDESLIGA - MICHAEL OLISE

After showcasing some outstanding ability at Crystal Palace over the past three years Bayern Munich decided to pay the London outfit €53m for their marauding playmaker Michael Olise. Despite an injury-interrupted season, the 22-year-old still managed to find the back of the net an impressive 10 times in 14 starts while also setting up six goals for his teammates last term.

Olise made his professional debut for Reading after spending time with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City’s youth teams before signing a five-year deal with Palace in 2021. Olise’s first few seasons at Selhurst Park saw him gain the reputation of a tricky left-footed attacking player who liked to dribble past his opponents and create goalscoring chances for his striking partners. In contrast last season his unique qualities started to truly come to the fore, as he started to add goals to his play and either side of his hamstring injury, looked the real deal. This was especially the case towards the end of the campaign when Palace hit spectacular form, with Olise

showing a level of class and unpredictability that suggested he is destined for the top. Despite being born in London Olise has represented France in under-age levels and took part in the Olympic Games with the French U-23 team that made it to the final. In six games as Les Bleus won the silver medal, Olise contributed with two goals and five assists, which included netting the third goal in extra time in his nation’s 3-1 semi-final win over Egypt.

Olise arrives at Bayern to effectively replace Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting who was released by the Bavarian giants this summer. Along with fellow new arrival from the Premier League Joao Palhinha as well as Hiroki Ito, who joins from Stuttgart, Bayern will be looking to wrestle the Bundesliga title back from Bayer Leverkusen.

His new coach at the Allianz Arena Vincent Kompany could look to exploit Olise’s pace wide on the right as an outlet for his Pep Guardiola-inspired build up from the back football. It will be interesting to see what type of partnership he forms with England captain and fellow Londoner Harry Kane who will relish dropping deep to pick up the ball and utilise Olise’s pace with passes into space before breaking into the box. If all goes well, expect Olise to be near the top of the Bundesliga assists chart in 2024-25.

ABOVE: President of Atletico de Madrid, Enrique Cerezo (R) and Julian Alvarez (L) during his official presentation as new player of Atletico de Madrid

BELOW: Michael Olise is an extremely exciting new addition to the Bayern squad

‘MANCHESTER CITYAND HOLDERSREAL MADRIDARE AGAINTHE FAVOURITES FORTHE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE’

NEWFORMATS, FAMILIAR FAVOURITES

ABOVE: Real Madrid are the team to beat yet again

WITH ALL-NEW FORMATS, EUROPEAN FOOTBALL’S TOP THREE CLUB COMPETITIONS WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT FEEL THIS SEASON, BUT THE SAME FAVOURITES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE TO THE TOP. DAN ROBERTS LOOKS AHEAD TO WHAT WE CAN EXPECT.

RIGHT: Vini Jr. celebrates with the Champions League Trophy

TOP, OPPOSITE

PAGE: Manchester City players waiting for the penalties during the UEFA Champions League match, Quarter-finals, second leg, between Manchester City and Real Madrid

BOTTOM, OPPOSITE

PAGE: Pep Guardiola will hope to regain the Champions League for Manchester City this season

KEY DATES

By the end of the 2024-25 season, we may well be greeted with the very familiar sight of one of the European elites, such as Real Madrid or Manchester City, lifting the most prestigious trophy in club football in front of their delirious fans in the Allianz Arena in Munich. But the way we arrive at that point will be markedly different from before, with a new extended league phase for fans to get their heads around. There have been similar alterations to the Europa League and Conference League competitions, for what promises to be another exhilarating campaign.

In the biggest shake-up in European football of the last 30 years, the top club competitions will have a very different look this season. Gone are the now traditional groups of four in the opening round and in comes a league phase. In the Champions League and Europa League that means a 36-team division, in which each club plays

DIDYOU KNOW?

Manchester City won its first Champions League title in 2022–23, and it won its fourth consecutive Premier League championship in 2023–24, the first time a club had done so.

eight games - four home and four away.

There has been a similar change in the Conference League where the clubs will play six games, drawn at random, in one big league. Accusations of over-favourable draws for the wealthier teams are surely only a few short months away.

The fans will also have to wait until the New Year for the knockout rounds to be decided. We have become used to knowing which teams will be involved before the Christmas decorations come down each year but this season’s play-off rounds will still be going on in February, meaning it will be March before the round of 16 - usually referred to by some media pundits as the “real tournament” - begins. Can we expect to see the same old faces come through at the end though?

Unsurprisingly, it is Manchester City and Real Madrid who are most people’s favourites to win the Champions League this season. With Mbappe in the Los

RETURN OF THE VILLA

years.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

It was March 1983 when Aston Villa last played in Europe’s elite club competition. Defeat to Juventus, after victories over Besiktas and Dinamo Bucharest, meant that the West Midlands club’s dream of back-to-back European Cup titles was over, having become champions so famously against Bayern Munich the previous year. There would be participation in lesser competitions sporadically over the years but loyal fans have been waiting patiently for another experience at the top table of European football. Now, 41 years later, that day is finally about to arrive.

After steady progression and a standout season last year under the stewardship of Unai Emery, Villa will enter the Champions League in the league phase, as the competition showcases its new format for the very first time. Emery’s side will face eight opponents in an attempt to qualify for the knockout rounds and possibly towards even greater success. It is difficult to overestimate just how much of Villa’s recent success has been down to the Spanish head coach. Joining the club in October 2022 with Villa near the bottom of the table, Emery oversaw a vast improvement that ended with a place in the Europa Conference League - where they reached the final four - and a fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League that earned the club a return to the Champions League. Now Villa are about to rub shoulders with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain and really test the club’s resources. Some impressive additions to the squad have already been made though and it looks like Emery has his sights on further glory. It has been a long wait for the Villa fans but with ambitious owners and a squad that continues to get stronger, it could be that the club might now become a regular name in the most prestigious club competition of them all.

Dan Roberts looks at how Aston Villa might fare back in the Champions League for the first time in over 40

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

LEAGUE PHASE

‘AFTERLOSING

TO

BORUSSIA DORTMUND INTHESEMIFINALS,CAN PARISSAINTGERMAIN CHALLENGE AFTERLOSING KYLIAN MBAPPE?

DIDYOU KNOW?

Dortmund have won one and lost one of their two previous European Cup finals; in contrast, Madrid have featured in this contest 17 times and have lost only three, the last in 1981.

Blancos squad to join fellow superstars

Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, the defending champions look like the team to beat yet again and will be something to behold if coach Carlo Ancelotti finds a system that successfully accommodates the trio. As for Man City, they still possess the best all-round squad, which usually takes something special to beat.

The revamped format should give all the big clubs an even better chance of making it to the round of 16. Certainly, a knockout round in March without those two and the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Inter would require a very strange series of events to occur. The prospects for a Kylian Mbappé-less PSG are more difficult to predict, however. Although the France captain was by no means the only top player in the PSG squad, there is a definite period of restructuring going on at the

ABOVE: Dortmund beat PSG in the semi-finals of the Champions League

FAR LEFT: Mbappe has played his last Champions League tournament with PSG

LEFT: Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League, Semifinals, 2nd leg football match against Real Madrid

Parc des Princes and the project to bring a Champions League triumph to the French capital feels a little like it is in stasis at the moment.

It is difficult to class Bayern Munich as a dark horse in any competition it takes part in but they are one club that might be able to win the Champions League in 2025 and for it to still be something of a surprise. A lot of attention will be on the English and Spanish clubs as always, but Die Roten would dearly love to lift its seventh title in front of its fans in its own stadium. Their last triumph was in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns and has almost been erased from many fans’ memory banks. The extra league phase games could be a huge positive for what should be a reinvigorated team coming off a season when they didn’t even win the Bundesliga title. Bringing in Michael Olise from Crystal Palace could

ABOVE:

Bayern Munich would dearly love to lift its seventh title in front of its fans in

prove to be a decisive move by Bayern and the club would always back itself to beat any of the other big European clubs over two legs later in the competition.

Both Germany and Italy have five entrants into this year’s Champions League, of course, after gaining an extra berth thanks to coefficient rankings last year. Whether that means we will see many of them populating the quarter-finals and semi-finals next year is another question entirely. However, with clubs prohibited from playing teams from their home nation in the league phase, there is a chance that Inter, Bayer Leverkusen, and even Atalanta might do well. As much as the football romantics would probably like to see Girona or Shakhtar Donetsk prevail, the new expanded format is unlikely to do them any favours.

KING KROOS

As the new Champions League season gets underway there will be one very noticeable absence. Dan Roberts looks at the incredible top-tier career of the legendary Toni Kroos.

League Cup in 1955

Although the Champions League is going to be slightly different this season, there will still be a lot of familiar names and faces on show. Manchester City will be hoping to emulate Real Madrid’s domination of the competition and the likes of Kylian Mbappé will be hoping to score the goals that bring success to Europe’s elite.

But there will be something very different too. After 14 years and 151 appearances, the most successful player in Champions League history will be missing, as Toni Kroos chose to retire at the end of Euro 2024, just weeks after collecting his latest winners’ medal.

The former Germany international had already played in the Champions League when he left Bayern Munich in 2014, feeling underappreciated and under-used. He missed the Bundesliga powerhouse’s triumph at Wembley in 2013 through injury but became a regular winner while at Real Madrid, with successes in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Deciding to leave the game on his own terms at the end of last season’s finalironically held again at Wembley, Kroos was able to show why he was so highly valued by the La Liga club, completing 97% of his passes as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund to claim its 15th title and a sixth of his own - a record for a single player.

He was as instrumental as ever, whipping in the corner for Dani Carvajal to head in the opener and set Real Madrid on their way to victory. At the age of 34, it could be argued that Kroos is exiting the stage too early. But one thing is for sure, there will not be another like him. If anyone could be given the title of Mr. Champions League, then right now, Kroos is the one.

TOP: Unai Emery has masterminded Aston Villa’s return to the elite

its own stadium

EUROPA LEAGUE

Like the Champions League, the Europa League will see a new extended league phase instead of the traditional groups of four this season. A total of 36 clubs will be involved by that point, with each facing eight randomly drawn opponents. Unlike previous years, there will be no transfers from the Champions League after the qualifying rounds. So, there is no chance for a relatively good top-tier side who finished third in their group in that competition to go all the way in this one. There have actually been relatively few teams who have

DIDYOU KNOW?

Atalanta won the Coppa Italia in 1963 and the UEFA Europa League in 2023–24. The club qualified for the UEFA Champions League four times, reaching the quarterfinals in 2020, and participated in six seasons of the UEFA Europa League (previously known as the UEFA Cup).

ABOVE: Atalanta celebrates as they win the Europa League

LEFT: Gianluca Scamacca of Atalanta celebrates with the UEFA Europa League Trophy

DATES

‘THELEVELOF COMPETITION INTHEEUROPA LEAGUETHIS SEASON WILLBE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH’

dropped from the Champions League and then won the Europa League - Sevilla and Atlético Madrid being the only examples in the last 10 years. That means it is possible to make a potentially more successful prediction at this stage as to who will lift the trophy in Bilbao next May.

The favourites will be those clubs who have already earned a league phase berth. With Manchester United, Tottenham, Lazio, Roma, and Real Sociedad all waiting to see who gets through the qualifying rounds, the level of competition in the Europa League this season will be exceptionally high. There is also the possibility that we see another team playing at home in the final, with Athletic Club earning their place by famously winning last season’s Copa del Rey. Spanish clubs have dominated the Europa League in the last 10 years or so after all, with Sevilla claiming the lion’s share of titles. La Liga may well have some representation in the latter rounds this season as well, but it is difficult to look past the two Premier League sides for an eventual champion, especially if they take

ABOVE:

The Manchester United manager will be hoping to bring European silverware to Old Trafford this season

LEFT: Bilbao will host the Europa League final

‘THETEAMTO BEATINTHE CONFERENCE LEAGUE SURELY HASTOBE CHELSEA’

CONFERENCE LEAGUE

The newly named Conference Leaguedropping the unwieldy Europa prefix - also follows the same route as the two other competitions, in introducing an extended league phase instead of smaller groups this season. The teams participating will only play six games at that stage though, before heading to a possible play-off round and then the round of 16. Olympiakos won the title last season after dropping down from the Europa League group stage, but no such second chances will exist anymore once the qualifying rounds are over.

Founded on 10 March 1925, Olympiacos is the most successful club in Greek football history, having won 47 league titles, 28 Cups (18 doubles), four Super Cups, all records, and 3 International titles DIDYOU KNOW?

ABOVE: Olympiacos Piraeus lifts the Winners’ trophy as he celebrates with team mates on the podium following the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/24 final match between Olympiacos Piraeus and ACF Fiorentina

KEY DATES

LEAGUE PHASE

One club that will be hoping for a better end to the campaign this season will be Fiorentina. La Viola have lost the last two Conference League finals and have qualified, once again, thanks to a good showing in Serie A. They are one of just five clubs who automatically start at the play-off round this season. The rest of the eventual league phase will consist of Europa League dropouts and smaller clubs who have battled through the labyrinth of preliminary and qualifying rounds to get to that point. That automatically makes Fiorentina one of the favourites to potentially make it third time lucky but the team to beat surely has to be Chelsea. Champions League winners just three years ago, the wealthy English Premier League side would seem to be the big fish in a small pond hereand that could be the case even after the introduction of the Europa League losers.

