World Soccer 03 2024

BECKENBAUER ★ ZAGALLO ★ RIVA
Special tributes: remembering three true football icons
March 2024
CHAMPIONS EYE-CATCHING
LEAGUE
SIGNINGS
January
transfer
window
round-up
inside
TEAM BY TEAM
All 16 clubs analysed
ahead of the knockouts
SHOCK TITLE
CHASERS
Profiles: Girona &
Bayer Leverkusen
SEASON
PREVIEWS
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCC C ER
J. LEAGUE & K-LEAGU
UE
LEAGUE OF IRELAND
£5.99
JOSE MOURINHO VENTFORET KOFU

PLUS MLS 6 OF THE BEST EUROPA LEAGUE
PALESTINE IRAQ RB LEIPZIG
G WOMEN
Presents
Check out our full collection of back issues
T T
RMA RMA
O O
L F LY L F LY
ITA ON ITA ON
G G
DI DI
T AT
RMA ORM
FO L F LY
ITALONLY GITA ON
DIG DI
DI DI
GIT GIT T
A AT MA
ONL FOR A
ONL FOR O RM OR
LY M LY M L F LY L FNLY
AT AT ITA ON A
T O
IG GI
D DI
Simply visit... shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSP

Print edition: £7.99 each Digital edition: £6.99 each
March 2024
18
FEATURES THE WORLD THIS MONTH
People in the news...on and off the pitch
4 In pictures
12 From the Editor
13 In Numbers
14 Keir Radnedge How Der Kaiser defined an era
16 Jonathan Wilson Zagallo & Beckenbauer
17 Reports we couldn’t make up
18 Obituaries Luigi Riva
20 Ins & Outs
21 January transfer window 28
SPECIAL TRIBUTE
28 Mario Zagallo
EYEWITNESS
32 Japan
36 Palestine
22 Remembering Franz Beckenbauer
Special tribute to Der Kaiser TURN BACK THE CLOCK
40 Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup win
HEADLINERS 46
44 Girona
46 Ventforet Kofu
48 Andriy Shevchenko
ONES TO WATCH
60 Europa League
68 Europa Conference League
74 MLS 6 of the best
SPECIAL FEATURE
70 Jose Mourinho 98
SPOTLIGHT
76 RB Leipzig Women
49 UEFA Champions League WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Knockout round preview and stats 80 2024 Olympic qualifiers
MY BIGGEST GAME
98 Hannes Halldorsson
Follow World Soccer online
FOOTBALL 24-7 SAVE

MONEY ON
Exclusive
subscription
offer
See page 10
62 Bayer Leverkusen
Follow @wo
o rl d s o c c e r m a g Like World Soccer Magazine
Club focus
86 Asian Champions League

a
United States
South Korea
Republic of Ireland
Exclusive reports from our worldwide St Helena

network of correspondents
P L U S 95 Global diary 96 Results, tables, fixtures

WORLD SOCCER 3
THE WORLD THIS MONTH
The global game caught on camera
4 WORLD SOCCER
Ivory Coast…inside the
opening ceremony of the
2023 Africa Cup of Nations
in the Alassane Ouattara
Olympic Stadium, Abidjan
WORLD SOCCER 5
Chile…Arturo Vidal is
welcomed home like a
returning king at Colo-Colo
after re-joining the club
where he began his career
Italy…Milan
goalkeeper Mike
Maignan remonstrates
with the referee after
receiving racist abuse
from Udinese fans
during a Serie A clash
England…Spain and Barcelona

star Aitana Bonmati collects The
Best FIFA Women’s Player award
during a ceremony in London
6 WORLD SOCCER
IN PICTURES
Saudi Arabia…Vinicius Junior

rounds Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki
Pena during Real Madrid’s Spanish
Super Cup final victory in Riyadh
Brazil…a football fan pays

his own special tribute
to Mario Zagallo after
the Brazilian Football
Confederation announced
seven days of mourning
for the legendary former
player and manager
More on pages 16 and 28
Germany…Bayern Munich
pay tribute to the late
Franz Beckenbauer
More on pages 14, 16 and 22
WORLD SOCCER 7
Qatar…Lebanon defender
Qatar…Iran’s Mehdi Taremi, Khalil Khamis goes in for a
Sardar Azmoun and Ali Gholizadeh high challenge on China’s
celebrate a goal against the United Dai Wai Tsun during the
Arab Emirates at the Asian Cup Asian Cup group stage
Qatar…Jordan’s players celebrate

scoring twice in stoppage time during
their dramatic 3-2 victory over Iraq in
the last16 of the Asian Cup
8 WORLD SOCCER
IN PICTURES
Ivory Coast…Mauritania skipper Bodda

Mouhsine celebrates his country’s first-
ever AFCON win after defeating Algeria
in the group stage and knocking out
the 2019 champions in the process
Ivory Coast…ex-Manchester
United winger Bebe celebrates
after scoring one of the AFCON
goals of the tournament, an
amazing 40-yard free-kick for
Cape Verde v Mozambique
Ivory Coast…Equatorial
Guinea captain Emilio Nsue
celebrates scoring the first
of three goals against Guinea-
Bissau, the first Africa Cup of
Nations hat-trick since 2008
WORLD SOCCER 9
SUBSCRIBE
TODAY AND
SAVE UP
TO 45%
Delivery
available
Don’t miss this special offer –
subscribe today and save up to 45%
in every • Never miss an issue with delivery direct to your door
country • Big savings – save up to 45% on the full price
• Receive both the print and digital editions
• You’ll also receive the World Soccer e-newsletter
STAY INFORMED
STAY INSPIRED.
Receive
both print
and digital
editions
3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE:

1 VISIT shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCP124
2 CALL 01959 543 747 QUOTE CODE WSCP124
3 SCAN THE QR CODE
Calls charged at your standard network rate. Lines are open 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday.
Terms and conditions: Savings are based on the standard cover price of £5.99 plus postage. Overseas discounts are calculated on the standard cover price plus postage. Your subscription will start with the
next available issue, and you will receive 13 issues in a year. Offer ends March 31, 2024. Prices correct at the time of printing and are subject to change. For full terms and conditions visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/terms.
Data protection: We take great care in handling your personal details; these will only ever be used as set out in our privacy policy, which can be viewed at shop.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy. We will only
contact you about our special offers via the preferences you have indicated, and you can update these at any time by emailing us at [email protected] or by calling us on 01959 543 747.
FROM THE
EDITOR
In an Adidas advert, released during the 2006 World Cup,
two kids on a Barcelona street agree to a game of football.
When it comes to picking their team-mates, there are no limits.
“Kaka,” says one. “Zidane,” responds the other. As the two
Ballon d’Or winners jog over, the team building continues:
“Beckham”
“Defoe”
“Kahn” If a footballing
“Lampard” Mount
“Beckenbauer” Rushmore were
“Beckenbauer?!” commissioned
Sure enough, Franz Beckenbauer, in
a pristine white 1974 West Germany today, Franz
shirt with number five on the back, Beckenbauer’s
joins the makeshift pitch. face would be
The technology of the time didn’t carved into it
quite allow the Kaiser’s digital image
to be imposed into the match action,
yet even that brief cameo manages to
capture something of his magic. Here was a footballer that
left an indelible impression on the game and those that love it,
far beyond Bavaria where he spent much of his playing career
and long after his retirement. Even today, in streets, playgrounds
and parks around the globe, a player dribbling the ball out from
the back will still be greeted with cries of “Beckenbauer!” It is ENGLAND & SPAIN
a name synonymous with adventurous, attacking football.
There are a handful of footballers in history whose names Klopp and Xavi
truly echo down through the ages, and Beckenbauer is undeniably to step down
one of them. If a footballing Mount Rushmore were commissioned
today, his face would be carved into it. Liverpool and Barcelona will both begin the
2024-25 season with new managers after
In one of life’s harsh coincidences, Beckenbauer’s death Jurgen Klopp and Xavi announced they will
came just days after the passing of a man with whom he shares step down at the end of the current campaign.
an incredible record. Brazil’s Mario Zagallo was the first man to The German’s departure was undoubtedly
win the World Cup as both a player and manager, a record that the more surprising, with Liverpool fans and
Beckenbauer matched in 1990, and it is no exaggeration to say the wider media stunned by his announcement.
Speaking to the club’s in-house media channel,
that, with their passing, football has lost two of its most influential Klopp said he was “running out of energy” to
figures of all time. We pay tribute to both in these pages. keep doing the job, and revealed that he had told
Elsewhere, Nick Bidwell casts his eye over the Champions the hierarchy of his decision to leave in November.
League last 16, plus the standout players in the Europa League Attention now turns to finding his replacement,
and Conference League, while John Duerden re-tells the story with ex-Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso, currently
impressing at Bayer Leverkusen (more on
of Iraq’s remarkable 2007 Asian Cup victory. page 62), the favourite to take charge.
As we send this issue to print, In contrast, Xavi’s departure from Barcelona
the closing stages of this year’s came amidst increasing uncertainty about his
competition and the Africa Cup future. According to The Athletic, the former
of Nations are drawing to a midfielder’s position was the topic of discussion
at a meeting of club executives following defeat
close. We’ll have full reports to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey – the last
on both in our next issue. competition that Barca could realistically have
won this season – and a 5-3 home setback
Jamie Evans, Managing Editor to Villarreal in the league. Club president Joan
Laporta had decided to give Xavi more time,
12 WORLD SOCCER
GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE
“I will sleep better…they have been our biggest rival

and personally he has been my biggest rival from when
he was at Borussia Dortmund and I was at Bayern Munich”
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola reacts to the news that Jurgen Klopp will leave Liverpool this summer
Liverpool legend
…Jurgen Klopp
was given a warm
Anfield reception
in the Reds’ first
home game after
The month in numbers
his announcement Eye-catching facts and stats from the world of football...
174 €500,000
By netting against arch-rivals Real Madrid in Transfer fee paid by Chelsea to Levante –
the Spanish Super Cup, Antoine Griezmann including add-ons – for Colombia striker
moved to 174 Atletico Madrid career goals Mayra Ramirez, which sets a new transfer
– making him the club’s all-time top scorer. record for the women’s game.
98 354
League places separating Maidstone United Everton’s previous record for Premier
and Championship side Ipswich Town before League appearances, which right-back
the non-league club’s FA Cup giant-killing. Seamus Coleman surpassed in January.
34 2027
Years and 110 days, the age at which Year that Sarina Wiegman has extended
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue her deal to as England Women’s manager.
8
became the oldest-ever hat-trick scorer
at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
24
Italian Super
Cups won by
Penalties that were taken in the French Internazionale,
Cup shootout between holders Toulouse one short of
and third-tier Rouen. The lower-league Juventus’ all-
only for the coach to inform him that he would side eventually triumphed 12-11. time record,
8,000
be departing come the end of the season. after they
beat Napoli
Difficult season… Miles that Martinique-based Golden Lion 1-0 in the
Xavi after Barca’s
Spanish Super
travelled in a round-trip to face Ligue 1 side final in
Cup final defeat Lille in the French Cup, only to lose 12-0. Riyadh.
2 2
to Real Madrid
Match-winner…Lautaro Martinez
raises the Italian Super Cup
Years that Steven Gerrard extended his Premier League
contract by at Saudi side Al Ettifaq, keeping clubs – Everton and Nottingham Forest
him at the club until 2027, despite the – that were charged for alleged breaches
departure of his captain Jordan Henderson. of profit and sustainability rules in their
40,000
accounts for the 2022-23 campaign.
FIFA
Guadalajara fans that attended their stadium 1
to welcome home returning striker Javier Players to have scored in every category
FIFA Awards 2023 “Chicharito” Hernandez, who re-joined of AFCON – the U17, U20, U23 and senior
The winners of the 2023 Best FIFA Awards were the club in January from LA Galaxy. competition – after Zambia striker Patson
announced at a ceremony in London in January: Daka became the first player to do so.
Men’s Player: 4
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami & Argentina) Udinese supporters banned for life by
Women’s Player: the Serie A club after racially abusing
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona & Spain) Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
£300,000
Men’s Goalkeeper: Ederson (Man. City & Brazil) Hero’s
Women’s Goalkeeper: welcome…
Mary Earps (Man. United & England) Chivas fans The starting price for the napkin Lionel
in the Akron
Men’s Coach: Pep Guardiola (Man. City) Messi signed his first Barcelona contract on
Stadium
Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman (England) in 2000, which goes to auction in March.
Puskas Award:
Guilherme Madruga (Botafogo v Novorizontino)
WORLD SOCCER 13
Keir
RADNEDGE
THE INSIDER
Opponents then friends: Beckenbauer and Cruyff

Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff’s relationship defined an era of football
World football boasts sharply- Cruyff, at Ajax and under Opponents then enticed away to Barcelona.
defined eras in terms of those the initial tutelage of coach friends…Johan The demise of that all-conquering
Cruyff and Franz
great players who mark the game Rinus Michels, launched the Beckenbauer Ajax left the stage clear for another
with their genius, their achievements Total Football revolution. This saw pioneer in Beckenbauer and his
and an idiosyncratic creativity which new levels of fitness, technique Bayern Munich.
propels it in new directions. The and tactical intelligence permit an Cruyff’s Ajax and Beckenbauer’s
post-war era of the 1950s and early inter-passing, inter-changing manner Bayern broke the standard tactical
1960s points up Ferenc Puskas and of performance that stands as a mould of players’ fixed positions.
Alfredo Di Stefano, Pele through into precursor for today’s football. Hungary, in the early 1950s,
the 1970s, quickly succeeded by the The concept was nothing new. had demonstrated the mayhem
duopoly of Johan Cruyff and Franz Willy Meisl, in his seminal 1950s generated by the one simple trick of
Beckenbauer. book Soccer Revolution (still well a deep-lying centre-forward. Cruyff’s
Beckenbauer died this past worth reading), had predicted Total Football and Beckenbauer as
January, Cruyff in 2016. Their progress towards a free-wheeling an attacking libero opened up far
names will always be linked not style which he labelled “The Whirl”. wider tactical and technical vistas.
only in delighting a decade, but Cruyff and Ajax brought it to life and Bayern filled the gap left by the
through innovative football which were rewarded with a European Cup abdication of Cruyff and Ajax after
opened eyes to new visions of hat-trick between 1971 and 1973 1973 by winning their own European
how it could be played. before coach and captain were Cup hat-trick between 1974 and
14 WORLD SOCCER
BOOKS
THIS
MONTH
1976. One revolution after another. referee Jack Taylor, remains as a World All-Stars XI and against
In an age before Champions properly historic as the outcome. Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But
League group stages, and when The Dutch opened the scoring the league refused to let Cruyff
each country only sent one team with the first-ever penalty in a World join Cosmos because it wanted the
to the European Cup, it should Cup final (converted by Johan big names spread around. Hence,
not come as a surprise that Neeskens), the Germans levelled they faced up twice in the NASL: THE AFRICA CUP
OF NATIONS
Beckenbauer and Cruyff with one of their own (Paul Breitner) Beckenbauer with Cosmos and
By Ben Jackson
came face-to-face only twice in and then went ahead through Gerd Cruyff with Los Angeles Aztecs (Pitch Publishing, £14.99)
international competition, despite Muller. All before half-time. So it and then Washington Diplomats.
their eras of supremacy overlapping stayed. Beckenbauer hoisted Retirement saw both enter This book explores
so closely. One such occasion aloft the new FIFA World Cup. management, though neither held the rich history of one
of football’s iconic
was in the European Cup, one Their rivalry should have coaching certificates. Both were but often overlooked
in the World Cup. Both were been renewed in the European winners again at club level with their tournaments. There
memorable and both left some Championship final in Yugoslavia old clubs but it was Beckenbauer are many stories
lasting resentments. Cruyff won two years later, after Cruyff’s who was once more a World Cup of redemption and
the first, Beckenbauer the second. Dutchmen and Beckenbauer’s winner, with West Germany in 1990. achievement, such
Ajax hosted Bayern in a West Germans were drawn apart in Subsequent passing years as the return of South
Africa in the 1990s
European Cup quarter-final on the semi-finals. Instead Cruyff and engendered not only mutual respect following apartheid, and
March 7, 1973. They boasted an Co. lost to Czechoslovakia, who but friendship. In 2015, Cruyff told the triumph of Zambia
the German magazine 11Freunde: after the tragedy of
Cruyff’s Ajax and Beckenbauer’s Bayern “I can’t say exactly when we became 1993. It brings us all the
friends but we instinctively had a great teams, managers
broke the standard tactical mould of great respect for each other. We and players who have
lit up the tournament,
players’ fixed positions often saw each other because shining a spotlight on
I always went skiing in Kitzbuhel African football history.
aura of two European trophies, then defeated Beckenbauer’s men where [Franz] lives. We did sport
while Bayern’s pride had been in the final in a penalty shootout. together and, in the evenings,
in providing the backbone of By the time of the next World sat together. Over the years, the
West Germany’s 1972 European Cup, in 1978, both men had quit connection became ever stronger.”
Championship winners. The first national team football and headed When Cruyff passed away a
half ended goalless but Ajax for the fun and glitz (and initial year later Beckenbauer tweeted:
were magnificent in the second money) of the North American “I am shocked. He was not only
and struck four times through Soccer League (NASL). a very good friend but also a
midfielders Arie Haan (twice) They even played together that brother to me.”
and Gerrie Muhren then a year, twice, on the same New York Opponents then friends but
Cruyff header in the last minute. Cosmos side in two friendlies against magisterial footballing pioneers both. BIG BOOTS TO FILL
Cruyff was injured for the By David Michael Nolan
(Pitch Publishing, £18.99)
second leg in Munich, which
Bayern won 2-1, but it was a This is the story of
pyrrhic victory. Ajax went on to Argentina’s search
beat Juventus in the final while for an heir to Diego
Bayern retained their Bundesliga Maradona – players
like the great Juan
crown. Cruyff then left for Barcelona Roman Riquelme,
so, a year later in 1974, Beckenbauer troubled Ariel Ortega,
and Bayern collected their own first beloved Carlos Tevez
European Cup trophy. and magical Pablo
Weeks later, the rivalry was Aimar. Others wilted
renewed but at national team level under the huge weight
of expectation and
in the World Cup final in West ended their careers
Germany. Cruyff’s Netherlands, in obscure backwaters,
arrogantly stylish, were favourites playing in lower leagues.
but Beckenbauer’s West Germany, It was not until the
after a testing campaign, were on emergence of Lionel
home ground in Munich’s Olympic Messi that the country
had a worthy wearer
Stadium. The image of Beckenbauer of the sobriquet “the
and Cruyff, meeting as captains new Maradona”.
under the watchful gaze of Final foes…Beckenbauer and Cruyff in action in the1974 World Cup final in Munich’s Olympiastadion
WORLD SOCCER 15
Jonathan
WILSON
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
World Cup game-changers: Beckenbauer and Zagallo

The two World Cup winners had a greater impact on football’s tactics as players than as managers
In the space of two days in January,
football lost Mario Zagallo and Franz
Beckenbauer, two of the three men
to have won the World Cup as both
a player and a manager. But there is
something else that links them: they
both changed the tactical evolution
of the game as players. Tactical
revolutions these days tend to be
regarded as the preserve of managers,
who change the game with their
philosophies. Six decades ago, the
process was often more organic.
Brazil had won the 1958 World
Cup using a 4-2-4 formation. Teams
playing a classic W-M (3-2-2-3)
found that the extra defender made
it much harder to create situations
in which a winger was running at an
isolated defender, while at the same
time when in possession, Brazil’s
full-backs could push forward to join
the attack from deeper positions that
made them very hard to pick up. shuttling runs became more World Cup game- just that Zagallo’s move brought Brazil
The problem was that, once pronounced by 1962 – in part, changers…Franz their success, it’s that it set a template
Beckenbauer and
the shock of the new system had perhaps, because the Brazil that Mario Zagallo for wide midfielders for years to come.
dissipated, it became apparent that retained the World Cup was simply By the time England won the
playing with just two midfielders not as good as the side that had World Cup in 1966, they were using
rendered a team, no matter how won it for the first time. two shuttling wingers: Alan Ball on
the right, whose movement closely
It’s not just that Zagallo’s move brought resembled Zagallo’s, and Martin Peters,
whose starting position tended to be
Brazil their success, it’s that it set a template deeper. Alf Ramsey, the manager, had
for wide midfielders for years to come first withdrawn a winger in his days
at Ipswich Town, although that was
technically accomplished, vulnerable. Whose idea it was is harder to say. because Jimmy Leadbitter, whom he
The four midfielders (two wing-halves It may be that that was how Aymore deployed on the left, lacked the pace
and two inside-forwards) of the W-M Moreira, the coach in 1962, instructed
could call the bluff of the side Zagallo to play. Zagallo himself, never
playing 4-2-4, let them operate a man to downplay his own genius,
with a forward more than they always insisted he had done it himself.
had defenders and dominate in He had been a number ten, but had
the centre by weight of numbers. realised he had more chance of making
What was necessary was to find the national side on the left wing –
a way to bolster the midfield without that much is true. Whether he then
compromising too much the basic single-handedly, as he liked to claim,
shape. So Zagallo, the left-winger, reinterpreted the role of the wide
began to drop back more and more. midfield-forward is less plausible, but
In truth, he had already been doing that is not to deny the significance
that in 1958. It’s notable that in the of the innovation, nor his prescience
World Cup final, he scored one goal in recognising that his unusual Zagallo-
inspired…1966
and set another up but also cleared combination of stamina and technical World Cup winner
a Swedish effort off the line. But the gifts made him ideal for the role. It’s not Martin Peters
16 WORLD SOCCER
REPORTS WE COULDN’T MAKE UP
proposal – then made their dislike

of privately-owned clubs clear
when they faced RB Leipzig. Still
notoriously unpopular for their Red
Bull backing, Leipzig’s players were
greeted by total silence from the
Stuttgart fans for the opening
minutes of their Bundesliga clash,
before a volley of tennis balls rained
to take on a full-back directly. down onto the pitch from the stands.
Innovations often have many fathers.
Beckenbauer, similarly, was a player COLOMBIAN WIMBLEDON
of an unusual combination of skills.
He made his debut for Bayern as an
18-year-old on the left wing and when 2 FOR THE PRICE OF €1 Reunited…Ivan
4 Spare a thought for fans
of Colombian side Alianza
Petrolera, who recently learned
Helmut Schon called him up for West
Germany for the first time the following
year, although he played him in midfield,
he said he expected him to become a
1 Last month we brought you
news of Croatian side Hajduk
Split re-signing their former striker
Nikola Kalinic on a contract until
Perisic and Nikola
Kalinic at Euro 2016
that their team would be leaving
their Barrancabermeja home and
relocating almost 300 miles north
to Valledupar. The club has struggled
forward. He’d actually played most of the end of the season worth just €1, financially ever since its formation
that season at Bayern as a centre-half, and now he has been joined by one in 1990, even though they’ve been
a position that, in Germany at the time, of his old international team-mates, a top-flight side since 2012 and
was detailed with marking the opposing Ivan Perisic. Unlike Kalinic, the ex- last season qualified for the Copa
centre-forward but who had some licence Bayern Munich and Inter winger’s Sudamericana. There was, at least,
to advance because of the presence of salary will be a little higher – he some solace for heartbroken fans:
an Ausputzer – a “cleaner” or spare will receive €1 per month – on anyone that bought one of the club’s
defender – behind him. loan from Tottenham. And how did newly-launched “2024 Historic Shirts”
The intention had been for him Hajduk get on in their first league would be entitled to a full refund.
to move into midfield but when Dieter game after signing the duo? They
Danzberg, the centre-half Bayern signed lost 2-1 at home to Rijeka, who VAR REMATCH
in 1965, was sent off in the opening
game of Bayern’s first Bundesliga season
and banned for eight weeks, he was
leapfrogged them to top spot.
CONTI CUPSET
5 Belgian authorities may have
opened up a can of worms
by ordering a match to be replayed
shifted back as cover and performed so
well, he became established as Bayern’s
libero. As Beckenbauer himself pointed
out, though, if the comparison was made
2 Manchester United Women
were left scratching their
heads after being eliminated from
the Conti Cup – aka the Women’s
following a VAR error. In December,
Genk had a goal scored against
Anderlecht – from a rebound after
a penalty miss – disallowed due
to the Internazionale of Helenio Herrera, League Cup – due to Aston Villa to the scorer encroaching in the
the player he most resembled was less fielding an ineligible player. The penalty area, despite the fact that
the deep-lying libero Armando Picchi Villans were found guilty of using two Anderlecht players also entered
than the attacking left-back Giacinto a cup-tied player, Noelle Maritz, in the box. According to IFAB laws, the
Facchetti. It wasn’t until 1971 that Schon their 7-0 victory over Sunderland penalty should have been retaken. As
was sufficiently in the group stage. Following an a result, the match will be replayed.
convinced to let investigation, it was decreed that
Beckenbauer three points instead be awarded RONALDO CANCELLED
play there for
the national
side but, when
he did, it brought
to Sunderland who, as a result,
leapfrogged Villa to top spot, which
in turn pushed United out as one of
the two best runners-up. “We are
6 Any cynics of Al Nassr’s
intentions behind their
planned tour of China in January
might have felt vindicated after
a European very disappointed with this outcome, the Saudi team postponed two
Championship and do not understand its rationale,” friendlies following an injury to
and World Cup. said the Red Devils in a statement. Hero’s welcome Cristiano Ronaldo. In protest,
…fans in China
As a manager, Blueprint…Facchetti were excited to angry fans reportedly stormed
Beckenbauer was conservative, FEISTY FANS the team’s hotel in Shenzhen.
implementing the system he had played
with the national side. Zagallo was more
innovative, using a fluid 4-5-1 as Brazil
won the 1970 World Cup, his focus less
3 German football fans are
known for their activism, as
followers of Borussia Dortmund and
Stuttgart demonstrated recently. First,
see CR7 in action
on the shape than the sense of the Dortmund supporters interrupted

team moving as one unit. their 4-0 victory against Cologne by
But in truth, the biggest difference throwing chocolate coins onto the
both made to tactical evolution of the pitch in protest against an initiative
game was as players, through the to sell off some of the league’s
innovative application of rare TV rights. Stuttgart – who also
combinations of talent. protested against the investment
WORLD SOCCER 17
“We have lost one of the great symbols of Italian

football. A fantastic player and above all a real man”
Fabio Capello pays tribute to Italy great and his former Azzurri team-mate Luigi Riva
OBITUARIES
Luigi RIVA selection, interest from bigger clubs
(1944-2024) and ultimately a transfer to Cagliari
The great Luigi “Gigi” Riva was an in Serie B in 1963.
old-fashioned sort of football hero, Riva scored on his debut against
a superstar goalscorer loyal to an Prato in the first game of what proved
unfashionable club who turned down to be a promotion-winning season
a relentless stream of offers from and never looked back. He made
the giants of Calcio. his inevitable Italy debut in 1965 in a
Riva, more remarkably, remains friendly against Hungary in Budapest.
the Italy national team’s all-time Riva, on for Ezio Pascutti after only
leading marksman on 35 goals in eight minutes, thus became Cagliari’s
42 games; none of today’s fellow first-ever senior international footballer.
countrymen approach his level or A year later, national team coach
scoring rate (0.83 goals per game). Edmondo Fabbri included him in an
Second and third behind him are initial World Cup preparation squad.
pre-war heroes Giuseppe Meazza Ultimately, he was omitted from the
(33) and Silvio Piola (30). All this squad and travelled to England only
in today’s era when other nations’ as a spectator to see his team-mates Euro ’68…Italy 1969-70 he inspired Cagliari’s historic
pose ahead of
marksmen have left Riva’s tally far suffer their North Korean disaster at the final. Riva
league title success. His leadership and
behind: ten Germans, six each from Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park. back row, third top-scoring exploits once more – 21
Brazil, England and France, and three A single-minded determination from the left this time, mainly scored with headers
from Argentina and Spain. The only to progress the next season saw Riva and his left foot – led to coach Manlio
“recent” Italians to come anywhere become Serie A’s top scorer with 18 Scopigno joking: “Gigi only uses his
near his tally are Roberto Baggio goals despite fracturing a leg while right foot to step onto the tram.”
and Alessandro Del Piero (27). on international duty. Two years later Riva’s career was at its zenith.
Italian icon
Nicknamed by journalist Gianni Brera he was capocannoniere again, with …portrait of His goals and roles with Italy at
as the “Rombo di Tuono” (“Rumble of 20 goals in 29 games, then in Riva in1970 European and World Cup level saw
Thunder” or “Thunderclap”), Riva was him voted runner-up in the 1969
not only a member of the Italy team European Footballer of the Year poll,
that won the European Championship behind international team-mate Gianni
on home soil in 1968, but scored the Rivera, and third in 1970 behind Gerd
first goal in the replayed victory over Muller and Bobby Moore. Then, in an
Yugoslavia. Two years later, he was international against Austria at the end
there in the Estadio Azteca as the of the year, came a second leg fracture.
Azzurri finished runners-up to an The 1974 World Cup in West Germany,
irresistible Brazil in the World Cup when the Azzurri tumbled out in the
final. Riva had scored twice in the group stage, proved Riva’s international
quarter-final defeat of hosts Mexico swansong. Two years later, at 31, he
and once in the semi-final thriller played his last game for Cagliari, as
against West Germany. Weeks earlier, further injuries eventually forced
in that same 1970, he had led Cagliari his retirement. Serie A defenders
to their one and only league title. breathed a sigh of relief.
Yet Riva, despite his abiding loyalty Riva had been Serie A’s top scorer
for Sardinia and Cagliari in particular, three times and totalled 205 goals,
had been born and brought up on the including 164 in the league, for Cagliari
mainland border between Lombardy between 1963 and 1976. His club
and Piedmont, in the village of honoured him by retiring his iconic
Leggiuno overlooking Lake Maggiore. No.11 jersey.
Riva endured a tough childhood. Later, Riva took up various managerial
He was nine when his father died in a roles with Cagliari and the Italian Football
factory accident and, after his mother Federation, including the victorious 2006
died of cancer, he was brought up World Cup campaign. At the time of his
by his sister. He was bullied in school death from a heart attack, he was
and found an escape in local football, Cagliari’s honorary president.
eventually with Serie C Legnano. His He once said he never regretted
physical power and ability to drift in turning down big offers to stay in
from the left wing and shake off even Sardinia, only that: “My parents
the most rugged of defenders to score didn’t see me become famous.”
goals consistently drew national youth Keir Radnedge
18 WORLD SOCCER
“Jorge Griffa was the guru of football development in

Argentina, and Newell’s followed his ideas which
placed their academy at the top of the scale”
Former Argentina and Real Madrid forward Jorge Valdano on the late Jorge Griffa
Mel BLYTH Keith LAMB

(1944-2024) (1946-2024)
The scorer of Crystal Palace’s first-ever Former long-serving chief executive
top-flight goal in 1969, the centre-half of Middlesbrough, from 1986 to 2011,
later joined Southampton and played a who helped oversee their rise from
part in their surprise 1976 FA Cup win. near-extinction to winning their first
major trophy and a European final.
Angel CASTELLANOS
(1952-2024) Bertin OLLE OLLE
Tough-tackling centre-back or midfielder, (1961-2024)
who was a key player for Valencia when Cameroon midfielder who won the 1988
they won the 1978-79 Copa del Rey Africa Cup of Nations with his country.
and Cup Winners’ Cup a year later.
Peter JOHNSON
Jorge GRIFFA Influential…Jorge Alberto FESTA (1939-2024)
(1935-2024) Griffa ahead of the (1939-2024) Former chairman of Tranmere
2022 World Cup
Plucked from Newell’s Old Boys by A Portugal international of 19 caps, three Rovers and later Everton.
Atletico Madrid in 1959, shortly after of which came at the 1966 World Cup.
helping Argentina win the South Bohdan SHERSHUN
American Championship, the defender Stephen LAYBUTT (1981-2024)
spent ten years in Spain and won five (1977-2024) Ukrainian centre-back who reached the
trophies, including the 1961-62 Cup A member of the Australian Under-23 final of the U19 Euros in 2000, and went
Winners’ Cup – all despite playing the side that competed on home soil at the on to win four senior caps. Played for a
majority of his career with a torn ACL, Sydney Olympics in 2000, Laybutt went host of clubs in his home country, but his
an injury he suffered at the age of 21. on to win 15 caps for the Socceroos. He most successful spell came in Russia at
After retiring, Griffa returned home played in Europe for the likes of Gent CSKA Moscow where he won six trophies.
to Rosario. Following a brief spell as and Feyenoord, and won the A-League
Newell’s manager, he set his mind to the title with Newcastle Jets in 2007-08. RICARDO
recruitment and development of young (1931-2024)
players. In roles at Old Boys and later John HURST The former striker still holds the record
Boca Juniors, Griffa discovered several (1947-2024) for most goals in a single season in Spain’s
future Argentina internationals including In 1965, Hurst became the first-ever second division, scoring 46 times for Gijon
Jorge Valdano, Gabriel Batistuta, Carlos player to be substituted on for Everton, in 1956-57. Joined Valencia the following
Tevez, Maxi Rodriguez, Walter Samuel, and in 11 seasons on Merseyside the campaign and topped the scoring charts
Gabriel Heinze and Ever Banega. defender played 404 games. He ended yet again, this time sharing top spot with
Griffa was also a major influence his playing career at Oldham, before Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano
for Marcelo Bielsa. The duo worked returning to Goodison Park in the 1990s and Manuel Badenes of Valladolid.
together as scouts for Newell’s, with the as part of Joe Royle’s backroom staff.
current Uruguay boss once describing Serhiy ROZHOK
his former colleague as a “master”. Jean PETIT (1985-2024)
(1949-2024) The former Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine
Dror KASHTAN French league champion with Monaco youth midfielder was killed while fighting
(1944-2024) in 1978 and 1982, having spent his for the Ukrainian army against Russia.
Coach of a host of Israeli sides – including entire career at the club from 1969 to
Hapoel Lod, Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi 1982. Named French Player of the Year Tommy BALDWIN
Haifa, Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and in 1978 and went on to play for France (1945-2024)
Hapoel Tel Aviv – before taking charge of at that year’s World Cup in Argentina. After starting his career at Arsenal,
the national team between 2006 and Mark Gleeson Baldwin made his name at Chelsea,
2010. Described by former Israel captain Klaus WUNDER joining the Blues as part of the deal
Yossi Benayoun as: “Without a doubt one (1950-2024) that took George Graham in the other
of the greatest coaches in Israel’s history.” The former Bayern Munich striker came direction. A reliable goalscorer, he helped
off the bench to replace Uli Hoeness in Chelsea win the FA Cup in 1970 and
Bennie MULLER the club’s European Cup final victory in the Cup Winners’ Cup a year later.
(1938-2024) 1975. Won one cap for West Germany.
Diminutive midfielder who played 426 Mario ZAGALLO
games for Ajax between 1958 and 1970, Franz BECKENBAUER (1931-2024)
winning five league titles and three cups. (1945-2024) Brazilian World Cup winner as a player,
He also won 43 caps for the Netherlands. Bayern Munich and Germany legend. manager and assistant.
Mark Gleeson Full tribute on page 22 Full tribute on page 28
WORLD SOCCER 19
“We’ve got titles to go after and we’ve already won one, so that’s
already done. After that, no, I haven’t made up my mind yet”
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe admits he doesn’t know where he’ll be playing next season
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