ABOVE: Chelsea will be lending the Conference League some real Champions League pedigree this season

LEFT: Cole Palmer of Chelsea

DIDYOU KNOW?

Chelsea are the only club to have won all three major European competitions twice. They are the only London club to have won the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

Both the Europa League and Conference Leagues have won a lot of converts in recent years, as the standard has risen with the inclusion of some of the continent’s most storied clubs. Whether that interest can be kept without the bigger clubs dropping down into the competitions remains to be seen but Atalanta’s incredible victory over Bayer Leverkusen in last season’s Europa League final is a perfect example of how the games can be just as dramatic as those in the more prestigious Champions League.

A new format is always intriguing and time will tell in regards to whether the changes will be seen as a success, but it is hard to argue that they aren’t designed to help the chances of the bigger clubsas well as generate even more income. It would therefore not be a surprise to see teams who already have a history of lifting European trophies once again getting their names engraved next May.

“THEGALAXYWOULD ONLYMAKETHE PLAY-OFFSONCEIN VANNEY’SFIRSTTHREE SEASONSINLA”

TURNAROUND IN TINSELTOWN

MARCO D’ONOFRIO TAKES A DEEP DIVE INTO HOW GREG VANNEY AND WILL KUNTZ HAVE MANAGED TO TURN THE LOS ANGELES GALAXY INTO A CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER AGAIN.

When Greg Vanney decided to leave Toronto FC and head back to the club where he spent seven seasons as a player, Los Angeles Galaxy fans were immediately optimistic. After all, Vanney had worked miracles in Toronto taking the laughingstock of the league and turning them into MLS Cup champions, leading them to the MLS Cup Final in three of four years between 2016 and 2019. The Galaxy organization was confident

that Vanney would be able to lead the team back to the glory days after some disappointing campaigns. He had taken over in January 2021, after they had missed out on the Major League Soccer play-offs in three of the previous four years.

“We are thrilled that Greg is returning to the LA Galaxy as our Head Coach,” said former club President Chris Klein at the time of Vanney’s appointment. “Greg is focused on building a culture that will serve as the foundation of this club. He is detail-

RIGHT: It hasn’t been the easiest start to life as a head coach in Los Angeles for Vanney, but he has managed to turn things around in 2024.

TOP, OPPOSITE PAGE:

The Galaxy have returned to competing at the top of the Western Conference

KEY DATES

DECISION DAY

October 19 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS

October 23

ROUND ONE, BEST OF 3 SERIES

October 26November 10

CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS

November 23November 24

CONFERENCE FINALS

November 30December 1

MLS CUP FINAL

December 7

DIDYOU KNOW?

The postseason culminates with MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi on Saturday, Dec. 7. Hosting rights are awarded to the finalist with the better regular-season record.

oriented, a fierce competitor and has a deep understanding of our league and what it takes to succeed on and off the field. He will be an outstanding ambassador for the LA Galaxy, our supporters and Los Angeles.”  Success wouldn’t happen immediately though, despite having Mexican superstars Javier Hernandez and Jonathan dos Santos in the squad. The team finished level on points with Real Salt Lake for the final playoff spot in 2021 but missed out due to a tiebreaker. It had not been a great start to Vanney’s time in Los Angeles and fans were starting to question the decision to appoint him as the team’s head coach. In fact, the Galaxy would only make the play-offs once in Vanney’s first three seasons in LA. The frustration was evident following the 2023 campaign with the club going 8-14-12, which was Vanney’s worst season ever as a manager. When other clubs may have been pressed into making a change, the Galaxy still decided to stick with

their man. “This is important because we’ve got to show real progress next season,” Vanney said following the 2023 MLS campaign. “We need to put ourselves back into the discussion about being a capable championship-winning franchise.”

“There’s nothing more that hurts me than the team losing and the team not performing. If there’s a point when I thought I wasn’t the guy, I wouldn’t be here. On my own accord because I care about the club. It’s not a job for me, this is my life, and I won’t stop until we get there. Unless somebody else makes that decision for me.” Vanney kept true to his words and has managed to turn the Galaxy into a championship contender once again. They find themselves competing for top spot in the Western Conference, despite decreasing their payroll. They went from the thirdhighest spending team in the league in 2023 to the eighth-highest spending team in 2024, proving you don’t necessarily need

SULLIVAN THE STARLET

There are few things left in sports that can truly shock fans, but Cavan Sullivan making his Philadelphia Union debut at 14 years and 293 days old did just that. Sullivan’s debut made him the youngest player to debut in the NBA, MLS, NHL, NFL, MLB, or WNBA since at least 1970. Freddy Adu had held the record for the youngest debut in MLS history at 14 years and 306 days old, a record that had been set back in 2004.

Despite his age, Sullivan knows he is exactly where is supposed to be.

“I’d say I realized I could be a pro at 10 or 11,” Sullivan said in a recent interview.

“I think that’s when I posted my first highlight reel. People said stuff that I didn’t imagine, thinking that I could be where I am today. It came out true.”

Sullivan hasn’t just captured the imagination of North American soccer fans either, with the Union already agreeing a reported $5m transfer deal with Manchester City for the youngster’s services. While he won’t be able to play for the Citizens until he is 18, he does hold a German passport making him eligible to play for clubs affiliated with Manchester City like Palermo in Italy or Girona in Spain at 16.

Despite being on a $500,000 yearly salary at 14, Sullivan knows he hasn’t done anything yet.

“Man City doesn’t mean anything, if I don’t do anything here,” he has said.

The club and player will be aware of Adu’s cautionary tale after he made his debut at 14, but Sullivan looks to be in a completely different situation altogether with a strong support system in place behind him already.

Marco D’Onofrio discusses 14-yearold rookie sensation Cavan Sullivan, the new youngest player in MLS history.

“GABRIELPECREPRESENTED ASHIFTWAYFROMTHE HOUSEHOLDNAMESTHAT HADPREVIOUSLYTAKENUP DESIGNATEDPLAYERSPOTS INLOSANGELES.”

to spend the most to win. Even though the team has spent less, they are a much deeper squad in 2024 than they were in previous seasons of the Vanney era. Will Kuntz was appointed the Galaxy’s General Manager in December 2023 and ever since has spent his time molding the team into Vanney’s vision.

“There is no opportunity in Major League Soccer more exciting to me than the chance to help lead this club to reclaim its place as the top club in the league,” said Kuntz in a press release announcing his arrival. “I want to thank Greg Vanney for being my strongest advocate in bringing me into the Club last winter, and I am thrilled with how our partnership has developed since I came on board. I look forward to collaborating with Greg towards achieving our shared vision and building on the foundation that has been created over the past several years.”  The club signed talented Brazilian Gabriel Pec from Vasco da Gama as a

Young Designated Player and it has paid off immensely. The 23-year-old already scored 10 goals and provided 10 assists in his first 25 games in MLS. He fits perfectly into Vanney’s system and has been a huge help to the squad in 2024.

Aside from his goals and assists, Pec is a workhorse on the pitch who never seems to run out of energy. He is exactly the type of player Vanney had been looking for to elevate the squad. The MLS rookie was even named to the MLS All-Star team in his debut season.

“Gabriel has been a key contributor for one of the biggest clubs in Brazil’s Série A and we are beyond excited that he is choosing to join the Galaxy as the next step in his burgeoning career,” Kuntz said in a press release announcing his signing.

“In addition to his work rate and attacking prowess, he will also be bringing the experience of representing his native Brazil in the qualification tournament for the 2024

ABOVE:

BELOW: Will Kuntz was appointed as the Los Angeles Galaxy’s General Manager in December 2023, a decision that has so far paid off.

Paris Olympics when he joins our group. We are thrilled to announce Gabriel as the newest member of the LA Galaxy.” Pec represented a shift way from the household names that had previously taken up Designated Player spots in Los Angeles. Big stars like David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Steven Gerrard, and Robbie Keane have all represented the Galaxy in the past, but the club was now focused on signing younger players in the prime of their careers.

The Brazilian wasn’t the only player the Galaxy brought in though as Joseph Paintsil was also signed to help turn things around. Paintsil has been a revelation in Los Angeles during his first season and can play either as a winger or striker.

Joining the Galaxy in February 2024, Paintsil wasn’t a familiar face to most fans despite the club paying a $9m transfer fee to Belgian side Genk for the 26-year-old’s services. Much like Pec though, Paintsil

MLS rookie Gabriel Pec has been a revelation for the Galaxy in 2024.

settled in immediately with his new team.

“Joseph has been a key member of one of the best clubs in Belgium’s top-flight and one of Africa’s most prominent national teams over the past few years and we are thrilled to announce that he is joining the LA Galaxy,” Kuntz said in a release at the time.

“We are looking forward to adding such a dynamic attacker in the prime of his career to our group and for him to be a key figure in our pursuit of our next trophies.”

While Pec and Paintsil weren’t the two most recognizable names, they were exactly the type of players Vanney was looking for to implement his style of play. “We are pleased to add a player of Joseph’s quality to the LA Galaxy,” said Vanney at the time of Paintsil’s acquisition. “Joseph is a dynamic winger with and without the ball who possesses the capacity to change games instantly.”

ABOVE: Gerardo Martino was critical of the decision to go ahead with the Leagues Cup this year

BOTTOM: Although teams like Inter Miami and Toronto FC may possess bigger international superstars than the Galaxy currently do, Los Angeles seems like they are on the brink of something special

Although teams like Inter Miami and Toronto FC may possess bigger international superstars than the Galaxy currently do, the five-time MLS Cup winners seem like they are on the brink of something special again. Through their first 26 games of the season in all competitions, the Galaxy hit 50 goals and looked like they could have had 50 more at times. Kuntz and Vanney have put together a lethal attack that is the envy of most teams across the league. It may have taken a little longer than anticipated, but the Galaxy are certainly back as a championship contender. Only time will tell though if the Galaxy ultimately goes on to lift the league’s most prestigious trophy for a historic sixth time, but fans are certainly much more optimistic these days than they were even a few short months ago.

LEAGUES CUP FAIL

Marco D’Onofrio discusses why MLS and Liga MX made a mistake by playing the Leagues Cup this season.

Having MLS clubs meet Liga MX teams in a mid-season tournament isn’t necessarily a terrible idea. In fact, it is a great way to market both leagues to fans across North America and build further exposure for both brands. Also, it provides Mexican fans living in the United States or Canada with many more opportunities to see their favourite clubs or players live.

However, playing a mid-season tournament during a summer that saw both the Copa America and European Championship take place just never made much sense. MLS teams were forced to play important games while both international tournaments were taking place, ensuring top stars would be absent for their clubs.

UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955

The MLS schedule did not have any room for teams to stop playing through the high-profile tournaments, because they had to fit in the Leagues Cup for the second annual season. MLS opted to halt league play from July 20 to August 24 so that the Leagues Cup to be contested.

For most supporters and coaches though, they’d have much preferred the league stopped play during FIFA international windows and just skipped the Leagues Cup this year. After all, teams like Inter Miami are forced to play a significant portion of their season without superstars like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

“The league needs to stop playing during international windows because that will deter the type of players we can sign,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino said in June. “Instead of signing a really good player, you’ll sign someone a little worse that will not be called up during FIFA windows. Because every international window, Copa América or Olympics, I have three or four players gone and the team feels it. So teams may not risk signing players that may be eligible to be called up.”

It’s important for MLS to develop new traditions and the Leagues Cup could become a prestigious competition down the line, but it won’t be if it is being shoved down the throats of teams and fans.

SURPRISE SURPRISE

2024-2025 HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT A NORMAL SEASON IN MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER. WITH FIVE DIFFERENT COMPETITIONS IN PLAY AND NEW NAMES AND FACES JUMPING OUT ACROSS THE LEAGUE THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SURPRISES FOR SUPPORTERS. WITH THE SEASON WINDING DOWN, HERE ARE THE TEN BIGGEST SURPRISES THUS FAR IN THE MLS SEASON.

ONE CREW, ONE LOVE

After coming up just short in the MLS Cup Final last year and in the CONCACAF Champions League finals against Pachuca earlier this spring, the Columbus Crew have ripped through the regular season, using a stout defense to match their high-energy attack. Through the All-Star and Leagues Cup break Columbus led the league in

fewest goals allowed (22) and were sixth in the league in goals scored (47). Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was heavily rumored to be in the running for the US Men’s National Team position but seems to be more focused on getting the Crew their fourth MLS Cup title.

BULLS ON PARADE

New York Red Bulls supporters have not

TOP: LAFC are battling it out with LA Galaxy for the top of the Western Conference

RIGHT: WIthout Messi, Luis Suarez has stepped up providing Miami with timely goals during crunch periods.

had a lot to cheer for in recent seasons. The team hasn’t made the MLS Cup Playoffs in five years and still has yet to win an MLS Cup. That may change this season with head coach Sandro Schwarz leading the group to a top four spot in the Eastern Conference. Scotland international Lewis Morgan has dominated in the attacking third for NYRB, finding small spaces to exploit in even the tightest of defenses.

ALL HOPE LIES IN THE CUP

In MLS league play, it has been a pretty rough season for Sporting Kansas City. With the team on the outside looking in at the playoffs and struggling to keep up in the Western Conference supporters had pretty much chalked up 2024 as a lost season. But the team has rallied in a different medium: the US Open Cup. One of eight MLS teams competing in this year’s competition, Sporting are gunning for their fifth US Open Cup title and already have a big victory under their belt having defeated FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals.

NO ONE CAN STOP ARANGO

Now in his second season, Cristian Arango is once again lighting up MLS defenses for Real Salt Lake. The 29 year old Colombia forward picked up right where he left off last season, scoring five goals in his first six regular season matches. Against St. Louis City SC Arango showed that no matter the situation he can produce, burying a hat trick in their 3-1 victory back in March.

RAPIDS RISE

One of the biggest surprises this has been the play of the Colorado Rapids, who find themselves in the hunt for a top four spot in the Western Conference. New head coach Chris Armas has brought in a fast, electric style that has opened up defenses across the league. Midfielder Cole Bassett has become a leader in his sixth full season of the league and alongside defender Darren Yapi, midfielder Djordjie Mihailovic, and forward Rafael Navarro has given the Rapids a nice corps of younger players to build around in the seasons ahead.

THE GANG FALLS APART

Possessing a wealth of talent and a passionate supporter-base the feeling was that it was a matter of when and not if the Philadelphia Union would win their first-ever MLS Cup. But after a summer poor results and multiple players about to become free agents it is becoming increasingly likely that the golden generation of Union may never quite reach the mountain top. For a group that finished as Runners-Up at the 2022 MLS Cup and came within minutes of winning it all, it is a tough pill to swallow.

LUCHO! LUCHO!

Like a fine wine, Luciano Acosta just keeps getting better with age. The 30 year old midfielder keeps getting better and better with FC Cincinnati, using his crisp passing and pacey dribbling skills to break past defenses. Right at the top of the league’s assist and key passes leaders, Acosta has Cincinnati dreaming of a second consecutive Eastern Conference crown.

ST. LOUIS BLUES

After a strong first MLS season which saw them win the Western Conference regular season title, expectations were high for St. Louis City SC entering into year two. Instead of blossoming the club has fallen into a sophomore slump. A winless stretch in June (0-3-3, 3 points) resulted in the firing of Bradley Carnell. Things have only gotten worse from there with the club winning just once in July (1-3-1, 4 points).

NO MESSI, NO PROBLEM

One of the biggest questions heading into the 2024 season was how Inter Miami CF would hold up without Lionel Messi. The answer as it turns out is quite well. With their talisman forward Miami have surged to the top of the Eastern Conference standings while making a Quarterfinal appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League. WIthout Messi, Luis Suarez has stepped up providing Miami with timely goals during crunch periods.

BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES

The Western Conference is turning into a miniature version of El Trafico with both the Los Angeles Galaxy and LAFC battling it out at the top of the standings and in the transfer market. After LAFC snagged Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, the Galaxy made their own offseason splash snagging Marco Reus. On the field LAFC have gotten the best of their counterparts twice, earning a pair of 2-1 victories to win the regular season series.

BELOW: FC Cincinnati

midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) drives the ball

BELOW RIGHT:

Colorado Rapids have been one of the surprise teams of the season

GOLDEN GIRLS!

BY SEAN MASLIN

W‘TEAM

USAGOLD MEDALISTSPOSE WITHTHEIRGOLD MEDALS’

hen Emma Hayes took over the United States Women’s National Team coaching job back in November of last year the hope within American supporter circles was that she could eventually bring them back to the top of the mountain.

As it turns out, eventually meant her first major tournament with the team: the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

Buoyed by Hayes and an array of young talent the USWNT earned their fifth Gold Medal knocking off a spirited veteran-heavy Brazil side 1-0 in the finals. w The final, much like the entire tournament,

LEFT: Players of the United States celebrate after winning the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Women Gold

was dominated by the USWNT’s young corps of players given the keys to the starting eleven by Hayes. It was a daring proposition by the former Chelsea boss who just joined the team on June 1st. Without mainstays, Megan Rapinoe (retired), Julie Ertz (retired), and Alex Morgan (left off the roster by Hayes) the USWNT relied on the likes of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Naomi Girma. That gamble paid off in particular on the attack. Swanson, Smith, and Rodman have all become regulars within the USWNT over the past few years all three were still looking for their breakout tournament. The trio now known as The Triple Espresso added a jolt of energy to the US, taking what had been a major point of concern heading into Paris and turning it on its head. The trio combined to score ten of the team’s twelve goals with Swanson slamming home the game-winner against Brazil. While the US’ attacking efforts were impressive, they were equally deadly on the defense. Led by Girma, the US allowed just two goals throughout their Olympic run including

medal football match between Brazil and United States

three consecutive shutouts in the knockout rounds over Japan (1-0), Germany (1-0), and Brazil. Working alongside Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, and Emily Sonnett Girma imposed a tight, consistent backline that gave attackers little to work with and made Alyssa Naerher’s life much easier between the posts.

Where the Women’s World Cup is typically seen at the end of a cycle, the Summer Olympics normally held one year later is seen as the start of something new. It is a tournament that the United States has used to jumpstart the next generation of players and prepare them for the next World Cup cycle.

That balancing act of cycling in new players to go with veterans rests on the shoulders of Hayes, who expertly mastered lineup decisions through the Olympics. Facing injuries to Davidson, Sonnett, and Rose LaVelle she managed to continue to get the most out of all three while keeping their risk of increased injury at bay. Korbin Albert and Sam Coffey in the midfield, and Jenna Nighswonger in the defense were all called

TOP LEFT: MarieAntoinette Katoto for France

ABOVE LEFT: Marta got sent off with a red card during the Olympics, but still lead her team to the finals.

ABOVE RIGHT: Alyssa Naerher for USA.

RIGHT: USA Defender Naomi Girma

upon to spell veteran members of the team and flourished with their additional time on the field.

Having Lindsay Horan also helped in that process of blending two different generations of players and turning the USWNT into one strong eleven. A lone bright spot in their disastrous run at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Horan thrived with the captain’s armband in Paris working to create a tightly knit midfield and connect the defense with the attack. Although she didn’t score, she didn’t need to and could focus her efforts on building rather than creating goal-scoring opportunities.

The USWNT may have won the Gold Medal, but they are still in a different women’s soccer world than in year’s past. But there is a sharpness to this group, a chip on their shoulder that comes with having something to prove. That emotion and sentiment should worry the other contenders as another World Cup cycle starts and Hayes, The Triple Espresso, Girma, and the rest of this new USWNT look to build off of their Gold Medal.

WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT BEST XI

Before we bid adieu to the 2024 Olympics Women’s Tournament it is time to hand out some awards. While we here at Soccer360 Magazine do not have any medals there are plenty of reasons to celebrate this year’s Best XI from Paris!

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naerher (United States)

Earned three consecutive clean sheets against Japan, Germany, and Brazil to push the US back onto the Gold Medal stand since 2012. In the finals, her fingertip in extra time against Adriana helped preserve the 1-0 advantage.

Defender Thais Ferreira (Brazil)

Serving as Brazil’s center-back in a 3-5-2 formation is never easy, especially during the Olympics when there are no matches against minnows. But Ferreira held her own, forming a cohesive unit alongside Tarciane and Tamires.

Defender Naomi Girma (United States) Girma’s tight, consistent marking stifled the high-scoring German attack twice and limited Australia’s chances at goal in the finale of the Group Stage. She also proved that in big moments she could be called upon to deliver, holding off Brazil in the final moments of the final.

Defender Marina Hegering (Germany)

At 36, Hegering put on one of her best defensive performances in Paris leading an untested backline to a bronze medal. She also showed that she can contribute to the attack, scoring their opening goal in their 3-0 win over Australia.

THEKIWISREPORTED TOFRENCHPOLICE THAT

ADRONEHAD BEENFLYINGOVER THEIRPRACTICES.

BY SEAN MASLIN

CANADIANFOLLY

Title defenses are never easy tasks. Despite knowing what it takes to make it to the top, success can be a double-edged sword in that always seems to bring new challenges and new challenges. While the stakes are certainly raised by competitors title holders are often their own worst enemy. That was certainly the case for the Canadian Women’s National Team who after winning the 2022 Gold Medal were unable to repeat as champions in Paris. As opposed to other champions who have fallen short due to on-the-field performance, CANWNT’s self-inflicted problems were due to spying. On July 22nd, before their first group play match against New Zealand, the Kiwis

reported to French police that a drone had been flying over their practices. The French police traced the drone back to Canadian staff member Joseph Lombardi. Although they defeated New Zealand 2-1 the story was no longer about the players and their title defense but about the scope of Canada’s spying operations. Before the New Zealand match, CANWNT head coach Bev Priestman had announced that she would not be coaching the team during that match (Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander had already been sent home). The hits continued days later when FIFA banned Priestman, Mander, and Lombardi were each banned for one year. The team was also given a six-point deduction in the Olympics, dealing a major

blow to their defense aspirations. The Canadian players didn’t go down without a fight. Despite being dealt a minus six-point blow, the side finished second in their group reeling off back-to-back one-goal victories over France (2-1) and Colombia (1-0) to advance to the next round. Their luck ran out in the Round of 16, falling to eventual bronze medalist Germany 4-2 in penalties after drawing 0-0 in regulation.

The results on the pitch though were overshadowed by the brewing commotion off of the pitch. During and after the Olympics, accusations have continued to pile up against the Canadian Women’s Team over their alleged use of drone operations throughout the years, including their 2021 Gold Medal victory. While FIFA and

the IOC have yet to lay down any further punishment it is possible that CANWNT may have their medal rescinded.

While the drone incident at the Paris games may have been solved, the Canadian Soccer Association’s issues continue to grow. After finally resolving their equal pay dispute with the women’s team, the CSA once again finds themselves in hot water in a situation that may cost them both in terms of trophies and in the pocketbook.

Financially, the CSA is already in dire straits operating on a $4 million dollar deficit in 2022. In order to hire Jesse Marsch as their men’s head coach the CSA had to work out a financial arrangement with Major League Soccer footing part of the bill leading to the men’s team being rebranded

GOAL SCORING LEADERS WOMEN’S

Katoto FRA (5)

Swanson USA (4)

Banda ZAM (4)

Schüller GER (3)

Rodman USA (3)

Smith USA (3)

Carley AUS (2)

Giles CAN (2)

Munoz COL (2)

Putellas ESP (2)

Portilho BRA (2)

Santos COL (2)

DIDYOU KNOW?

Marta was Named FIFA Player of the Year a record (male or female) five consecutive times from 2006-2010.

ABOVE: Canada

Coach Beverly Priestmangot suspended from the Olympic Tournament

ABOVE RIGHT: Irene Parades from Spain

RIGHT: Sophia Smith for her country, USA

BOTTOM (OPPOSITE PAGE): Vanessa Gilles for Canada

as MLS Canada. The CSA’s money woes will certainly worsen with the appointment of another women’s head coach to replace Priestman and should FIFA impose additional fines.

All of this spell’s catastrophe for the Canadian Soccer Association and their Women’s National Team. While more changes are certainly in store at the executive level it is the players and the supporters that will be affected the most. Denied the chance to fairly defend their title by the machinery of their own FA, CANWNT’s successes are now all thrown into question.

WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT BEST XI (CON’T)

Defender Irene Paredes (Spain)

Led Spain’s possession of the back, speeding up and slowing down play depending upon what her team needed her to do. Her ability to pick out teammates throughout the pitch helped open up play throughout their run to the bronze medal match. She also netted the equalizer for La Roja to send them into extra-time and eventually defeat Colombia 4-2 in the Quarterfinals. contribute to the attack, scoring their opening goal in their 3-0 win over Australia.

Midfielder Lindsay Horan (United States)

Faced with mixing a new fresh group of players with veteran mainstays Horan thrived creating linkages from both sides of the pitch through the midfield. Her steadying presence and calm demeanor helped the US maintain their composure throughout the knockout round and earn back their gold medal.

Midfielder Gabi Portilho (Brazil) Broke the hearts of the French supporters in the Quarterfinals, burying the go-ahead goal in the Quarterfinals to lift Brazil into the Semifinals. She followed it up with an equally impressive effort in the semifinals hammering home their second of the match in their victory over Spain.

Midfielder Sophia Smith (United States)

Smith alternated between the attacking midfield and forward positions for the United States, providing help through the midfield and linking up with Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson throughout the entire tournament.

The Spanish armada is once again demolishing opponents in men’s football. La Roja capped off their return to the top of the football pyramid with an emphatic 5-3 victory over France in the 2023 Summer Olympics Gold Medal match.

This isn’t the first time that Spain have dominated international football. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that they reeled off back-toback European Championships to go with their 2010 World Cup trophy. But the team has fallen on relative hard times since those glory days and 2024 seems to be the beginning of a new golden generation.