63 Moves That Caught Our Eye This Month
EUROPE
EMMANUEL DENNIS DAVIDE NICOLA
JADON SANCHO & IAN MAATSEN Watford re-signed the Forest striker on loan. Nicola replaced Aurelio Andreazzoli at Empoli.
The Manchester United winger returned to
former club Dortmund on loan. The Germans FABIO CARVALHO JOSE MOURINHO
also signed Maatsen on loan from Chelsea. After recalling him from a spell at RB Leipzig, Roma sacked their manager (more on page 70).
Liverpool sent Carvalho on loan to Hull City.
TIMO WERNER IVAN HASEK
Tottenham loaned the ex-Chelsea forward MAHMOUD DAHOUD Hasek took charge of Czech Republic.
from RB Leipzig until the end of the season. Stuttgart loaned the Brighton midfielder.
STEVEN DAVIS
JORDAN HENDERSON THILO KEHRER Northern Ireland’s most-capped player retired
The England midfielder ended his short stay Monaco signed the West Ham man on loan. after failing to return from injury for Rangers.
in Saudi Arabia, joining Dutch giants Ajax.
LEANDER DENDONCKER SOUTH AMERICA
KALVIN PHILLIPS Napoli signed the Aston Villa ace on loan.
West Ham United signed the Manchester City DORIVAL JUNIOR
midfielder on loan for the rest of the season. CARLOS ALCARAZ The Sao Paulo boss took charge of Brazil
Juventus loaned the Southampton midfielder. after Fernando Diniz ended his caretaker role.
ERIC DIER
Bayern Munich signed the Tottenham ANGELINO & MARASH KUMBULLA RICARDO GARECA
defender until the end of the season. Roma signed Angelino on loan from RB Leipzig The ex-Peru boss took charge of Chile.
and shipped out Kumbulla on loan to Sassuolo.
DJED SPENCE & SERGIO REGUILON ARTURO VIDAL
Tottenham loaned out full-backs Spence and DANIEL MALDINI The Chilean returned to first club Colo-Colo.
Reguilon to Genoa and Brentford respectively. Paolo’s son joined Monza on loan from Milan.
DOUGLAS COSTA
BEN BRERETON DIAZ & IVO GRBIC JEROME BOATENG The ex-Brazil winger joined Fluminense.
Sheffield United signed Chile’s Brereton Diaz The German joined Salernitana as a free agent.
on loan from Villarreal and Grbic from Atletico. AFRICA
YERRY MINA
SASA KALAJDZIC & DONNY VAN DE BEEK Cagliari signed the defender from Fiorentina. AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS EXITS
The duo joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan Six AFCON managers left their roles before
from Wolves and Manchester United respectively. CEDRIC BAKAMBU & BORJA IGLESIAS the end of the tournament: CHRIS HUGHTON
Real Betis paid €5m to Galatasaray for DR (Ghana), TOM SAINTFIET (Gambia), JEAN-
HANNIBAL MEJBRI & FACUNDO PELLISTRI Congo striker Bakambu, then sent Iglesias LOUIS GASSET (Ivory Coast), DJAMEL
The Red Devils also sent midfielder Hannibal on on loan to Bayer Leverkusen. BELMADI (Algeria), JALEL KADRI (Tunisia)
loan to Sevilla and winger Pellistri to Granada. and ADEL AMROUCHE (Tanzania).
LUCIEN AGOUME & ALEJO VELIZ
ENES UNAL Sevilla completed loan deals for Agoume from ASIA
Bournemouth signed Unal on loan from Getafe. Internazionale and striker Veliz from Tottenham.
IVAN RAKITIC
HAMED TRAORE, KIEFFER MOORE, GONCALO GUEDES & BERTRAND TRAORE Al Shabab signed the Croatian from Sevilla.
DAVID BROOKS & EMILIANO MARCONDES Villarreal signed Guedes on loan from Wolves
The quartet departed Bournemouth for loans at and Traore on a free transfer from Aston Villa. IGOR BISCAN
Napoli, Ipswich, Southampton and Hibernian. The coach left Al Shabab after two months.
LEONARDO BONUCCI & CAGLAR SOYUNCU
GIOVANNI REYNA & OREL MANGALA Fenerbahce signed Bonucci from Union Berlin JUAN MATA
Nottingham Forest signed Reyna on loan from and Soyuncu on loan from Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard became a free agent after being
Dortmund and sent Mangala on loan to Lyon. released by Japanese champions Vissel Kobe.
GABRIEL PAULISTA
ARMANDO BROJA, ANDREY SANTOS Atletico signed the Valencia defender on a free. CONCACAF
& DAVID DATRO FOFANA
The three youngsters left Chelsea on loan for MAURICIO PELLEGRINO JAVIER HERNANDEZ
Fulham, Strasbourg and Burnley respectively. The coach replaced Sergio as manager of Cadiz. The Mexico striker returned to first club Chivas.
20 WORLD SOCCER
“West Ham United confirm Said Benrahma has joined French Ligue 1
club Olympique Lyonnais on loan until the end of the 2023-24 season
...everyone at West Ham United would like to wish Said the best”
The Hammers confirm the Algeria winger’s move to Lyon after initial confusion over the transfer on deadline day
MARLON GOMES
MOST EXPENSIVE The route from
Brazil to Shakhtar
DEALS IN EUROPE’S is a well-trodden
path, and, even
JANUARY TRANSFER in the face of war,
the Ukrainian club continue
WINDOW 2024 to recruit players from South

America. Six Brazilians have
been signed this season, with the
€30m Vitor ROQUE (Athletico Paranaense to Barcelona) 20-year-old Gomes the standout.
€30m Sacha BOEY (Galatasaray to Bayern Munich) The midfield playmaker starred in
€25m Radu DRAGUSIN (Genoa to Tottenham Hotspur) Brazil’s victory in last year’s South
€25m Eljif ELMAS (Napoli to RB Leipzig) American U20 Championship, and
€23m Renan LODI (Marseille to Al Hilal) Valentin BARCO will head to Shakhtar after playing
€21m Adam WHARTON (Blackburn Rovers to Crystal Palace) Described by Tim Vickery in the in Olympic qualifying for the U23s.
€20m Lucas BERALDO (Sao Paulo to Paris Saint-Germain) February issue of World Soccer as
€20m Gabriel MOSCARDO (Corinthians to Paris Saint-Germain)* Boca Juniors’ “little red-headed Mohamed-Ali
€20m Luiz HENRIQUE (Real Betis to Botafogo) figure who made a big impact in CHO
€18m Arthur VERMEEREN (Royal Antwerp to Atletico Madrid) the second half of 2023”, Barco Described as
€18m Marcos LEONARDO (Santos to Benfica) is a utility man capable of playing a “superstar in
€18m Cyril NGONGE (Verona to Napoli) anywhere on the left flank. Young the making” by
€17m Malick FOFANA (Gent to Lyon) players that arrive at Brighton World Soccer after
€16m Azor MATUSIWA (Reims to Rennes) these days do so with a weight he burst onto the Ligue 1 scene
€15m ARTUR (Palmeiras to Zenit) of expectation, and Seagulls with Angers, Cho’s career has
€14.5m Claudio ECHEVERRI (River Plate to Manchester City)* manager Roberto De Zerbi name stalled since joining Real Sociedad
€13m Manfred UGALDE (Twente to Spartak Moscow) checked Alexis Mac Allister and in June 2022. The forward only
€12m Gift ORBAN (Gent to Lyon) Moises Caicedo - South American completed 90 minutes once in
€12m KEVIN (Palmeiras to Shakhtar Donetsk) recruits that starred on the south La Liga, as injuries hampered his
€12m Marlon GOMES (Vasco da Gama to Shakhtar Donetsk) coast before leaving in big-money progress. Having made his senior
€12m Santiago CASTRO (Velez Sarsfield to Bologna) deals - as role models for his debut as a 16-year-old, and with
€12m OTAVIO (Famalicao to Porto) latest signing. An Argentina U23 a game defined by explosive
€12m Quentin MERLIN (Nantes to Marseille) international, his arrival at the bursts, there are concerns that
€12m Mohamed-Ali CHO (Real Sociedad to Nice) Amex was delayed by taking his muscular problems may be
€11m Alidu SEIDU (Clermont to Rennes) part in an Olympic qualifying the result of too much, too young.
€10m Daniel MUNOZ (Genk to Crystal Palace) tournament in Venezuela. Ligue 1 high-flyers Nice will hope
€10m Tommaso BALDANZI (Empoli to Roma) to unlock his undoubted potential.
€9.4m Morgan ROGERS (Middlesbrough to Aston Villa) Gift ORBAN
€9.2m Valentin BARCO (BocaJuniors to Brighton & Hove Albion) Last season, Faris
€9m PEDRO (Corinthians to Zenit) Orban was MOUMBAGNA
€9m Lucas VERISSIMO (Benfica to Al Duhail) turning heads Players recruited
€9m Gianluca PRESTIANNI (Velez Sarsfield to Benfica) across Europe from Bodo/Glimt,
€9m Isak HIEN (Verona to Atalanta) after chalking up one of the most
€9m Matias VINA (Roma to Flamengo) an impressive goal record. After smartly run clubs
€8.9m Petar MUSA (Benfica to FC Dallas) joining Gent from Norwegian outfit in Europe, always catch the eye.
€8m Jean-Matteo BAHOYA (Angers to Eintracht Frankfurt) Stabaek in January 2023 – where Based within the Arctic Circle,
€8m Faris MOUMBAGNA (Bodo/Glimt to Marseille) he’d scored 19 goals in 24 games the Scandinavians have had to
€8m Pablo FORNALS (West Ham United to Real Betis) – the Nigerian netted14 goals in be enterprising recruiters in their
€7.6m Kosta NEDELJKOVIC (Red Star Belgrade to Aston Villa) his first 14 matches, including the journey to the top of Norwegian
€7.3m Kevin CASTANO (Cruz Azul to Krasnodar) fastest-ever hat-trick in a UEFA football and the knockout rounds
€7m Tajon BUCHANAN (Club Brugge to Internazionale) club competition. He has been less of the Europa Conference League,
€7m Ruslan MALINOVSKYI (Marseille to Genoa) prolific in 2023-24, scoring just and Moumbagna is one such
€7m Momodou Lamin SONKO (Hacken to Gent) three times in 17 Belgian league example. A Cameroon international
€6m Matz SELS (Strasbourg to Nottingham Forest) games, but has continued to (limited to a substitute role at this
€6m Joao VICTOR (Benfica to Vasco da Gama) plunder goals in the Conference year’s AFCON), he scored six goals
€6m Sergio AKIEME (Almeria to Reims) League with nine in ten games, in the qualifiers and group stage
€5.9m Josh DOIG (Verona to Sassuolo) including two hat-tricks. Struggling of the Europa Conference league,
€5.8m Johnny CARDOSO (Internacional to Real Betis) Lyon certainly hope that he can and 15 in the 2023 Norwegian
€5.1m Tiago DJALO (Lille to Juventus) recover his Midas touch in their league. A bustling yet nimble
*Player will remain at current club on loan battle against Ligue 1 relegation. striker with a sharp left foot.
WORLD SOCCER 21
SPECIAL
TRIBUTE
“G
reat” is an overused revolution that Beckenbauer inspired
word in the football as an attacking sweeper. The early
world, but it is most 1960s had been marked by the
appropriate for Franz pragmatism of Italian clubs, notably
Beckenbauer whose death followed Helenio Herrera’s Internazionale, with
so hard upon those of World Cup rivals their deep-lying extra central defender.
Sir Bobby Charlton and Mario Zagallo. Ironically, Beckenbauer, with the
Beckenbauer, who died at 78 after encouragement of Bayern coach
several years of failing health, stands Zlatko “Cik” Cajkovski, drew his
without peer as not only the greatest inspiration from Inter’s attacking
German player of all time – and possibly left-back, Giacinto Facchetti.
the greatest German sportsman – but Years later, he recalled: “As a boy,
one of the greatest footballers in the I started in attack and was always
history of the game. He made up a rushing towards the other team’s goal.
remarkable triumvirate, with Zagallo Our children’s coach once told me:
and Didier Deschamps, who won the ‘You must stay in defence,’ but I was
World Cup as player and coach. He and always convinced that my strength lay
Deschamps were both captains, too. in attacking. When I went to Bayern,
Gunter Netzer, Beckenbauer’s Cik worked out a system in which,
European Championship-winning when I linked up with attacks, someone
team-mate in 1972, led the multitude else always covered me in defence. Like
of tributes by saying: “There was no Facchetti, I could go anywhere – left,
better football player than Franz right, centre. I developed his ‘science’.”
Beckenbauer in the past and there All that lay in the future.
will be no better in the future.” The boy Beckenbauer took
Beckenbauer, born and raised in the his first steps on the football ladder
southern Munich suburb of Giesing on with local club SC 1906 Munich. With
September 11, 1945, built his reputation the junior team set to close, he was
with Bayern Munich before enjoying a expected to move to 1860 Munich
four-year American adventure with the but, after after a slap in the face from
New York Cosmos before one last, brief an opponent in a teenage derby, he
Bundesliga hurrah with Hamburg. decided to join Bayern instead. He
He won 103 caps, the World Cup, was studying insurance when, at 17,
European Championship, Intercontinental Bayern offered him a contract.
Cup, three European Cups, a European Different times. This was 1963,
Cup Winners’ Cup, five Bundesliga titles the year the Bundesliga was founded,
plus four German Cups and three North without Bayern. Beckenbauer would
American Soccer League Superbowls. recall: “Back then, sport was not
He was voted European Footballer of important. There was no professional
the Year twice and Germany’s number football. Germany had many other,
one on four occasions plus his nation’s bigger problems. My father, as well
footballer of the century. As a manager, as our neighbour, were against me
he led West Germany to the 1990 choosing football. It’s understandable.
World Cup and Bayern to the No one knew how it would go. But
Bundesliga title and UEFA Cup. I chose Bayern. Two years later we
Alone that adds up to a formidable went up into the Bundesliga and
record without factoring in the playing I played my first international.”
22 WORLD SOCCER
Franz Beckenbauer
One of the greatest

of all time...Franz
Beckenbauer
WORLD SOCCER 23
SPECIAL TRIBUTE
World Cup winner

…Beckenbauer lifts
the trophy in1974
“As a boy, I started in attack and was always

The occasion, away to Sweden, rushing towards the other team’s goal. Our to Czechoslovakia in a
was one to test the nerve of the children’s coach once told me: ‘You must stay shootout made famous by
most experienced player, never mind in defence,’ but I was always convinced that Antonin Panenka’s winning
a fledgling newcomer: qualification for penalty. A year later,
the 1966 World Cup finals was at stake.
my strength lay in attacking” Beckenbauer bowed out of
The odds were against West Germany. national team football with
Yet they won 2-1 and Beckenbauer new beginnings as not only captain for a then-record 103 caps to his name.
was a fixture for a decade. the 1972 European Championship but Beckenbauer, not only with West
In the finals, Beckenbauer scored a switch back to sweeper, his grace and Germany but also with Bayern, had
twice in the Germans’ opening 5-0 elegance personified in partnership won every major prize on offer. In an
defeat of Switzerland, one more in the with Netzer. Beckenbauer held the increasingly frenetic modern game, the
bruising quarter-final against Uruguay trophy aloft after a 3-0 defeat of sweeper role had provided him with
(4-0) and another in the 2-1 semi-final the Soviets in the final. the time and space in which to work
victory over the Soviet Union. In the Two years later, Beckenbauer his magical, winning influence.
final, coach Helmut Schon tasked attained his career pinnacle in leading His power at Bayern was unique,
Beckenbauer with man-marking the World Cup hosts to victory over partly since Robert Schwan, his
England’s creative force Bobby Charlton. Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands at his home personal Svengali, was also the club’s
Both were anonymous. Arguably, West stadium in Munich. It was the ultimate general manager. Schwan kept local
Germany suffered more from the reproof to critics still insisting he was politicians on board as Bayern walked
personal stalemate than England. wasting his talent as attacking sweeper. a financial tightrope. The conflict of
Four years later, Germany made Another two years and Beckenbauer interest was never challenged because
it to the semi-finals, where they lost celebrated his 100th appearance – the trophies kept on coming.
4-3 to Italy after a madcap extra-time. Germany’s first centurion – in the final Bayern won the German Cup in 1966
Beckenbauer played the closing stages of the 1976 European Championship in and the European Cup Winners’ Cup
with his arm in a sling after a shoulder Belgrade. It could have been a night in 1967. Beckenbauer was appointed
dislocation in what stands as Germany’s to remember for so many reasons, captain for the 1968-69 season and
“game of the century.” Time, then, for but this time West Germany lost led the club to their first Bundesliga
24 WORLD SOCCER
Franz Beckenbauer
Beckenbauer’s first crack at

management lasted six years and
brought a double return to the World
Cup final. His West Germany lacked
the talent and artistry of the early
1970s side, but Beckenbauer led
them to the runners-up slot against
Diego Maradona’s Argentina in 1986
and a revenge triumph four years
later in Rome at Italia ’90.
Now Beckenbauer retired yet again,
only to return to coaching on three
brief occasions – once with Marseille
and then twice with Bayern to win
a German league title in 1994
and the UEFA Cup in 1996.
Historic He returned to Germany to pick up His next step was into football
achievement… another Bundesliga title with Hamburg politics as president of Bayern, then
Beckenbauer
celebrates after before returning stateside for one final as vice-president of the DFB and bid
guiding West campaign with the Cosmos in 1983 leader and organising figurehead for
Germany to1990 and then retiring. His tally in domestic Germany’s 2006 World Cup staging.
World Cup glory
leagues added up to 81 goals in 587 In 2009 he was appointed honorary
games, including 44 goals in 424 president of Bayern, and in 2011 he
Bundesliga appearances. stood down from the FIFA executive
Beckenbauer was immediately committee after serving only one
in demand as a newspaper and four-year term.
television columnist and was invited A decade later, and he had long
to put negative words into positive quit media punditry before retreating
deeds on being offered the post of from public life. Ill health and family
national team coach in succession to concerns took their toll. The stress
Jupp Derwall after the Germans’ drab of a hip replacement and two heart
Euro 1984 showing, where they crashed procedures was exacerbated by the
out in the group stage for the first time. death from cancer of Stephan,
The DFB had always promoted from one of his five children.
within. Beckenbauer was an outsider with Football’s filmic highlights will
a “name” but no coaching experience. parade not Beckenbauer’s last painful
His appointment represented a huge years in the shadows but fabulous
gamble, not only with his own golden images of the youngster trading steps
reputation but by DFB president with Bobby Charlton in 1966, defying
Hermann Neuberger. He protested a dislocated shoulder in 1970 and, true
that he did not possess a coaching to his imperious nickname of Der Kaiser,
Danke, Franz…
success. Subsequently they won Bayern Munich licence. Neuberger told him: “Don’t hoisting the World Cup in 1974…on
three league titles in a row from pay tribute worry about that.” his way to sporting immortality.
1972 to 1974 and then a hat-trick
of European Cups between 1974 and
1976. Also, in 1976, they beat South
American champions Cruzeiro of Brazil
2-0 on aggregate in the Intercontinental
Cup. Beckenbauer and team-mates,
such as goalkeeper Sepp Maier and
goalscoring extraordinaire Gerd Muller,
were therefore simultaneously reigning
world champions for both club and
country.
Then, in 1977, came the move to New
York. “I received an offer from Cosmos.
How could anyone miss the chance to
play with Pele?” Beckenbauer said.
He moved back into midfield
during his four years in New York;
the Cosmos believed the American
public too naive to understand why
their latest high-profile superstar played
“on defence”. He loved the celebrity
lifestyle and, alongside Pele, won
three North American Soccer League
(NASL) championships. It was “the
best time of my life,” he admitted.
WORLD SOCCER 25
SPECIAL
TRIBUTE
‘The concept of the