In addition to winning Olympic Gold, Spain have also won the European

YOUTH REVOLUTION CONTINUES INSPAIN

BY SEAN MASLIN

ABOVE: Spain won the Gold Medal at the 2024 Olympics in France shortly after winning the EURO 2024 tournament in Germany

LEFT (Opposite page): Rahimi scored an impressive 8 goals at the olympics for Morocco

Championship at the senior and under-19 levels this summer. Throw in a second place finish at last year’s under-21 European Championship and a UEFA Nations League title during 2022-2023 and one can see a pattern forming quickly (It should also be noted that their women’s team earned their first-ever World Cup title in 2023).

Aside from being successful, there are other constants across Spanish football. Since the 2010s their style of play has changed dramatically going from the tiki taka steady progression through the midfield to a quicker, pacier style of attack.

There were some speed bumps for Spain in the Group Stage. They eked out a 2-1 victory in the opening match against Uzbekistan with defender Sergio Gomez

coming through with the game-winner in the second half. They had a similarly nervy experience with the Dominican Republic-going ahead early before letting in an equalizer just before halftime. They regrouped in the second half to earn the three points with Alex Baena of Villarreal and Miguel Gutierrez Ortega putting the game away for good. That win secured a spot in the knockout round but a 2-1 loss to Egypt in their final group stage game certainly had Spanish supporters thinking that they may not make it much further. As good teams often do, Spain found their footing in the knockout round. After blanking Japan 3-0 they scored two late goals to knock off Morocco in front of a pro-Moroccan crowd of 59, 882 at the Stade

MEN’S

GOAL SCORING LEADERS

Rahimi MOR (8)

López ESP (6)

Mateta FRA (5)

Adel EGP (3)

Fernández PAR (3)

Almada ARG (2)

Olise FRA (2)

Hussein IRQ (2)

Fujio JPN (2)

Mito JPN (2)

Yamamoto JPN (2)

Ezzalzouli MOR (2)

de Marseille (Fans of the Atlas Lions would get a measure of good news though in the Bronze Medal match where they took down their bitter rivals Egypt 6-0).

Spain’s attack proved to be the difference throughout the entire tournament, racking up 16 goals. Their leader up top was Fermin Lopez of Barcelona who scored six of them including a brace in the final against France.

Working with Alex Baena of Villarreal and Sergio Camello of Rayo Vallecano (two goals apiece) the three were able to unlocked defenses finding small gaps to exploit. All three players are also under the age of 23 and will certainly use their positive experiences as a chance to enhance their aspirations with their respective clubs. After having a hugely successful summer

ABOVE (TOP): Lopez (Spain) celebrates a goal during the Men’s Semi-final between Morroco and Spain

ABOVE RIGHT: Mallory Swanson

France

Spain’s next goal seems to be quite clear: winning the World Cup in 2026 for the second time. Given their recent run of form across all age levels they should feel quite confident in their ability to score goals at will. It is just a question of whether they can find the right roster to take to North America.

WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT BEST XI (CON’T)

Forward Mallory Swanson (United States)

Buried the game-winner in the gold medal match and was a constant attacking presence for the United States throughout the entire tournament, scoring four goals. Alongside Rodman and Smith, Swanson formed a devastating three-headed attack.

Forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France)

Set the tone early for the high-scoring French attack in their opening day 3-2 win over Colombia, scoring a brace in the victory. In the Group Stage, she scored five of France’s six goals including two additional goals to lift the home team over New Zealand 2-1 to earn the top spot in Group A.

Forward Barbra Banda (Zambia)

The Golden Boot winner of the tournament Banda buried a hat trick for Zambia, who narrowly lost to Australia 6-5. She added a fourth in their final match against Germany showing that the Orlando Pride forward can strike at any opponent with pace and velocity.

RIGHT, MIDDLE: Katoto for

FAR RIGHT: Barbra Banda

RIGHT: Mateta for France

THE NWSL IS HEATING UP!

THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE 2024-2025 SEASON IS HEATING UP! AFTER A STRONG START AND A LONG SUMMER, THE NWSL ENTERS THEIR STRETCH RUN HEADING INTO THE NWSL PLAYOFFS AND THE NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH ON NOVEMBER 23RD.. ‘THISYEAR,

ABOVE: Gotham FC huddles together during the National Women’s Soccer League match between Gotham FC and San Diego Wave FC

RIGHT: Chicago Red Stars defender Sam Staab (3) kicks the ball as NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Ella Stevens (13) pursues

TOP, OPPOSITE PAGE: Reign player JESS FISHLOCK #10 tries to fight off Orlando player AMANDA ALLEN #29

TOP RIGHT, OPPOSITE PAGE: Ouleymata Sarr for Washington

BOTTOM RIGHT, OPPOSITE PAGE: Sam Kerr, NWSL record holder

BOTTOM (OPPOSITE PAGE): Croix Bethune for Washington Spirit

DIDYOU KNOW?

The Orlando Pride is the only NWSL Original Team To Not Have Made an NWSL playoff appearance. Should the Orlando Pride secure a playoff spot they will become the last NWSL original team to make an appearance in the league’s second season. Alongside the Houston Dash, there are only two NWSL original teams that have yet to make an appearance in the NWSL Championship.

Here are some of the storylines to keep an eye on in the final weeks of the season.

10. CHAMPION OF NORTH AMERICA

In addition to the NWSL Championship and Supporters Shield being on the line, this year, the first-ever NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Super Cup winner will be crowned between NJ/NY Gotham FC and the Kansas City Current. The two teams clinched their spots in the final on October 25 at San Antonio thanks to each having won their semifinal match in shutout fashion. NJ/NY Gotham FC knocked off Angel City FC 1-0 while the Current downed the NC Courage.

9. BETHUNE BRINGS THE PAIN

After a couple of rough seasons, the Washington Spirit find themselves right in the hunt for an NWSL Playoff spot, looking to add a second Championship crown to their effort in 2021. A major reason for

their return to form has been the play of attacking midfielder Croix Bethune. In just her first season Bethune has made a name for herself for her relentless work through the middle resulting in her earning three consecutive of the month honors from March/April to June. Her experience as an alternate for the United States at the Paris Olympics will undoubtedly help her prepare for the NWSL’s second season.

8. A SARR IS BORN

In addition to Bethune the Spirit has also received a boost in the attack from Ouleymata Sarr, who joined the club last year from Paris St. Germain. Despite the midseason shuffle, Sarr has shined for the Spirit including ending Gotham’s nine-game unbeaten run in June delivering a critical goal in their 2-0 victory against their hated rivals.

DIDYOUKNOW?

Sam Kerr Currently Holds The Single-Season Scoring Record With 18 Goals- The Australian international buried 18 goals in 2019 for NJ/NY Gotham FC and for many years was the standardbearer for scoring excellence. But her record may be shattered this year with Barbra Banda of the Orlando Pride (12 goals through the Olympic break) and Temwa Chawinga of the KC Current (12 goals) both zeroing in on her mark with plenty of matches to go.

‘THORNSKEEPERHOGANHAS SHOWNAKNACKFORPULLING PORTLANDOUTOFMANYJAMS.’

7. A THORN IN STRIKER’S SIDES

Portland Thorns goalkeeper Shelby Hogan has dominated between the posts for the Thorns this season, keeping the team in line to earn their eighth consecutive playoff appearance. In her first full season as the Thorns starter Hogan has shown a knack for pulling Portland out of jams including a tight 1-0 shutout against Seattle Reign in July before the team went on a break for the Olympics. Her seven shutouts through the Olympics break is the most among all goalkeepers in the NWSL.

6. BAY CITY ROLLERS

Despite entering the league this season, Bay FC have more than held their own against the league’s best. Entering the Olympics break the expansion side out of California had won four of their last seven games pulling them into the final playoff spot. Midfielder Dorian Bailey leads a young, defensive team that does not score many goals but will not give up many either. Their back-to-back 1-0 victories over Racing Louisville and Angel City FC proved that they can handle tough attacking teams and get big results.

ABOVE: Portland Thorns goalkeeper Shelby Hogan has dominated between the posts for the Thorns this season

RIGHT: Kansas City Current Temwa Chawinga in red and Chicago Red Stars midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth battle for the ball at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

LEFT: Bay FC midfielder Dorian Bailey (19) and Chicago Red Stars midfielder Cari Rocker (4) pursue the ball

5. ALL ABOARD THE CHAWINGA TRAIN

After signing with the Kansas City Current in the offseason, the hope for Temwa Chawinga was that she could help improve KC’s stagnant offense from last season. She has more than delivered becoming one of the league’s top goal-scorers while fighting neck and neck with the Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda (more on her in a minute). The Malawian international hammered home six goals in four matches for KC in June, earning Team of the Month honors.

DIDYOU KNOW?

Only one team has won backto-back NWSL ChampionshipsShould NJ/ NY Gotham FC win it all again in 2024 they will become the secondever team to win back-toback NWSL Championships.

The NC Courage in 2018 and 2019 claimed consecutive top honors defeating the Portland Thorns and the Chicago Red Stars.

‘THE

MOST DOMINANT STRIKERINTHE NWSLTHIS SEASONHASBEEN THEORLANDO PRIDE’SBARBRA BANDA’

3. WHO WILL CLAIM THE SHIELD?

4. SWANSON’S BACK

After missing most of last season due to a devastating ACL injury, Mallory Swanson has come back swinging for the Chicago Red Stars leading the team in goals. The USWNT Gold Medal winner has led a rejuvenated Chicago group alongside Tierna Davidson and Alyssa Naerher right into the thick of the NWSL playoff race.

It is a four-way race between the Pride, Current, Spirit, and Gotham for the Supporter’s Shield which is given to the team that finishes with the best regular season record. After the Olympic break the four teams are separated by seven points with the quartet having to face one another multiple times down the stretch.

DIDYOU KNOW?

Lauren Barnes Holds The Record For Most Regular Season AppearancesReign FC’s Lauren Barnes is the NWSL’s Iron Women making 211 appearances for Seattle. Her consistency since 2013 has provided Seattle with a marked level of stability in the defense, making her a fan-favorite throughout the years.

2. GOTHAM’S TITLE DEFENSE

Although it hasn’t always been the easiest of title defenses NJ/NY Gotham FC have found themselves with the chance to repeat as NWSL Champions. If they have any hopes of repeating they are going to need to score more goals. Heading out of the Olympic break, Gotham have yet to score more than two goals in a game which hasn’t hurt them yet but could prove problematic if they go down a goal in the playoffs.

1. BANDA’S BREAKOUT SEASON

The most dominant striker in the NWSL this season has been the Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda who has thunderous strikes has helped push the Pride to the top of the league. The Zambian international capped off a strong first half in July with the gamewinner against the Current, a 2-1 result. The Pride are entering uncharted territorythe side has never made an NWSL playoff appearance and Banda has them thinking beyond just a token appearance.

ABOVE: Talented striker Barbra Banda

RIGHT: The Current are in a spot to win it all this year

LEFT: Mallory Swanson has come back swinging for the Chicago Red Stars leading the team in goals.

It is often said that the pathway to repeating a championship is perilous. With the eyes of the world watching and every team gunning for them, winning multiple championships in a row is a daunting task. For Argentina, their road to a second consecutive Copa America title featured multiple tough matches, a battle with an old foe in the form of Colombia, and multiple stadium problems. But as they have shown throughout this recent run they were up for the task knocking off Colombia 1-0 in front of a mostly paid crowd at Hard Rock Stadium. As was the case in the 2022 edition of the tournament, Argentina’s rise to the top wasn’t all smooth

ARGENTINA DELIGHT

ABOVE: Argentina celebrate with their Copa America Trophy

LEFT: Alvarez of Argentina celebrates with the trophy

sailing. Although they did finish atop Group A having not allowed a single goal (3-0-0, 9 points) they did run into some speed bumps in the knockout rounds. As is usually the case Ecuador proved to be a tough out in the Quarterfinals working La Albiceleste all the way to penalties before losing 4-2. Canada also made life miserable for Argentina in the semifinals, matching them stride-for-stride before bowing out 2-0. Against Colombia, an opponent who also had to grind out a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in the semifinals, Argentina faced another side that could hold their own defensively against Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez, who had scored four of their goals prior to the finals. Through 112 minutes they

GOAL SCORING

Martínez ARG (5)

Rondón VNZ (3)

Álvarez ARG (2)

Júnior BRA (2)

David CAN (2)

Cordoba COL (2)

Diaz COL (2)

Lerma COL (2)

Munoz COL (2)

Fajardo PAN (3)

Balogan USA (2)

Araujo URU (2)

AWARD LEADERS WINNERS

succeeded using their patient build-up approach and taking their chances at goal when they could. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was once again on point making multiple saves to earn his fifth shutout of the tournament and the Golden Gloves award. Lautaro Martinez sealed the result just before penalties with a low curling effort late into the evening. While winning the Copa America title was important, it was perhaps equally important what the Copa America represented as they build for the 2026 World Cup. After finally winning the 2024 World Cup it was thought that there would be a changing of

BOTTOM:

the guard within Argentina with some of the older generation of players finally calling it a day. At least on the attack that seemed to finally be happening. Lionel Messi was certainly a key role in their Copa run, but so too were Lautaro and Julian Alvarez, who added two goals. Angel Di Maria was at the Copa America but played more of a support role through their run and was given his justifiable flowers after he announced his retirement.

Argentina’s Copa victory, coupled with their win in 2022 and their 2024 World Cup titles, further cements their role as the top team in the world as of this moment. The

question is now: how long can they hold it? While the youth revolution has started they still heavily rely upon the likes of Messi (36). Nicolas Otamendi (36), and Marcos Acuna (32). While they are still performing at a high level, the question is for how long. World Cup cycles can be long, drawn out affairs and relying upon veterans can be helpful at times, but in others (particularly in jam packed qualifying weekends) can be a challenge. How Lionel Scaloni chooses to use his seasoned veterans will determine Argentina’s chances at a second consecutive World Cup title.

LEFT (Top to Bottom): Lautauro Martinez celebrates with his Golden Boot award.

Colombia’s Rodriguez celebrates with his player of the tournament award.

Emi Martinez with his Golden Glove award

RIGHT TOP: Lautauro Martinez celebrates with his family

RIGHT MIDDLE: De Paul celebrates with his children

RIGHT

Di Maria retired from the Argentina National Team on a high note.

O’CANADA!

Afunny thing happened on the way to Mexico and the United States dominating at the 2024 Copa America: they didn’t. The good news for those organizing the 2026 World Cup was that one of their hosts did look impressive and hold their own against the best from South America: Canada. Les Rouges proved their mettle in the summer competition, earning a fourth place showing and earning plaudits for their rugged, determined effort.

Heading into the tournament expectations were modest for Canada and with good reason: they just hired their new coach Jesse Marsch in May. Marsch, who had previously coached for Leeds and Red Bull Salzburg, came to Canada under interesting circumstances. With the Canadian Soccer Association in dire financial straits, the CSA had to reach out to the three Canadian MLS sides (CF Montreal, Toronto FC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps) to help cover

TOP (OPPOSITE PAGE): Jacob Shaffelburg of Canada celebrates after scoring during the match between Venezuela and Canada

TOP: Canada had alot to celebrate in this tournament

FAR LEFT: Richie Laryea of Canada in action against Argentina

TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

GOALKEEPER

Emiliano Martinez ARG

DEFENDERS

Piero Hincapié ECU

Davinson Sánchez COL

Cristian Romero ARG

Alistair Johnston CAN

MIDFIELDERS

James Rodríguez COL Manuel Ugarte URU

Rodrigo De Paul ARG

FORWARDS

Raphinha BRA

Lautauro Martinez ARG

Lionel Messi ARG

the cost of his appointment. The unusual circumstances of his appointment aside, the hire marks a shift in CSA coaching recruitment. Where in the past, the CSA had typically hired coaches either at the beginning or the end of their career Marsch is coming off a run in the English Premier League and had received offers in Europe and in MLS. That he was also reportedly in the running for the USMNT job before Gregg Berhalter had been rehired also gave him a bit of a chip on his shoulder. In his first two friendlies against the Netherlands and France were mixed, with

Canada getting crushed 4-0 against the Oranje but then holding their own in a 0-0 draw with Les Bleus. The cupboard also wasn’t completely bare either with the group having just qualified for the 2022 World Cup and with Jonathan David (Lille), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), and Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan) all playing at a high level. Nonetheless, going into a tournament like the Copa America with a new coach and new philosophy is a pretty daunting task. But they set the tone early in their first match against Argentina, holding their own while falling just 2-0. A tough 1-0 victory over Peru through a David strike gave them the three points necessary to put some distance against Chile, who they held off for a 0-0 draw.

Canada’s luck continued into the knockout round where they faced a determined Venezuelan group looking to make a name for themselves. While Canada struck first with a Jacob Shaffelburg goal in the 13th minute, Samuel Rondon got one back in

“SHAFFELBURG WASONEOF THEMANY THINGSTHAT WENT

RIGHT FORCANADA THISSUMMER”

the 65th minute pushing the match into penalties. In a tight 4-3 battle Marsch’s group came out on top with Ismael Kone, who had just signed with Marseille prior to the start of the tournament, doing the honors.

While Canada’s luck may have run out against Argentina in the semifinals losing once again 2-0, they once again showed their fight battling Uruguay in the third place match. After trading goals with the three-time Copa America Champions, Canada pulled them to a 2-2 result before falling 4-3 in penalties. Kone and David once again led the charge with each supplying a goal in regulation.

Though Canada fell short of medaling at the event they proved that in a short amount of time what they can do on the brightest stage. With Marsch’s fierce determinism mixed with their athleticism and youthful passion Canada may have found the recipe for a strong run in 2026.

BRAZILIAN DILEMMA

Brazilian soccer is facing one of its darkest periods following another early big tournament exit. The Seleção’s loss to Uruguay on penalties in the Copa América quarter-finals marked their seventh early departure from an international tournament outside Brazil since 2009. While not as infamous as the 1950 or 7-1 World Cup losses, this defeat still paints a grim picture moving forward.

Expectations for Brazil heading into this Copa América were low, with little hope of securing their 10th title. Yet, there was potential for building momentum amid ongoing turmoil at the federation. Coach Dorival Júnior, brought in to stabilize the team, seemed to have made progress with strong performances against Spain and England in March. However, the Copa América highlighted his shortcomings, particularly his inability to make timely ingame adjustments and maintain authority over the squad. Notably, he was ignored by his players during the crucial pre-penalty huddle. Dorival emphasized penalty preparation, but poor execution during the shootout, exemplified by Éder Militão and Douglas Luiz’s misses, undermined his efforts. The fans’ frustration boiled over, with calls for Dorival and captain Danilo to step down. Danilo defended the team, urging patience, but the lackluster results have eroded public confidence.

Brazil’s Copa América campaign was dismal, with only one win against Paraguay. The team struggled to score from open play and failed to impress against Costa Rica, Colombia, and Uruguay. Brazil’s trademark style of free-flowing soccer was absent,

replaced by a meandering and uninspired approach. Key players like Rodrygo, Endrick, and Vinícius Júnior either underperformed or were sidelined.

Vinícius, in particular, faced heavy criticism. Despite his club success, he has struggled to replicate that form for the national team. Suspended for the quarter-final, his contributions were limited, and his role on the team remains unclear. The burden on him to be Brazil’s creative spark has been overwhelming, and the team’s overall structure and stability have failed to support his talents.

Midfielder Andreas Pereira’s pre-match comments about Uruguay’s squad backfired, motivating La Celeste and highlighting Brazil’s disjointed midfield.

Lucas Paquetá, João Gomes, Bruno Guimarães, and Pereira were outplayed by Uruguay and Colombia, with Brazil resorting to aimless long balls due to their inability to navigate through midfield pressure.

Dorival’s inability to find solutions on the sidelines and the lack of strong midfield anchors like Casemiro or Fernandinho have left Brazil vulnerable. Only 17-year-old Endrick showed promise, but expecting him to carry the team is unrealistic. Against Uruguay, he struggled with the physicality of the game, completing just two passes. Currently, Brazil ranks as the fourth-best team in South America, trailing behind Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia. These teams may not boast more talent, but they have a clear playing style and strong leadership. Without a quick turnaround, Brazil risks missing the 2026 World Cup and possibly cycling through yet another manager.

TOP: Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte (5) and Brazil defender Guilherme Arana (16) challenge each other for the ball

LEFT: Is Vini Jr. the last hope for Brazil?

WHAT CAN WC 2026 LEARN FROM COPA AMERICAN2024?

In football and in life it is often not just how one performs but how one responds to difficult moments that makes a difference. In the education world, these are called teachable moments, times where self-reflection and growth are more important than looking down upon one’s self.

If the 2024 Copa America in the United States were to be given a school letter grade it would be hard to move beyond a D. Largely saved by the play on the field and the subplots that revolved around the teams it was a deeply flawed tournament. If the sole objective was to prepare the United States, Mexico, and Canada for hosting the 2026 World Cup it succeeded in a sense because it showed the many areas in which there needed to be improvement. But if that was the sole objective the bar and expectations would have been quite low. As with any tournament, Copa America 2024 was supposed to show how prepared and ready North America, in particular the United States, was for the event. Instead it proved how far it still needs to go. From the start of the tournament, there were issues. Complaints about the training pitches (particularly in Atlanta which is the new home of US Soccer), the price of tickets, fan problems, and empty stadiums began to trickle through the press. It certainly didn’t

help that UEFA was hosting a European Championship simultaneously with minimal issues reported. Fans watching from afar bore witness to two separate high-level competitions going on at the same time with one appearing to be prepared (UEFA) while the other was not (CONMEBOL and CONCACAF-more on that arrangement shortly).

All of this could have been overlooked had the Copa America’s organizers stuck the landing. But the separate incidents involving the semifinal match against Colombia and Uruguay and the final between Argentina and Colombia set in stone how much of a disaster the tournament was. The Colombia-Uruguay match saw Uruguayan families being approached after the match by Colombian fans, putting them in grave danger. If that scenario scared tournament organizers, the final gave them a nightmare. The match began hours after what was supposed to be the initial kickoff due to supporters without tickets rushing the ticket gates in Miami. Videos surfaced online of security letting fans with or without a ticket (while also not being checked for weapons, alcohol and other unfriendly items), while others were finding more creative ways of getting in breaking through air vents and crawling into the stadium. All of this was happening on a scorching hot

TOP: Argentinas fans cheer for their team during the final match of the Copa America USA 2024 against Colombia

RIGHT: Fans of Argentina and Colombia, arrested for a pre-game riot Copa America Finals match between Colombia and Argentina at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens

day in Miami with people complaining of heat exhaustion.

Now the organizers of the 2026 World Cup do have a bit of an out in that CONMEBOL was responsible for organizing Copa America 2024 and that Charlotte will not be used in their tournament. But World Cup organizers will certainly have to do some damage control, especially when it comes to ticket prices and crowd control. If FIFA expects 1994 World Cup 2.0 to happen with soaring ticket prices and lax security standards they may be in for a rude awakening.

TINTERNATIONAL SHOWDOWN

he 2024–25 Nations League marks the fourth season of this international competition organized by UEFA. It involves all men’s national teams from UEFA member associations, except Russia. The competition will take place over several phases: the league phase from September to November 2024, followed by the League A quarterfinals and various playoffs in March 2025, culminating in the Nations League Finals in June 2025, and concluding with further playoffs in March 2026.

BOTTOM:

TOP: Spain won the last UEFA Nations League in 2023, and will look to re-reign.

Spain won the Nations League in 2023, and won Olympic Gold and the Euro this summer.

FORMAT:

The structure of the tournament is designed to promote competitive balance and provide teams with opportunities for promotion and relegation. The national teams are categorized into four leagues based on their overall ranking from the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League season. Leagues A, B, and C each feature 16 teams, divided into four groups of four. Meanwhile, League D has 6 teams, split into two groups of three. Each team in Leagues A, B, and C plays six matches within their group in a home-and-away round-robin format, while League D teams play four matches. A revised format was confirmed by the UEFA in January 2023. In the top tier, League A, group winners and runners-up will proceed to a new quarter-final round. These ties will be played over two legs, with group winners facing runners-up from different groups, and the second leg hosted by the group winners. The four victorious quarter-finalists will advance to the Nations League Finals, which maintains its traditional knockout format, including semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and a final. The UEFA Executive

ABOVE: Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori and Mateo Retegui will look to better the Bronze medal finish for Italy in the last year’s Nation league tournament

ABOVE RIGHT: Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal won the first ever Nations League in 2019

RIGHT: Mbappe led France to a Nations League win in only the 2nd ever edition of the Nations League

DIDYOU KNOW?

Founded in part to eliminate meaningless international fixtures, the UEFA Nations League is both a continental competition in its own right as well as a qualification route for other tournaments. The competition has existed conceptually since 2018, and there have been three different men’s Nations League winners so far: France, Portugal, and Spain.

SERBIA’S ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC CURRENTLY LEADSTHE UEFANATIONS LEAGUEALLTIMEGOAL SCORINGRACE AT14

Committee will select the host country from among the four finalists, and the ultimate winner will be crowned the Nations League champion.

PROMOTION AND RELEGATION:

The competition also focuses on promotion and relegation, creating a dynamic system across the four leagues. Group winners in Leagues B, C, and D are promoted to the next higher league, while the last-placed teams in Leagues A and B are relegated. League C will see two teams relegated directly, a change from previous editions that involved play-outs. Promotion/ relegation play-offs are introduced to further determine league placements. These matches will be contested over two legs, with the higher-ranked team hosting the second leg.

MATCH WINNERS

In all two-legged ties, the higher-ranked teams host the second leg. The team that

a

RIGHT: Kane’s England will look to podium in this year’s Nations League

scores more goals on aggregate is the winner. If the aggregate score is level, extra time is played (the away goals rule is not applied). If the score remains level after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is used to decide the winner

TIEBREAKERS:

In instances where teams are tied on points within their groups, the tiebreakers are determined by points in matches among the tied teams, goal difference, and goals scored among those teams. If still tied, further criteria include overall goal difference, goals scored, and away goals, followed by disciplinary points and UEFA Nations League access list positions.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION:

The 2024–25 Nations League will be partially integrated into the qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Twelve group winners from the initial group stage will qualify directly for the World Cup. The playoffs will involve the twelve group runners-

TOP: Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after scoring 0-2 during

Nations League soccer match between Norway and Serbia

HAALANDSITS SECONDON THEALL-TIME GOALSCORING LEADERBOARD FORTHE NATIONS LEAGUEWITH 12GOALS

up, alongside the four best Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group. These play-offs will be contested in singlematch knockout rounds, adding further stakes to the Nations League outcomes.