attacking libero suited
me down to the ground’
In tribute to Der Kaiser, we re-visit some of Franz Beckenbauer’s
quotes to have featured in World Soccer interviews over the years
What is your fondest memory in 1990. I had the honour too of being the What were your personal feelings about it?
from your playing career? president of the 2006 World Cup organising I have to say that Mexico was a wonderful World
Taking part in the 1966 World Cup committee. I’ve travelled the world and met some Cup. I played in three and Mexico was, from the
finals in England at the age of just 20 was a real extraordinary people. I wouldn’t change a thing. point of view of the people and the games, the
thrill. After all, I’d only made my full international best. It was not so successful for me personally
debut the previous autumn. Probably the most When you won the World Cup as coach, you because the Germans were third, but everybody
satisfying match of my career was our 3-1 victory said you had achieved all you could. Yet you was very happy and Mexico was a wonderful
over England in 1972, a European Championship chose to later manage Marseille. Why? host. OK, there were altitude and heat problems
quarter-final. It was our first-ever victory at At the time I had never had the opportunity of but everybody had to play in the same conditions
Wembley and it was a night when everything managing a team on a day-to-day basis. As the so there was no advantage or disadvantage.
fell into place for us. We combined stylishly, coach of the Germany national team I had the
were physically strong and took our chances. players maybe three or four days per month, and Was your long-term association with
Six years after our unlucky loss to England in I wanted to see what it was like having access to Bayern Munich written in the stars?
the 1966 World Cup final we had our revenge. a team every day. When I made the deal with Bayern was my destiny. When, aged 13, my team
Marseille I was approached at virtually the same 1906 Munich closed its junior team, many of us
How different was your era from today? time by Alan Rothenberg [then-president of the were expected to join the 1860 club, which was
It’s night and day. Early in my career semi- United States Soccer Federation] to become coach founded in my quarter of Munich in Giesing. But
professionalism was still in vogue in Germany. of the US national team, which I turned down. in one of my last games for 1906 I was involved
For example, in my first year in the Bundesliga in a clash with an opponent from 1860 and
[1965-66], I had a part-time job measuring up As a manager you developed a habit because of that I decided to join Bayern instead.
huge rolls of fabric in a fashion house. You could of standing next to the bench for the
say we did things differently back then. We’d travel entire duration of the game. Why? You played in the US with Pele during the
to games in the sleeping car of a train and stay in The first time I was involved as coach of the New York Cosmos’ greatest era. When you
bed-and-breakfasts rather than five-star hotels. Germany national team we played in Dusseldorf. came out of retirement to play for them
I soon discovered that the worst position for a again in 1983, the NASL was in decline…
You played football for 20 years. What major coach is to be sitting on the bench, because your Maybe that was the reason they asked me to
changes did you witness during your career? view is limited, so during the game I stood up and come back, to do something positive to help. My
When I started in 1964 the system was different. found I had a better view, and it stayed like that. personal contribution was to play well, to show the
We had no sweeper. By the end we had a rolling The best place in the stadium is up in the stands fans what I could do at the age of 37. Obviously I
system, where the full-backs got forward and but you need to be close to the field, so standing couldn’t play like I could ten years earlier – I didn’t
scored goals and the striker went back to defend. next to the bench was a good compromise. run so much with the ball, I had more experience,
The players got much better physically. But what giving long balls, bringing my team-mates into
I missed was the great personalities. The big stars In the early 1970s you revolutionised the good positions and taking the chance to go
like Pele, Cruyff, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton. game with your switch from midfield to an forward and work a scoring chance. It was not
The Italians had the great Mazzola, Rivera, Riva. attacking sweeper role. Was it your idea? necessary for me to score myself – I was happy
Later, I might have said Maradona, Rummenigge, Pretty much. I’d noticed how Internazionale to create a chance for someone else to score.
Zico…but ten years earlier I could name 20. Maybe full-back Giacinto Facchetti regularly used to
it was because of the change in the style of soccer. get forward to score goals and thought I could How did US soccer compare with Europe?
Kids began to be chosen for their physique not do the same from a central defensive position. You cannot compare, because each country has
their ability, because coaches wanted to win. As a libero I had the whole field in front of me a different mentality, a different style. And US and
and could step into midfield whenever I saw fit. German soccer was far apart. But the standard in
If you could rerun your career, There was a risk of being caught on the counter, the US was not as bad as people thought. They
would you do anything differently? but it was outweighed by the extra man it gave had good teams and they played under difficult
Certainly not. I enjoyed a life in top-class sport I us in the middle of the park. The concept of the and different conditions. In Europe you have nice
could not have imagined as a young man. I had so attacking libero suited me down to the ground. As grass fields and people understand the game. In
many wonderful experiences in the game, among a kid I was a striker and had an attacker’s blood. the US you had Astroturf and you had to travel a
them captaining West Germany to victory at the lot. In five months you had to play over 40 games.
1974 World Cup, winning three Champions Cups You competed in your second World Cup
with Bayern and serving as coach when the in Mexico in 1970, a tournament much Is football today better than in your era?
Nationalmannschaft became world champions maligned for the heat and altitude. I’m not one to say everything was better in the
26 WORLD SOCCER
Franz Beckenbauer
good old days. For me, the game is not better

or worse today, just different. I don’t think
there’s any doubt the game is quicker and
more athletic these days; there’s not as much
space to work in and less time on the ball.
Mentalities have evolved. In the 1960s and
’70s we always looked to go forward and took
the shortest route to goal. Now it’s different.
The emphasis is on keeping possession.
Which players of the past 50

years have you most admired?
Two factors encouraged me to sign for
the New York Cosmos back in 1977. The
first was an unforgettable helicopter ride over
the Big Apple skyline, which the Cosmos
management treated me to. The second was
the chance to play alongside Pele who has to
rate as the best player of all time. He had ten
times as much skill as ordinary footballers,
was unselfish and was a tremendous team
leader. Brazil’s World Cup-winning side of
1970 will never be matched and he was at
the heart of it. All the great players, like Pele
and Bobby Charlton, always have time for
people. Pele would sign autographs for
hours and always be kind to people.
He was always the perfect gentleman.
SPECIAL
TRIBUTE
Mario Zagallo, the Brazilian “Professor”

who won four World Cups as a player,
manager and assistant coach
Words: Tim Vickery
T
he man they called “the to a back four which Brazil was
little ant” was able to move pioneering in the 1950s, looking for
mountains – which is why a way to react to the trauma of losing
the death of Mario Zagallo the 1950 World Cup on home soil to
at the age of 92 was greeted with Uruguay, when a teenage Zagallo was
such sadness in Brazil, with three on duty during his military service.
days of national mourning declared. An extra player was withdrawn to the
It is worth dwelling on where heart of the defence to provide cover.
Brazil stood when Zagallo made his With two wingers and a pair of strikers,
international debut against Paraguay this left only two men to patrol the
in May of 1958. They were third in open spaces of the midfield. This was
their own continent, behind Argentina clearly a problem for Brazil on their
and Uruguay, and were not considered tour to Europe in 1956. They lost 4-2
among the favourites for the following to England, with 41-year-old Stanley
month’s World Cup in Sweden. Almost Matthews given acres to send in his
27, Zagallo was in a hurry to change crosses from the right wing. This is the
all that. The little left-winger scored situation that Zagallo was brought on
twice on debut, was a fundamental to avoid. Originally a number ten, he
part of the team that not only won quickly realised that he had no chance
the Sweden World Cup but the next of getting into the Brazil side in that
one in Chile as well, and then was position. So, he moved to the left wing.
probably even more important as Brazil had more talented wingers –
coach of the Mexico 1970 team. Pepe with his cannonball shot and
Just over 12 years after he became Canhoteiro with his elusive dribbling –
an international player Brazil were but Zagallo offered something extra:
recognised all across the planet as the capacity to work back and make
the stylish kings of the global game, the extra man in midfield. In the 1958
the country that everyone wanted to final against hosts Sweden he scored
be for a month every four years. Pele, a goal, crossed for Pele to score and
of course, was the magnificent poster cleared a ball off Brazil’s goal-line.
boy for this extraordinary rise, but the This double function was even
contribution of Mario Zagallo was more important in Chile four years
arguably at least as vital – albeit far later. Brazil sent essentially the same
less glamorous. The stars shine when side, which was ageing. Pele, at the
the collective balance of the side is peak of his powers, was injured in the
correct and, as a player and as a second match and played no further
coach, Zagallo was a symbol of the part in the tournament. The side
successful quest to balance the joy of was creaking, but the up and down
attack with the needs of the defence. industry of Zagallo made sure that
His career, and his thinking about they remained competitive. And so,
the game, were shaped by the move Brazil had two titles to their name.
28 WORLD SOCCER
Mario Zagallo
World Cup hero…

Zagallo watches
on during the1970
World Cup final
WORLD SOCCER 29
SPECIAL TRIBUTE
Zagallo’s role may not have attracted sacked with three months to go. But because the team clicked collectively.
State funeral…
a great deal of public attention, but he if others dithered and dallied, he had Zagallo’s coffin
If it all looked easy, that is because a
is carried through
was a hero to coaches, who looked at no doubts. Full of brio, packed with lot of hard and intelligent work went
the streets of Rio
his versatility and saw the future. Alf confidence, he charged into the ring on behind the scenes.
de Janeiro before
Ramsey never gave Brazil any credit with one certainty. There would be his burialZagallo was not keen on his centre-
for the way that he lined up his 4-4-2 changes. The team he inherited was backs, so he dropped midfielder Piazza
team in 1966, but it is clear that he still playing an attacking version of to the heart of the defence to provide
went for a Zagallo on either flank. Alan 4-2-4 that he had helped Brazil more quality – thus opening up space
Ball and Martin Peters could do the move away from 12 years earlier. for the youthful talent and lungpower
work of wingers, but they could also of Clodoaldo in midfield. The
funnel back into midfield and provide left-winger also went out,
a platform for Bobby Charlton. Pele, of course, was the magnificent poster replaced by Rivelino who had
By this time, Zagallo could sense boy for Brazil’s extraordinary rise, but the been on the bench. He would
which way the wind was blowing. contribution of Mario Zagallo was arguably act as a kind of false winger,
The only two defeats he suffered as a an adaptation of the role that
Brazil player came near the end, on a
at least as vital – albeit far less glamorous Zagallo himself had carried out.
1963 European tour. A 5-1 thrashing “We played in a block,” said
by Belgium stood out. As he had led, “I didn’t accept the idea of 4-2-4,” Zagallo, “compact, leaving only Tostao
so others were following, and the he said. “We had to move forwards.” up front. Jairzinho, Pele and Rivelino
consequence was a more disputed Inside Brazil and especially outside, all tracked back to join Gerson and
game with less space in midfield. Zagallo never received the credit that Clodoaldo in midfield. I’m happy to
All of this influenced his thinking he deserved for his work with that see the team in terms of 4-5-1. We
when, at short notice, he took charge team. A conception exists that the brought our team back behind the line
of the national team for Mexico 1970. side had so much talent that all the of the ball. We didn’t want to give the
A young coach with relatively limited coach had to do was hand out the Europeans space to hit us with quick
experience, he was not first in the shirts and enjoy the spectacle; it is counter-attacks. Our method of
queue when Joao Saldanha was foolishly romantic. The stars shone defending was to position ourselves
30 WORLD SOCCER
Mario Zagallo
in zones, cover the space. So we saved half of his life: a limitless, unconditional appearance of being on the run from
our energy, dropped back and then love for the Brazilian national team. an OAP’s home as he stood on the
when we won possession the technical Where he had once been known for touchline in his tracksuit. He was still
quality of our team stood out.” the cool logic of his tactical thinking, an excellent motivator, and his players
Ahead of its time, Zagallo’s system he now stood out through his burning from that era recall him with great
worked to perfection. Man for man, it passion for the yellow shirt. affection, but it was not quite enough
is doubtful that Brazil were as good in He played a vital role as assistant to land World Cup number five. And
1970 as they were in 1958. But they coach to the fourth World Cup win in so, as assistant to Perreira once more,
clicked so well – and had the benefit of 1994, backing up his old friend Carlos he had one last try in 2006.
TV coverage – that they are the team Alberto Parreira and ferociously It was a bad way to end. This was the
that is remembered, the bar by which defending the team against an worst of his World Cups. The team was
other teams are measured and usually aggressive Brazilian media who were far top heavy with over-indulged stars –
found wanting. Mario Zagallo had hit from convinced of victory. Parreira then Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo, Adriano
the heights, and he was only 38. stood down, and Zagallo took charge – and lacked balance, the very quality
The descent from Olympus was once more for the four-year cycle that had been Zagallo’s trademark in
probably inevitable, and had its negative leading up to France ’98, winning the Brazil’s glory years. They won four
side. Zagallo did not cover himself in Copa America in 1997 along the way. matches unconvincingly, before being
glory in the next World Cup, where he Away from the pitch he could bear knocked out by a Zinedine Zidane-
seemed to disrespect the Netherlands the dapper air of the bank clerk that inspired France in the quarter-finals.
before the semi-final and paid the he might well have been were it not It was the eighth World Cup he had
price, with his team resorting to brutal for football. But having aged rapidly been involved in as a player, manager
fouls as they went down to a deserved (something that Pele sometimes cited or assistant. His record of four medals
defeat. It could be argued that he was as a justification for not going into leaves an unrivalled legacy that will never
part of a footballing culture that fell into coaching), he could give the be forgotten in his country of birth.
the trap of success. Where the Brazilian
game had been extremely open-
South American
minded, it now turned on itself, with champions…Zagallo
Zagallo repeatedly expressing the belief lifts the1997 Copa
that his country’s success gave them America trophy
little need to look elsewhere for ideas.
It was a strange point of view, given that
the coach who had most influence on
his playing career was Flamengo’s
Fleitas Solich, a Paraguayan.
But this excess of nationalistic
zeal was the flip side of an adorable
World Cup portrait…
characteristic for which he was Mario Zagallo at the
increasingly identified in the second 1970 World Cup
WORLD SOCCER 31
eye
witness Mike Plastow reports
JAPAN
J. League ready for kick-off

Reigning champions Vissel Kobe and their
ambitious owner are the team to beat in 2024
Contenders
…Yokohama
F. Marinos (L) and
Kawasaki Frontale
(R) will compete
once again for the
J. League crown
Vissel Kobe made history in 2023 half of the season to resume their own who signed rather mysteriously in the
by winning their first-ever J. League Asian challenge. middle of last season and only played
championship. That success brought Kobe manager Takayuki Yoshida, ten minutes in the league against
the title back to the Kansai region for now in his third term at the helm, Sanfrecce Hiroshima in September.
the first time since Gamba Osaka won embodies the new Kobe-Yokohama Kobe have made no new foreign signings
their second crown in 2014, and at long rivalry, having joined Yokohama Flugels and the last foreigners standing are two
last out of Kanagawa Prefecture after as a player out of high school in 1995. useful Brazilians, defender Matheus
six years of domination by Kawasaki When Flugels collapsed in 1998 and New arrival…Harry Thuler and striker Jean Patric.
Kewell has been
Frontale and Yokohama F. Marinos. After merged with Marinos (Flugels is the appointed coach of Kobe have, conversely, made a
20 years of searching, it was Kobe’s first “F” in Yokohama F. Marinos) the young Yokohama F. Marinos number of solid Japanese additions,
serious step towards achieving Rakuten forward was one of the chosen few
CEO Hiroshi Mikitani’s proclaimed goal kept on in the newly-combined squad.
of building Asia’s strongest football club. He eventually enjoyed two spells at
The 2024 season kicks off in late F. Marinos before joining Kobe in 2008
February with 2022 champions for his final six seasons as a player.
Yokohama, last year’s eventual Last year’s triumph was achieved
runners-up, still best placed to on the base of a sea change under
challenge Kobe. Kawasaki, too, despite Yoshida from the Barcelona-style short-
last season’s disappointing mid-table passing, high-possession football to swift,
finish, may be ready to surge back after defensively tighter counter-attacking play.
making a batch of promising new foreign They shed most of their foreign stars,
signings. While Yokohama and Kawasaki including Andres Iniesta, and won the
will also continue their rivalry in the title with a core of Japanese veterans.
2023-24 Asian Champions League, That shift has continued during the
Kobe must wait until the 2024-25 break with most of the club’s remaining
competition begins in the second foreigners leaving, including Juan Mata,
32 WORLD SOCCER
J. LEAGUE 2024
VISSEL KOBE
Coach: Takayuki Yoshida Prefecture: Hyogo
Kobe won their first league title last season
with a core of Japanese veterans, including Yuya Osako,
Yoshinori Muto, Hotaru Yamaguchi and Gotoku Sakai.
Yoshida’s triumphant post-Iniesta team is targeting
further successes in Japan and Asia this year.
YOKOHAMA F. MARINOS
Coach: Harry Kewell Prefecture: Kanagawa
The J. League champions under Ange Postecoglou
in 2019 and Kevin Muscat in 2022 have appointed Harry
Kewell as their third Australian manager in a row to lead
them back to the top after last year’s runners-up finish.
SANFRECCE HIROSHIMA
Coach: Michael Skibbe Prefecture: Hiroshima
Three-time champions Sanfrecce have not
won the league since 2015, but consecutive third place
finishes in 2022 and 2023 have put the Viola firmly
back in the picture. Journeyman German coach
Skibbe now starts his third year at the helm.
URAWA RED DIAMONDS

Coach: Per-Mathias Hogmo Prefecture: Saitama
The defending Asian champions faced an early
exit from the current AFC Champions League campaign
in December and have been suspended from the 2024
Emperor’s Cup due to crowd trouble. For new manager
Hogmo, 2024 is all about league success.
KASHIMA ANTLERS
Coach: Ranko Popovic Prefecture: Ibaraki
Eight-time champions Kashima have not won
the J. League since 2016 but also have never finished
lower than fifth since then. New coach Popovic knows
Japanese football inside out after spells at Oita Trinita,
Machida Zelvia (twice), FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka.
NAGOYA GRAMPUS
Coach: Kenta Hasegawa Prefecture: Aichi
Holders…Vissel
Kobe striker Champions in 2010 and Emperor’s Cup winners
Yuya Osako back in 1995 under Arsene Wenger. Real title contenders
attacks the at the halfway point last season, only to collapse with just
ball during four wins in their last 17 matches. Hasegawa now needs
last season all of his vast experience to turn things around.
AVISPA FUKUOKA
including Kobe-born defender Takuya player Harry Kewell. They are standing Coach: Shigetoshi Hasebe Prefecture: Fukuoka
Iwanami, who started out at Vissel from firmly by the attacking philosophy of 2023 was a special year for Avispa: they
2011 to 2017 and now returns to his old Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat achieved their highest-ever league finish (seventh), won
club from Urawa Reds. Kobe have also – who now takes over at the Chinese their first major trophy (the J. League Cup), and reached
signed experienced midfielder and Super League champions, Shanghai the Emperor’s Cup semi-finals. The big question for 2024
is how high this relatively low-budget club can go.
dead-ball specialist Rikuto Hirose from Port – in appointing Kewell as their third
Kashima Antlers, goalkeeper Powell straight Australian manager. Kewell’s KAWASAKI FRONTALE
Obinna Obi from F. Marinos, and managerial experience has all been in Coach: Toru Oniki Prefecture: Kanagawa
promising 23-year-old striker Taisei the lower divisions of English football, Frontale have slipped from their pedestal after
Miyashiro from Kawasaki, one of the starting with Crawley Town in 2017, but winning the J. League four times in five years from 2017
latest in a long line of Kawasaki youth he worked together with Postecoglou to 2021, but last year’s Emperor’s Cup triumph and
strong Asian Champions League form in 2023-24 has
products who was with the club from the on the Celtic coaching staff and is thus, confirmed they remain powerful title contenders.
U12s. Midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, who like Muscat, a direct heir to Yokohama’s
played on loan at Avispa Fukuoka last Postecoglou tradition. CEREZO OSAKA
season, has been signed from Celtic. “Ange Postecoglou always talked Coach: Akio Kogiku Prefecture: Osaka
The contrast could hardly be greater about how wonderful the J. League Shinji Kagawa made a crowd-pleasing return
at Yokohama, where the Brazilian strike was,” said Kewell in his inaugural press to his boyhood club last year and played every league
match. An attractive, upper mid-table club, they have
force of Anderson Lopes – joint-top conference, “and he always said to me, been something of a cup team in recent years and
scorer with Kobe’s Yuya Osako last year if you ever have an opportunity, you also won the J. League’s Fair Play Prize last season.
on 22 goals – Elber and Yan Matheus should take it and work over here.
have all renewed their contracts, as “The football the Marinos have ALBIREX NIIGATA
have South Korea attacking midfielder been playing in the past few years is Coach: Rikizo Matsuhashi Prefecture: Niigata
Nam Tae-hee and influential Brazilian a very attacking style, very high energy, The upset-minded 2022 J2 champions largely
kept their squad together last season and secured a solid
defender Eduardo. possession-based, [fast] reaction to mid-table finish. The encouraging record included wins
Yokohama start the new season losing the ball. None of these things against Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale and
under former Liverpool and Australia are going to change; they are just Sanfrecce Hiroshima (twice), plus a draw in Kobe.
eyewitness
going to alter slightly with a slight Cup 2022 defender Miki Yamane has
different touch from an Aussie. I am now joined the exodus with a move to
looking forward to continuing the work LA Galaxy in MLS. Defenders Kyohei
that the Marinos have put in over the Noborizato and Kazuya Yamamura have
last five or six years and bringing my also left, to Cerezo Osaka and F. Marinos,
own gold dust on top of it.” respectively, as well as Miyashiro to Kobe,
Kawasaki, seeking now to build but other key players such as midfielder
on last year’s Emperor’s Cup success Yasuto Wakizaka and captain Kento
and return to winning ways, have also Tachibanada have remained.
turned to Brazil with the signings of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, third now for
forward Erison from Botafogo and two seasons in a row, have made no
midfielders Patrick Verhon from Bahia remarkable new signings, so continuity
and Ze Ricardo from Tombense. Erison will be the theme for Michael Skibbe’s
replaces Leandro Damiao, the J. League’s third year in charge.
joint-top goalscorer and Player of the In contrast, fourth-placed Urawa
Year in 2021. Damiao was a huge factor Reds make another fresh start following
in Frontale’s title successes of 2020 and the departure of manager Maciej Skorza
2021, but struggled badly with injury after only one year at the club. Skorza
last season and is set to join Malaysia abroad due, in large part, to their Exciting arrival… led Urawa to last year’s AFC Champions
Super League side Kuala Lumpur City. extraordinary success. Kawasaki have Ola Solbakken has League triumph, but the team was
joined Urawa Reds
Brazilian defender Jesiel and winger already given the world such players on loan from Roma running out of ideas by the end of
Marcinho have both renewed. as Kaoru Mitoma, Ao Tanaka, Reo the season and failed to make it
Aside from the injuries, Kawasaki’s Hatate, Hidemasa
other big headache of recent years has Morita and Shogo
been the drain of Japanese players Taniguchi. World Fourth-placed Urawa
Reds make another fresh
start following the departure of manager Maciej
Skorza after only one year at the club
Rebuild…Urawa
Red Diamonds are
ready to bounce
back from a
disappointing
end to 2023
FC TOKYO
out of the group stage in defending take over from Daiki Iwamasa, who Coach: Peter Cklamovski Prefecture: Tokyo
their Asian crown. Skorza is replaced now moves to Vietnamese top-flight Australian manager Cklamovski will be
by the former Norway and BK Hacken club Hanoi, and also brought in Brazilian expected to lead Tokyo higher this year after taking
manager, Per-Mathias Hogmo. winger Guilherme Parede on loan from over in the middle of last season. The capital city’s
biggest club has plenty of talent and huge support,
Urawa have also lost Guinea striker Argentine outfit Talleres. In addition, but still has never won the J. League title.
Jose Kante, who chose to retire at the Kashima have a rising Japanese star in
relatively young age of 33. He scored Kaishu Sano, whom Popovic previously HOKKAIDO CONSADOLE SAPPORO
his last goal for Reds in the third-place coached at Machida Zelvia. The versatile Coach: Mihailo Petrovic Prefecture: Hokkaido
play-off at the Club World Cup and 23-year-old defensive midfielder joined Sapporo have occupied tenth to 12th spot in
had positioned the 2023 Africa Cup Kashima from Machida last year and the league table for the last five seasons but there is
never any shortage of thrills and spills. They were the
of Nations as his farewell tournament. made his Japan national team debut in third-highest scorers in J1 last year, a figure only
Reds have brought in substantial the World Cup qualifier against Myanmar marred by the joint-most goals conceded.
reinforcements in the shape of Hacken in November. Sano also made substitute
captain and Sweden midfielder Samuel appearances in two of Japan’s 2023 KYOTO SANGA
Gustafson; Norway winger Ola Solbakken, Asian Cup group-stage games in January, Coach: Cho Kwi-jae Prefecture: Kyoto
on loan from Roma; and Brazilian forward victories over Vietnam and Indonesia. The J. League’s oldest club, founded back in 1922,
barely survived in 2022 on their return to J1 after a decade
Thiago Santana, the stand-out goalscorer In other developments, the J. League away but looked more settled last season. Cho is a master
for the past three seasons at Shimizu Cup, which has largely been contested at bringing out the best at a small club after a decade
S-Pulse. At the back, superb central only by first division teams in its 32-year of bouncing between J1 and J2 at Shonan Bellmare.
defenders Marius Hoibraten and history (starting in 1992, making it older
Alexander Scholz have both renewed than the J. League itself), switches from SAGAN TOSU
for the new season. This Urawa team a group-stage format to a straight Coach: Kenta Kawai Prefecture: Saga
Financially embattled Tosu continue to
should again be very hard to beat. knockout for all 60 J. League clubs perform miracles on and off the pitch as the J. League’s
Kashima Antlers have appointed from the new season. The league, most consistent overachievers. They start their 13th
Serbian manager Ranko Popovic to too, has been streamlined into three consecutive season in J1 as the only club promoted
divisions of 20 clubs. from J2 never to have been relegated.
Looking further ahead, the J. League
will follow the AFC Champions League SHONAN BELLMARE
Coach: Satoshi Yamaguchi Prefecture: Kanagawa
in switching from a calendar-year Famous as the club of Japanese legend Hidetoshi
season to an August kick-off from Nakata (when they were known as Bellmare Hiratsuka),
2026-27 for better alignment with the Shonan spent much of last year in the bottom two. But
international schedule. This reversion – their lively brinksmanship never fails to entertain and they
Japanese football switched to the survived again to secure a seventh straight season in J1.
calendar year when the J. League began
GAMBA OSAKA
– was resisted for a long time in large Coach: Dani Poyatos Prefecture: Osaka
part because of the severe winters of J. League champions in 2005 and 2014, and
northern Japan. Allowances will be second as recently as 2020, Gamba have struggled for
made by instituting a winter break from the past three campaigns and were fortunate to avoid
mid-December to mid-February and relegation last year. Spanish coach Poyatos has a lot
arranging for affected clubs to play to prove in his second year in charge.
away during the most difficult periods. KASHIWA REYSOL
This still leaves them with the problem Coach: Masami Ihara Prefecture: Chiba
of how and where to train during the Japan legend Ihara, Samurai Blue’s fourth most
season of deep snows. The work of capped player of all time, took over from Nelsinho midway
ironing out the details will continue. through last season and just kept the team up. But Reysol,
champions in 2011 and the club of current Japan striker
Mao Hosoya, will hope to go much higher this year.
MACHIDA ZELVIA
Coach: Go Kuroda Prefecture: Tokyo
Tokyo’s newest J1 club led from the front
under Kuroda, a high school coach for 28 years until his
appointment last season, to finish 12 points clear of Jubilo
Iwata and Tokyo Verdy at the top of J2. For Machida, a city
in Tokyo’s western suburbs, 2024 is a dream come true.
JUBILO IWATA
Coach: Akinobu Yokouchi Prefecture: Shizuoka
Jubilo’s glory years of three league titles and
three second places between 1997 and 2003 are far
behind them and they have bounced between J1 and J2
since 2013. Yokouchi coached the Olympic team and at
Jubilo, too, is focused on young player development.
TOKYO VERDY
Coach: HiroshiJofuku Prefecture: Tokyo
Winners of the first two titles after the J. League’s
formation (in 1993 and 1994) as Verdy Kawasaki, Verdy
return to J1 after 15 years in J2. With three Tokyo teams
playing in J1 for the first time, 2024 will be the biggest
Rising star…Kashima Antlers midfielder year ever for club football in the Japanese capital.
Kaishu Sano was recently capped by Japan
WORLD SOCCER 35
eye
witness Samindra Kunti reports
PALESTINE
‘Hey, Palestine is here’