OVERALL RANKINGS AND FINAL STANDINGS:

The UEFA Nations League rankings, both interim and final, are determined based on team performance across all matches. This includes results from the league phase, quarter-finals, and promotion/relegation play-offs. The final rankings determine the positions and progression of teams, impacting their seeding and qualification paths in future UEFA competitions. The 2024–25 Nations League promises an intense and competitive landscape, with every match carrying significant implications not only for the tournament itself but also for World Cup qualification.

ABOVE: Erling Braut Haaland cheers after penalty scoring during the football match in a Nations League between Norway and Sweden

RIGHT: Italy already has two 3rd place finishes in the UEFA Nations League

NATIONS LEAGUE 2024/25

IMPORTANT

KNOCKOUT ROUND PLAY-OFF DRAW: November 2024

KNOCKOUT ROUND PLAY-OFFS: 20-25 March 2025

LEAGUE A QUARTER-FINALS: 20-25 March 2025

FINAL TOURNAMENT: 4-8 June 2025

NATIONS LEAGUE GROUPS 2024/25

LEAGUE A

GROUP A1:

Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Scotland

GROUP A2: Italy, Belgium, France, Israel

GROUP A3: Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina

GROUP A4: Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Serbia

LEAGUE B

GROUP B1: Czechia, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia

GROUP B2: England, Finland, Ireland, Greece GROUP B3: Austria, Norway, Slovenia, Kazakhstan GROUP B4: Wales, Iceland, Montenegro, Türkiye

LEAGUE C

GROUP C1: Sweden, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Estonia

GROUP C2: Romania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Lithuania*

GROUP C3:

Luxembourg, Bulgaria, N. Ireland, Belarus

GROUP C4: Armenia, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Latvia

LEAGUE D

GROUP D1:Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein

GROUP D2: Moldova, Malta, Andorra

SAY WHAT ?

“I have always enjoyed having such a strong relationship with fans on social media and my YouTube channel will give me an even bigger platform to do so and they will learn more about me, my family, and my views on many different subjects.”

– Cristiano Ronaldo has promised that his new YouTube channel will reveal a side of him that most fans have not seen, exploring subjects beyond his legendary football career.

“I voted for Salah. He deserves it. If it’s no-one from our team, I think he deserves it. I don’t look at what happened before, I wouldn’t know how to choose anybody else, outside of Salah, if it’s not our team.”

– Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne revealed that he voted for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

“We have Kobbie [Mainoo], we have Garna [Alejandro Garnacho], we have Amad. I think that’s something nice, and we will give them time. You have to know the Premier League is not easy, it is the biggest competition in the world, so this season might be difficult for them, but they are young, we will give them time. We, as leaders, have the responsibility and it doesn’t matter what happens, we’ll be there to support them in each situation.”

– Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana named Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Amad as three younger members who must be supported and given time to realise their potential.

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HEY, I DON’T DO AI

A video has appeared online of a Chelsea coach using his phone during the match with Servette, and fans can’t believe what he was looking at. Chelsea got their 2024/25 European campaign underway on Thursday, beating Swiss club Servette 2-0 in the first leg of their Europa Conference league qualifier. The video, posted on the Chelsea subreddit, appears to show a member of the coaching staff using popular AI platform chatGPT during the game. While one fan looked more closely at the video, pointed out that the names of some of Chelsea’s players were present in the reply the AI gave to whatever prompt given to it by the coach. Reacting to the video, one fan wrote: “Lmao this is so genuinely funny. I know ai based intelligence is kinda been Chelsea’s thing recently with infinite athlete, and in general it is quite handy, but wtf lmao haha.” Another one joked: “This explains your transfer strategy lmao.”

BRING YOUR CAMERA

Conor Gallagher was presented to 30,000 Atletico Madrid supporters after his big move from Chelsea, and the midfielder even managed to practice some of his Spanish. Since his arrival, the midfielder seems to have picked up a new nickname as he has been referred to as ‘Guiri’ multiple times on Atleti’s social media accounts. “Guiri” is a Spanish term often used to describe a tourist, typically from northern Europe, who may not fully engage with or understand local culture.

TO LIKE OR NOT TO LIKE

Fans have spotted that Mykhailo Mudryk ‘liked’ a comment about him on Instagram, which read: “They need to pass to you, you’re an amazing player.” Given the current instability at the club, fans are split about Mudryk’s decision to like the comment. Chelsea paid an initial £62 million to sign the Ukrainian winger in January 2023, but he has so far failed to impress in the Premier League. Some fans have a theory that Chelsea’s stars aren’t passing to the 23-year-old, and it appears that he might be of the same opinion.

11

Takefusa Kubo has scored his first LaLiga goal since February 2024 against Mallorca, ending his worst scoring streak in the competition with Real Sociedad (11 games).

GO BIG, OR ...

The proposed plans for the world’s largest stadium have now been revealed to the public, with the stadium potentially hosting games for the 2030 World Cup. Populous has revealed its vision for the world’s biggest football stadium, which is set to be built in Casablanca, Morocco. The 115,000-capacity stadium is set to be named Grand Stade Hassan II de Casablanca stadium. The design showcases a distinctive aluminium lattice roof shaped like a tent, inspired by the traditional Moroccan ‘Moussem’ festival.

THIS IS THE PLAN, OK ?

Tunnel footage involving Real Madrid’s superstar quartet of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo has got fans talking. Englishman Bellingham was heard telling Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo: “You three, we need to finish the attack, because the running back… is f***ing hard.” Mbappe then replied: “That’s what I’m saying. We have to finish with something.” Bellingham added: “Yeah, even… create a yard and [shoot].

DID YOU KNOW?

• Since 2022-23, Manchester United have lost more Premier League games thanks to goals scored in the 90th minute (+ stoppage time) than any other side (6); they’d only lost two such games in the first 30 campaigns in the competition combined.

• At 25 years old, Christian Pulisic (right) is the first USMNT player to score in 10 different seasons in the top 5 European leagues.

BABY GOAT

Manchester City star Rodri had a shock pick when asked who he believed was the ‘greatest of all time’ at the 2023/24 PFA awards as he snubbed both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. At the ceremony, Rodri was asked a series of questions including who he thought the GOAT was, and it’s fair to say he may have been the first person to ever pick this particular player. When asked Rodri responded ‘Kevin De Bruyne’ with no stutter, completely snubbing both Ronaldo and Messi despite playing against them both. De Bruyne and Rodri do have a pretty sensational record together, with four consecutive titles so it’s no surprise he rates the Belgian so highly.

SPECIAL TOURIST

Jose Mourinho has decided to coin a new nickname instead of being called the ‘Special One’ - 20 years on from his iconic opening Chelsea press conference. Mourinho announced the nickname to the world following his appointment at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues fending off competition from Liverpool to appoint him after he won the 2004 Champions League with Porto. Now, over 20 years on, the now Fenerbahce boss has announced that he wants to be known by a new nickname. After his second Super Lig match in charge, he told reporters he wants to be called the ‘Foreign One’, because he needs time to adjust to Turkish football.

DREAMING BIG

BY: ALF DE BLASIS

Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny have set the bar for celebrity soccer ownership as Wrexham AFC earned a double promotion over the past two years to rise from the fifth-tier National League to play in the third-tier English League One next season.

TV personalities Mark Consuelos and his wife, Kelly Ripa, have tasted success with their own Italian club, Campobasso, who also earned a double promotion over two seasons, moving from the fifth division to Serie C, Italy’s third tier of professional football, where they will begin play next season. Now, Canadian entrepreneur Steve Nijjar, a former athlete and film actor himself, has steered his Spanish team, Racing Madrid FC, to a qualifying berth in the preliminary rounds of the prestigious Copa del Rey, Spain’s national cup competition, open to both professional and amateur clubs. Nijjar acquired the assets of the once-dormant Spanish club in August of 2022. Founded in 1914, the club has a rich history, having competed with traditional city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in its earliest years. But the club became insolvent and ceased operations in 1974. That is, until Nijjar revived the club almost two years ago.

Racing Madrid FC competes in Group 2 of the Preferente Madrid, the regional league of the city of Madrid, the sixth level overall, five notches below La Liga, the top tier of Spanish football. The club finished the 2023-24 season in fourth place in the standings, earning a deserving spot in next season’s Copa del Rey. Racing Madrid completed the 34-game schedule on 63 points, just five short of automatic promotion to the Tercera Federación, the fifth tier of Spanish professional football. The club’s five losses tied for the fewest in the league while boasting the league’s third best defensive record. Last year, in his first season in charge, Nijjar, CEO & Founder of Steve Nijjar Sports & Entertainment (SNSE), guided Racing Madrid to an eighth place finish in the 18-team regional league. This season, with the goal of promotion or, at the very least, Copa qualification as the target, Nijjar brought in several established domestic players and a new coaching staff. When the club faltered in the early stages of the season, Nijjar made a coaching change and, almost immediately, Racing Madrid FC found its legs and began a steady rise to the top half of the league, crafting a 14-match unbeaten streak along the way.

“That unbeaten run speaks volumes of the new coaching staff,” stated Nijjar. “The players bought into the system and the team is playing a style that’s been my vision all along. It’s a delight to watch the progress Racing Madrid has made in just our second season of operation.” As is commonplace with other celebrity club ownership structures, Nijjar recently added a notable partner, Canadian comedian Russell Peters. The two men have been acquaintances for several years and they found a common interest in Racing Madrid. “We’ve always had mutual respect for each other,” Nijjar told The Game Plan in a recent interview. “We understand the struggles we’ve had. We just know what we both went through to get to where we’re at. We’re both proud of one another. He’s a Canadian icon as far as I’m concerned.” “My ambition is to rise up to the top echelon of Spanish football. So I hope Ryan Reynolds takes notice because we’re on track to achieve our own promotion”, Nijjar continued with a friendly nod to the Canadian actor/entrepreneur who has transformed Wrexham AFC since his takeover of that club in 2021.

In addition to operating the Spanish club under the SNSE banner, Nijjar was recently also recognized here at home for his past achievements in Canadian soccer. He was part of the 2024 class of inductees to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame. Nijjar, who previously owned and coached the Brampton Hitmen to a Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) championship, was inducted May 7, in the builder’s category, alongside five other local sports achievers, including Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe.

SAY WHAT ?

“It seems to me, in terms of sports, he’s the greatest there is (…) But after having seen his series and getting to know a bit more about him, you know, ‘The Last Dance’, it just blows your mind, it’s a masterpiece, it’s impressive.”

– Lionel Messi believes basketball legend Michael Jordan is the greatest sports person of all time.

“I have never thought about leaving LaLiga because otherwise I would give the racists what they want. I am going to continue in the best club in the world, scoring many goals so that they continue to see me. Racists are a minority.”

– Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. makes it clear that racist abuse cannot force him out of the club.

I still don’t think I am a legend of this club. I have said I want to win something with Spurs, then I want to be very happy to be called a legend.”

– Son Heung-Min is Tottenham’s captain and one of the best players in the club’s modern history. However, to achieve the status of a club legend, he believes he still needs to raise a trophy for Spurs.

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WELL DONE REF !

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has revealed what the referee told him after his wonder goal was ruled out. However, Palace were left fuming midway through the first half after Eze’s audacious freekick was ruled out against Brentford. Referee Sam Barrott blew his whistle for a foul by Will Hughes on Nathan Collins as the ball travelled towards the Brentford goal. However, as the referee blew his whistle before the ball crossed the line, VAR was unable to intervene. As reported by London News Online, Eze revealed to BBC Match of the Day that referee Barrott admitted to him that he made a mistake. It proved to be a costly mistake as Palace lost the match 2-1.

MBAPPE CAM

ESPN streamed a dedicated “Mbappe Cam” during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Mallorca. This specialized camera exclusively followed Kylian Mbappe throughout the game, providing fans with a continuous view of the French star’s every move on the pitch. Such dedicated player cameras are typically reserved for major tournaments like the World Cup and the Euros, underscoring the significance of Mbappe’s highly anticipated debut in Spanish soccer. The French superstar, however, could not find the back of the net as Los Blancos had to settle for a one-all draw in their La Liga opener.

...WITHOUT A PADEL

Manchester City captain Kyle Walker has revealed the new hobby he has picked up during the summer. Walker was given plenty of time off by City after helping England to the Euro 2024 final in Germany, playing seven times. But the former Spurs right-back has been keeping himself occupied in the summer, enjoying a new sport. Padel, a hybrid between squash and tennis, has become the new craze in the UK. Played in doubles on an enclosed court with glass panels and a wire mesh fence, it can be a brutal test of skill and fitness. And Walker has been getting stuck right into padel during his break.

42

Erling Haaland’s hattrick against Ipswich was Manchester City’s 42nd in the Premier League, the joint-most of any side in the competition’s history.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Virgil van Dijk played his 100th match for Liverpool when the Reds beat Brentford 2-0. He has won 82 and lost just two of those (D16), with only Patrice Evra with Man Utd (263) picking up more points in his first 100 home games with a side in the competition than van Dijk (262).

• New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca (right) is the first manager in Premier League history to see his team score six goals in his first away game in the competition.

KIM TIME

Kim Kardashian linked up with Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid’s training ground during a visit to the Spanish capital. But Los Blancos fans will be praying her infamous ‘curse’ does not strike again. Kim loves taking her kids North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm to watch their favourite sports teams in action. The famous supermodel visited the club’s training ground where she linked up with various big names. David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Vinicius Jr were among those who posed for photos. But it was Bellingham who delighted Saint and friends as he signed autographs on a customised jersey. The England ace is the face of Skims, an underwear brand created by Kim.

23

Noni Madueke is the 23rd different player to score a Premier League hat-trick for Chelsea, more unique hat-trick scorers than any other side in the competition.

OOOOOOPS

Chelsea forward Noni Madueke mistakenly shared an X-rated message about Wolves ahead of the Blues’ Premier League clash with the West Midlands side. The exPSV man shared an Instagram message showing his location as Wolverhampton and added: “Everything about this place is s***.” Madueke, who has nearly one million followers, quickly realized he had used the wrong social media account. And he responded: “Damn wrong Instagram account. You lot are too fast.”

EIGHT LITTLE WORDS

Erling Haaland shut down a reporter with a brutally witty eight-word response to a Premier League fantasy football question. Haaland was in goal monster form after netting his tenth Man City hat-trick in City’s 4-1 win against Ipswich. And most footie fans around the country reaped the benefits of having the double Golden Boot winner run rampant against the newlypromoted side. Around nine of out ten fantasy football managers would have captained the Norwegian striker on the second Gameweek. The journalist asked: “I’ve got a fantasy league with my friends and we all captained you today apart from one guy. We’ve all been laughing at him today. What’s your message to the guy who left you out?” To which Haaland replied: “Yeah it’s sad for him and I don’t care”, before grinning.

By Derek Ross

The greatest players of all time. Yes, well we’ve all seen the usual lists, at the usual times, containing the usual names. I won’t mention them here and of course those names wouldn’t garner much disagreement from me. But for every world’s greatest player there’s another great player out there whose recognition lingers in the shadows of obscurity, unheralded, unsung and little known. Such players are every part of the great history and tapestry of the beautiful game. if nowhere else, deserve a big shout out at least within the pages of Soccer 360 Magazine.

Valentino Mazzola

Let’s face it. Italy don’t do c**p players. And even when they do, they still seem to be better than everybody else’s, and that’s before we get to the matinee idol looks, and silk football strips designed more for striding down the catwalk than rolling around on grass. Style is the sort of thing that Italians inherit, while the rest of us inherit Asthma and bad skin. And when it comes to stylish footballers, the Italians are literally in a league of their own. And yet in a glamorous rollcall of Italian superstars that include the likes of Giuseppe Meazza, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Baggio, Franco Baresi, Paolo Rossi and Andrea Pirlo, it is some mark of Valentino Mazzola that he is still regarded by many Italians as the greatest Italian footballer of all time.

He won five Serie A championships and was the Italian national team captain for two years. I had to look him up and conduct a bit of the old research, and so your correspondent can confidently report that there’s absolutely no doubting the man’s pedigree. An old-fashioned number 10, Mazzola was the archetypal complete player who was as hard-working as he was technically skilled, and who skippered the great Torino team of the 1940s, known as ‘Grande Torino’.

And he wasn’t afraid to do the dirty work either. Mazzola was famous for raising his shirt’s sleeves when his team were playing like relegation contenders as a signal to his teammates and the fans. Mazzola won the Serie A title five times, scoring 148 goals, but tragically died in the Superga air disaster, along with all of his Torino teammates, at the age of 30. His story makes any serious football fan feel short-changed, so I get exactly where his legions of Italian admirers are coming from.

FOOTBALL FASHION NIKE

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G7 VS ZLATAN ?

KSI has not ruled out Cristiano Ronaldo venturing into boxing and has even picked out the Portuguese star’s first opponent. The YouTube sensation was asked whether Cristiano Ronaldo could be tempted to follow former Manchester United teammate Danny Simpson into boxing. “You never know, him versus [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, that could be something.” KSI, the founder of Misfits Boxing, orchestrated Danny Simpson’s boxing debut against YouTuber Danny Aarons. Simpson, a former Premier League champion, stepped into the ring for his first professional boxing match under the Misfits banner.

ED GETS SHIRTY

Pop icon Ed Sheeran (shown above with Ipswich Town Chairman Mark Ashton) is the brains behind Ipswich Town’s frontof-shirt sponsorship deal - but some fans still don’t understand what it means. The music megastar initially agreed on a oneyear deal with his boyhood club for the 2021/22 season. The message ‘+-=÷x TOUR’ will appear on the men’s and women’s teams’ jerseys, in reference to Ed Sheeran’s previous albums. When pressed on what the logo means, the Shape of You sensation replied cryptically: “All will be revealed in time.” However, reports suggest that Ed Sheeran uses mathematic symbols to name his albums as he feels each symbol represents patches in his life.

50

Since the start of 2018-19, his debut season in the competition, no Premier League midfielder has been involved in more goals away from home than James Maddison (25 goals, 25 assists).

MEET THE MRS.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have accidentally let slip that he has married long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez. In a video posted on his record-breaking YouTube channel, the 39-yearold referred to his beau as his ‘wife’. The Al Nassr star has been dating the Spanish model since 2016 after meeting in Madrid during Ronaldo’s spell at the Bernabeu. In their eight years together, they have had three children, while Rodriguez is also stepmother to Ronaldo’s three The 40-year-old came through the ranks at Bayern Munich and, bar an early loan stint at Stuttgart, he spent his entire time as a pro footballer with the Bundesliga giants. And in a video posted on YouTube, Ronaldo hinted that the pair have tied the knot.

Who will finish higher, Manchester United or Liverpool? The yearly debate between Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville resumed with the punditry duo wagering £5,000 on their respective clubs. Ex-Man United defender Neville stated that whoever’s team finishes lower will have to make a £5,000 donation to charity. The former right-back is still backing his beloved United to finish above their Merseyside rivals this season. Carragher, on the other hand, believes Liverpool will begin life under their new manager, Arne Slot, by finishing above the Red Devils.

• Among players to have attempted 500+ shots in the Premier League since 2003-04, Jamie Vardy (right) is the only player to have a shot conversion rate higher than 20%, converting 137 of 621 shots (22.1%).

• Endrick has become the youngest Real Madrid player to score on his LaLiga debut in the 21st century (18 years and 35 days), and the fifth youngest overall in this period in the competition.

Kylian Mbapee has wasted no time in settling into life at Real Madrid by moving into Gareth Bale’s former pad. The €10.5 million mansion is situated in the exclusive town of La Finca. And it’s just eight miles north of Madrid’s city centre, making it an ideal base for Real’s new man. The swanky pad boasts numerous perks including eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a garage big enough for six cars. Not only that, it features a huge swimming pool and cinema room.

Cristiano Ronaldo left YouTube star IShowSpeed frothing at the mouth after overtaking his 28 million subscriber haul on the platform. It left the American streamer to smash up his desk set-up - just a day after he asked his idol for a collaboration. Ronaldo became the quickest to reach one million subs - doing so in just one hour and 29 minutes. He has since become the fastest channel in YouTube history to reach five, ten, 15, 20, 25 and now 30 million subscribers. At the time of writing, this is more than the tally of Lionel Messi and former clubs Manchester United, Real Madrid and Sporting Lisbon combined.

COME ON IN

Bayern Munich and Germany legend Philipp Lahm is offering fans the opportunity to spend a stay at his house courtesy of Airbnb. For only €21 a night, you will get a glimpse into the career of the former star’s home that is full of memorabilia and photos from his career. Lahm is widely considered to be one of the greatest fullback’s of all-time. The 40-yearold came through the ranks at Bayern Munich and, bar an early loan stint at Stuttgart, he spent his entire time as a pro footballer with the Bundesliga giants. The ace was capped 113 times by Germany and he captained them to 2014 World Cup glory in Brazil.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Wolves accumulated a higher expected goals tally (1.92) than opponents Chelsea (1.56), yet lost 6-2.

• When Noussair Mazraoui (right) set up Amad Diallo for his goal against Brighton it was the first time Manchester United have scored a Premier League goal that was both scored and assisted by African players.

Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen swiftly intervened after West Ham celebrations had caused an advertising board to fall on a Crystal Palace ball boy. The chaos occurred after Bowen sent the West Ham away fans into bedlam following his second goal, which ultimately sealed a 2-0 win for the Hammers at Selhurst Park. Players and supporters celebrated wildly after Bowen scored the second goal, but there was almost a serious accident after the rush of West Ham fans caused one of the advertising hoardings to break and fall onto the ball boy sitting in front of it. Soucek immediately noticed what happened and stopped celebrating, and he stooped and single handedly pulled the board off the youngster. Soucek managed to get the ball boy out in time, though, as he and Bowen checked he was OK before he was taken away off the pitch by Palace staff - with the West Ham skipper later gifting him his shirt.

SAY WHAT ?

“Everyone asks about the money. I put lots of things on the table, like my family, my wife, the city, the team, wanting to get back into the national team.”

– Paulo Dybala explains why he decided to stay at Roma, ignoring the huge Al-Qadsiah offer of €75 million over three years.

“With Lamine Yamal it’s unpredictable to know where he’s going to do things. He’s a bit like with Messi, they do things that you just can’t stop.” – Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde sees similarities between Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

“How many?! Oh my god! Okay… it belongs to him! I will not chase him for sure.”

– Pep Guardiola was understandably taken aback after finding out how many Manager of the Month awards Sir Alex Ferguson lifted during his reign at Manchester United. Guardiola has won the accolade 14 times, while the Man United legend won it 27 times.

JIM FIXED IT

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is considering releasing a behind-the-scenes documentary on his huge Manchester United buy-in. That’s despite Ratcliffe’s Ineos regime currently laying off 250 people - a quarter of United’s staff - just months after confirming their investment. Britain’s richest man took over 27.7 per cent of the club in February, with a new £2 billion stadium spearheading his plans for a huge revamp. And although most Red Devils’ fans welcomed his arrival, sharing the inside track on the long-drawn-out saga might reveal awkward home truths.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Thomas Müller (right) played in his 474th Bundesliga match for FC Bayern in the Bavarians’ season opener, overtaking Sepp Maier as Bayern’s record appearance maker in the competition

• Real Betis have drawn their first two games of LaLiga 2024/25 (1-1 v Girona and 0-0 v Alavés), the fourth time in history that they have drawn their first two games of a campaign in the competition and their second under Manuel Pellegrini after 2021/22.

Crystal Palace have received the green light to build a state-of-the-art new stand. Croydon Council have given approval to the project, which has been in the works since 2018. The redevelopment will see the Main Stand at Selhurst Park, which was built 100 years ago, knocked down. In place of the 5,200-capacity stand will be a state-of-the-art structure that will house 15,300 fans. That will take the capacity of Selhurst Park from 25,486 to more than 34,000. Palace received planning permission in principle from Croydon Council last year, but residents of Wooderson Close had to agree and make way, with their homes to be demolished as part of the project. KSS Group are overseeing the design and plan to make it a net zero carbon project.

Aston Villa flaunted the European Cup ahead of their Premier League clash with Arsenal, prompting fans to suggest they were taunting the Gunners. In a nod to their 1982 victory over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam, Villa placed their European Cup in the tunnel area at Villa Park. The display, part of a wider behind-the-scenes revamp, coincides with Villa’s return to Europe’s top club competition after securing fourth place last season. While some saw it as a celebration of Villa’s finest hour, others suggested it was a dig at Arsenal, who have never won the European Cup/Champions League, with their 2006 final loss to Barcelona being the closest they’ve come.

FC Bayern Munich remained undefeated in their opening game of a Bundesliga season for the 13th time in a row (W11 D2) - a new record for a team in BL history. It’s a piece of cake :)

Leicester City played out a 1-1 draw with Tottenham as they got their 2024/25 Premier League season underway. Both sets of players took to the pitch wearing black armbands in the game at the King Power. Leicester and Tottenham players wore black armbands during their opening match in tribute to former Foxes manager Craig Shakespeare, who sadly passed away at the beginning of August aged 60. Shakespeare played a pivotal part as Claudio Ranieri’s assistant in Leicester’s fairy tale Premier League winning season in 2016. He replaced Ranieri as the club’s manager in February 2017 and took charge of 24 games. Shakespeare also worked for the likes of West Brom, Hull, Everton, Watford, Aston Villa, and Norwich, and had a spell as England assistant boss in 2016.

FOOTBALL FASHION

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10

Since 2015/16, Atlético de Madrid have scored 10 direct free-kick goals in all competitions, nine of them by Antoine Griezmann.

THE CLASS OF ‘25

EA FC 25, formerly known as just FIFA, recently released its top 50 ranked players for the new edition. Aitana Bonmati is not only Barcelona’s highest-rated player but also the highest-rated player overall now, with a standout 91 rating that places her alongside stars like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri. The official release date of EA Sports FC 25 follows the tradition of previous years, with launch confirmed for the last Friday of September, which is September 27, 2024. As in previous years, there is also an early-access offer, which allows those who pre-order to play the game seven days earlier on September 20.

PUCKER UP

Luis Suarez powered Inter Miami to a 2-0 win over Cincinnati with a stunning brace just six minutes into the game. But it was Leo Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, who stole the show. Watching the game from the stands with her husband, Antonela blew a sizzling hot kiss to the camera, which quickly went viral, racking up millions of views on social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA ROUND-UP

TRANSPLANTED ADRIAN

Former Chelsea forward Adrian Mutu looks completely different to his playing days after sharing photos of his recent hair transplantand he looks considerably different to those Chelsea days.

SAVINHO’S PERFORMANCE

Riyad Mahrez put in a hilarious three-word reaction on social media after watching footage from Savinho’s Premier League debut against Chelsea.

ARNE POKES FUN AT JAMIE

Carragher was on punditry duty alongside Jamie Redknapp, Izzy Christiansen and lead anchor Kelly Cates during Sky Sports’ coverage of Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brentford.

THE BALL?

for a

during West

HOWE NICE

Eddie Howe was whizzed to his press conference in a golf buggy ahead of his team’s trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League. And fans joked Profit and Sustainability rules must be hitting Newcastle hard after the Magpies were forced to sell players this summer to comply with regulations. While Prem bosses often drive flash motors or enjoy luxury chauffeuring to trainingHowe ditched such lavish optics.

MR MONEYBAGS

NOT VILLA’S #1

Emiliano Martinez is no longer Aston Villa’s No 1. But the decision has been fully of the goalkeeper’s own making. Martinez joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 for £20m, and has since excelled both at club level and for Argentina at international level. Emi Martinez has said he changed his shirt number because 23 holds more resonance to him, both on the pitch and off it. Martinez wore the No 23 shirt as Argentina’s goalkeeper when they won the World Cup. And 23 was also the day his son, Santi, was born.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads Forbes’ highest-paid athletes list for the fourth time with $260 million in earnings after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. His on-field earnings are $200 million, and offfield earnings, thanks to his massive social media following, are $60 million. Spanish golfer Jon Rahm ranks second with $218 million after his move to LIV Golf. Lionel Messi, now with Inter Miami, is third with $135 million. LeBron James ($128.2 million) and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million) complete the top five.

FOOTBALL FASHION

ADIDASNWSL JERSEY COLLECTION

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WHERE’S

Lucas Paqueta has gone viral

bizarre moment

Ham United’s 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace

Ian Waterhouse

Mohamed Salah (June 15 - 32, Liverpool, Egypt)

Mohamed Salah is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and among the greatest African players of all time. Salah is predominantly known for his speed, movement, clinical finishing, agility, dribbling skills, first touch, and ball control, as well as his ability to use both his pace and flair on the ball to beat opponents, and create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. Salah is nicknamed “The Pharaoh” by the press and his fans. He has also been given the nickname “Egyptian King” by Liverpool supporters, arising from a chant set to the tune of “Sit Down” by English indie rock band James.

Lionel Messi (June 24 - 37, Inter Miami, Argentina)

Lionel Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and was named the world’s best player for a record eight times by FIFA. He is the most decorated player in the history of professional football, with 44 team trophies. Until 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League four times. Playing for Argentina’s national team, he won two Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Kevin De Bruyne (June 28 - 33, Man. City, Belgium)

De Bruyne is one of the best and most complete modern day advanced playmakers due to his technique, skill, vision, crossing accuracy, wide range of passing, and powerful long-range shooting ability with either foot. The Belgian was ranked the fourth-best footballer in the world by The Guardian in 2017 and the twelfth-best in 2019. In 2020, his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described him as the best midfielder in the world. As City chased The Treble in the 2022–23 season, Jamie Redknapp said that De Bruyne was the best Premier League midfielder he had seen, ranking him above the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Alex Morgan (July 2 - 35, San Diego Wave FC, USWNT)

Alex Morgan is a legend in the women’s game, having scored more than 200 goals across her professional career, won two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal for her country. In 2017, Morgan signed with French team Lyon, winning the continental European treble, which included the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Morgan appeared alongside Lionel Messi on the cover of FIFA 16 sold in the United States. She was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019 and 2022.

Megan Rapinoe (July 5 - 39, OL Reign, USWNT)

Megan Rapinoe spent most of her career playing for OL Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Winner of the Ballon d’Or Féminin and named The Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2019, Rapinoe won gold with the national team at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and played at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where the U.S. finished second. Rapinoe co-captained the national team alongside Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan from 2018 to 2020.

spotlight

WOW - A SHIRT

Featuring players, both past & present, with upcoming birthdays...

Virgil van Dijk (July 8 - 33, Liverpool, Netherlands)

Virgil van Dijk has been hailed as one of the finest defenders on the planet, particularly during the Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool. With Liverpool, Van Dijk reached back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, winning the latter. He was also named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season in his first full season. Van Dijk later won the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and helped end the club’s 30-year league title drought by winning the 2019–20 Premier League. He is the only defender to win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award, and has finished runner-up for both the Ballon d’Or and Best FIFA Men’s Player, all in 2019.

Vivianne Miedema (July 15 - 28, Manchester City, Netherlands)

Regularly cited as one of the greatest strikers in modern women’s football, Vivianne Miedema is the all-time leading scorer in the FA WSL and has scored more goals at the international level for the Netherlands than any other player, across both the women’s and men’s teams. She won the UEFA Women’s Euro in 2017 with the Dutch national team, two consecutive Frauen-Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich in 2015 and 2016, and the 2018–19 FA WSL title with Arsenal. In 2019, she led the Netherlands to a second-place finish at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Erling Haaland (July 21 - 24, Man. City, Norway)

Erling Haaland has won several individual awards during his career, including the 2020 Golden Boy award, while in 2021 he was named Bundesliga Player of the Season, in addition to his inclusion in the FIFA FIFPro World11 for 2021, 2022 and 2023. He has also broken multiple Premier League records, including most goals scored in a season, the quickest individual to score two, three, four and five hat-tricks, and the first in league history to score hat-tricks in three consecutive home games. In 2023, he won the Premier League Golden Boot, the European Golden Shoe and the Gerd Müller Trophy for his goalscoring success.

Harry Kane (July 28 - 31, Bayern Munich, England)

A prolific goalscorer with strong link play, Kane regularly finds himself in the best players in the world conversation and is regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation. He is both Tottenham Hotspur’s and England’s all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the second-highest all-time goalscorer in the Premier League. Kane has scored over 400 goals for club and country. His goalscoring form has remained the same after moving to Bayern Munich in the 2023/24 season.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion and Fox NFL broadcaster Tom Brady joined David Beckham and Lionel Messi in the stands at Chase Stadium as Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati 2-0. Before the game kicked off, Brady and Beckham made their way down to the field where they posed side by side for snaps. There, Beckham - who is a part owner of Inter Miami - gifted Brady a custom No. 12 jersey.

HE’S BAAAAACK

Thiago Alcantara has reportedly returned to Liverpool after leaving Barcelona. At the end of the 23/24 season, Spaniard Thiago left the club upon the expiration of his contract and retired as a footballer. Thiago then joined Hansi Flick’s backroom staff at Barcelona but then left his role after just one month. As reported by Spanish news outlet Marca, Thiago has returned to Liverpool as he’s required to reside in the UK for the remainder of this year due to tax issues relating to the termination of his contract with the Reds.

LEO GETS THE NOD AS GOAT

The debate of who is football’s GOAT between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is an intriguing one which will likely rage on forever - but Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has made it clear which side of the argument he is on. Palmer undertook a knockout with GOAL, where he named Kevin De Bruyne as the best player he has played with, Messi as who he wanted to be when he was growing up, Kylian Mbappe as the current best player in the world, and Wayne Rooney as the best English player of all time. Palmer also picked himself as the one to take a penalty if his life depended on it, Toni Kroos as the best passer, Neymar as the best dribbler, and CR7 as football’s best all-time finisher. Palmer then went on to do a knockout between the eight players he named, and when it came down to choosing between Messi and Ronaldo at the end, the England star opted for the Argentine.

Robert Lewandowski (August 21 - 36, Barcelona, Poland)

Robert Lewandowski is one of the most successful players in Bundesliga and Bayern Munich history. He has scored over 600 senior career goals for club and country. In 2020, Lewandowski won the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award (retained in 2021) and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award. He has been named to the UEFA Team of the Year twice. He is the third-highest goalscorer in the history of the Champions League.

Including caretakers, Jamie Vardy has scored in his first Premier League game under six different managers (Ranieri, Shakespeare, Puel, Stowell, Rodgers, Cooper); only Darren Bent has ever scored in his first appearance under more managers (seven).

DOUGLAS LUIZ

SOCIAL MEDIA ROUND-UP

WORD BANK

Lionel Messi spent the summer with his stunning wife, Antonela. The couple were seen posing for snaps with their three sons, Thiago, Matteo and Ciro, while kicking back on a luxurious boat.

GREATNESS ISN’T GUARANTEED

SCINTILLATING NEW TALENTS EXPLODED ONTO THE SCENE LAST SEASON WHILE OTHERS RAPIDLY FADED AWAY, AS SUSY CAMPANALE WARNS THE PROMISE OF YOUTH IS NOT ALWAYS KEPT.

Nothing can beat that excitement when seeing a pure talent break onto the scene, so young and with the promise that if he is already this good, what could he achieve in future when reaching a level of tactical, physical and mental maturity?

Lamine Yamal celebrated his 17th birthday the day before winning Euro 2024 with Spain as a key part of the starting XI. Nico Williams was another breakout talent in that tournament, turning 22 during the event in Germany and scoring two goals, including in the final against England. Jude Bellingham moved into a more advanced role for Real Madrid to win La Liga and the Champions League with 23 goals in 42 games, then helped drag England to the Euros Final at the age of 20. Their whole careers are ahead of them and now the spotlight is firmly on their jerseys.

However, it doesn’t always pan out that way. The history of the sport is littered with great talents who never fully lived up to that initial promise, for one reason or another. Some like Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano lacked the attitude and willpower to make themselves crucial team players. Others like Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen, Adriano of Inter and Andy van der Meyde at Ajax started strong only to be derailed by physical or psychological problems. The latest players heading for a fork in the career road this summer are Federico Chiesa and Jack Grealish. Both promised so much and were guaranteed to light up the crowd with their exciting approach to the game, usually playing as wingers, but versatile enough to score or assist with equal vigour. That unpredictability is what made them so enticing for the fans and so promising for the future. This summer

feels like a watershed moment for their paths. Chiesa showed the usual flashes of brilliance at Euro 2024, but also the same old injury problems that have plagued him since that anterior cruciate ligament tear in January 2022. All season his fans assured that it was Max Allegri’s negative Juventus tactics frustrating his impact on the game, yet under Luciano Spalletti it was a similar story and then new Bianconeri boss Thiago Motta cut him out of the squad completely. That is in part due to his contract running down and not wanting to lose him as a free agent, but not entirely. His role as star man has been taken over first by Dusan Vlahovic, then exciting Turkey international Kenan Yildiz, who only celebrated his 19th birthday

ABOVE (MAIN): Winning Euro 2024 the day after his 17th birthday, Lamine Yamal is an explosive talent

ABOVE: Federico Chiesa was frozen out by Juventus and struggled to find buyers this summer

in May. He is one of the purest talents in Italian football, yet finding anyone prepared to pay even £15m for him this summer proved surprisingly tricky. It cannot all be down to the injuries, can it? When he turns on that change of pace and takes opponents on, Chiesa is still remarkably strong, but his versatility is also a hindrance, never quite finding his ideal position. A Jack of all trades, master of none.

Speaking of Jacks, Grealish had an even worse fall from grace. A hero at Aston Villa, he was sold to Manchester City for a record-shattering £100 million in the summer of 2021, at the time the most expensive English player ever. Even with the reputation for being a bit of a party animal, he was a key figure in the Treble of 2023 and said to be in the running for the Ballon d’Or, but a year on he was not even included in the England squad for Euro 2024. How the mighty have fallen. Again, only part of that can be attributed to Gareth Southgate’s negative and strict tactical ideas, or to Grealish’s injury record. Like Chiesa, Jack the Lad can be an exhilarating loose cannon that occasionally backfires, and then it’s like playing with 10 men. Juve and Italy didn’t have the same competition for places as Manchester City, so Chiesa didn’t end up on the bench as often as Grealish, but the general mood around them was the same. Patience had worn thin and fresh faces were ready to compete for their places. Grealish turns 29 in September, Chiesa will be 28 in October, and they can no longer be considered hopeful champions for the future. This is meant to be their peak and instead they are plummeting. Pure talent isn’t always enough, you need the luck of the draw with injuries and the mental strength to be consistent, being able to harness that exciting unpredictability within the framework of the team around you. The stage is set for Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Jude Bellingham to dominate the Ballon d’Or rankings for the next decade, but they can also see the warning signs from those who came before them and squandered that promise.

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