The story of a beleaguered nation’s
journey at this year’s Asian Cup
At the 2023 Asian Cup, Palestine significant because of what
won their first-ever match in the the national team represented:
continental finals by defeating Hong a symbol of hope and resilience
Kong 3-0. That victory, which followed for Gazans, Palestinians and the
a draw with the United Arab Emirates, diaspora around the world.
ensured Palestine’s passage to the last In Qatar, Palestine and
16. This achievement was even more their supporters were on
36 WORLD SOCCER
Tribute...Palestine’s
players observe a
minute’s silence to
remember the victims
of the Gaza conflict
WORLD SOCCER 37
eyewitness
“Free Palestine”…fans unfurl a

giant Palestine flag during the
team’s first game against Iran
an emotional roller coaster. After the Palestinian people. At the same time, The Palestine team encounters
victory against Hong Kong, centre-back when you win it’s an amazing feeling.” struggles that few national sides
Mohammed Saleh kneeled, prayed, Rashid’s words summarised the around the world must contend with.
and wept. He had fought back tears difficulty players experienced when Hamed, 26, remembers very well
during the match, but when asked by balancing contrasting emotions. They one of the first times he featured
Home support…the
the press corps if he thought news of were playing at a continental finals, the family of Palestine for Palestine in 2019. Everything was
the qualification would reach Gaza, pinnacle of any player’s career, and captain Musab Al new and at times intimidating. Israeli
the number five broke down: succeeded in reaching the knockout Battat watch the immigration officials at Tel Aviv’s Ben
team face Qatar from
“I hope my family knows…” rounds – all while carrying the burden their family home Gurion Airport interrogated him for
Saleh was one of three players in of representing a nation battered by war. in the West Bank hours with acerbic and aggressive
the squad with family in Gaza. Yaser
Hamed’s family hails from Beit Hanoun
in northern Gaza. He said: “The entire
team is so emotional about this because
we achieved something that has never
happened in history. They are celebrating
the qualification. I think we made all the
millions of Palestinians around the world
happy. For us, the most important thing
is to make the Palestinian people happy.
At this moment too many people are
suffering so this is for them.”
Among the players, a sense
of relief was tangible – stress and
anxiety had not prevented the team
from writing history. Mohammed
Rashid, who plies his trade for Bali
United in Indonesia, added: “This
win is going to give us some room to
breathe. It will remove a lot of stress
and frustration from every player.
I think we needed this. We need
to lose some pressure. This gives
another push to the suffering
38 WORLD SOCCER
PALESTINE
Yet 14 out of the 26 players selected Susan Shalabi, vice-president

for the tournament played for domestic of the Palestinian FA.
clubs and, with the league suspended, In the stands, politics were
the players lacked match fitness. omnipresent. Iran’s pro-regime
Palestine travelled to Algeria supporters who yelled: “Death to
and Saudi Arabia for training camps, Israel” were met with silence by the
two regional nations that immediately other fans. Iran is accused of supporting
offered support. They defeated USM Hamas, the terror group behind the
Annaba 3-2, drew with Algeria’s October 7 attacks. At Palestine’s
Under-23 team and Saudi Arabia, second group match, support went
and lost 1-0 to Uzbekistan. crescendo, with fans booing every
Ahead of their opening game, the touch of the United Arab Emirates
team stood shoulder to shoulder and because the country has normalised
sang the national anthem Fida’i in a its relationship with Israel, while
spine-tingling rendition. For months, a banner in the stands read:
they had been waiting for this moment: “Don’t normalise genocide”. Yet the
the chance to represent Palestine at the support best reflected the prevailing
questions. “We were under major Playing for the shirt…Asian Cup. They had never imagined sentiment in the Arab world.
Palestine centre-back
pressure,” recalled Hamed. “The Mohammed Saleh
that another war in Gaza would come On the pitch, Palestine were
questions! ‘Do you want to on top of the decades of oppression overzealous and overwhelmed by
engage with Hamas?’” and destruction in Palestine. nerves in the first game, conceding
Four years later, Hamed, born in “Everything the national anthem twice within the first 12 minutes
Spain to a Palestinian father, got his represents, it’s like I need to give my against the Iranians. Their defence
first taste of tournament football in Doha. 100 per cent to defend the country, at fault each time, it was all too easy
Among the players, Gaza was a constant to fly our flag high,” said Hamed. for the three-time champions, who
concern and topic of conversation. The “We represent all Palestinians around pinged the ball around en route to a
Palestinian team does not avail of a the world. Listening, I feel like we are 4-1 victory, reflecting the gulf in class
psychologist. Although the players were defending our country. What’s happening and resources between both sides. In
not told to reduce their social media in Gaza right now, it’s crazy.” the second half, Iran had the luxury
use, they tried to shy away from the At the Education City Stadium in of introducing Roma striker Sardar
constant barrage of devastating news Azmoun, who wrapped up
at home. “All players talk about the victory with a 55th-minute
situation in Palestine,” said Hamed. “It’s “I couldn’t reach my family for two days. strike.
impossible to not talk about that. I was It was the worst possible
following it every day, everything. For my
They must have been displaced, because start to their campaign in
head, I can’t do that anymore. I am sad. my house was destroyed” what Hamed called “a match
My family sends me videos. It is hard to Palestine centre-back Mohammed Saleh to forget”. Palestine were
see that. I have my routine every day in danger of disintegrating.
to clear my head. I listen to music and Showing greater focus, the
read books about self-improvement. Al Rayyan against Iran, Hamed and players picked themselves up to rally to
That’s how I forget everything.” the team enjoyed widespread support a 1-1 draw against ten-man United Arab
After their Asian Cup curtain-raiser from fans who immediately adopted Emirates. The Emirati went into the lead
against Iran, Saleh said: “I couldn’t reach Palestine as their second team. In via a header from 19-year-old striker
my family for two days. They must have unison, they chanted “Free Palestine”, Sultan Adil, but Palestine drew level
been displaced, because my house was a sharp contrast with the moment of through an own goal by Bader Nasser,
destroyed. It is in a rural area in Gaza. silence observed for what the stadium a deserved equaliser. Under Tunisian
I play for our cause, for Gaza. I was PA described in the AFC’s non-political head coach Makram Daboub, Palestine
raised in Gaza, played football on the messaging as “the on-going situation became more attacking, exuding greater
beach of Gaza, and played football in in Palestine”. confidence in their own abilities.
the Yarmouk Stadium – which the Israeli Emotional…midfielder “There will come a time that we, in In their final group game against
Mohammed Rashid (L)
army has turned into a prison. My friends is consoled after the football, will be sorry that no proper the tournament’s lowest-ranked team,
are imprisoned at this stadium.” last-16 defeat to Qatar statements were made,” observed Hong Kong, Palestine delivered the win
In many ways, it was a miracle – courtesy of a double by striker Oday
that Palestine – the Mandatory Dabbagh and a Zeid Qunbar header –
Palestine Football Federation was and an historic qualification for the last
founded in 1928 and the current 16 where host nation and defending
team was recognised in 1998 by FIFA champions Qatar, spearheaded by
and the football fraternity under Sepp Akram Afif, proved too strong.
Blatter – has a team at the Asian Cup Palestine bowed out in style,
at all. Three of the players called up for demonstrating resilience, dignity and
the national team – Ibrahim Abuimeir, sporting excellence in a campaign that
Khalid Al Nabrisi and Ahmed Kullab transcended the game and offered a
– could not be extracted from Gaza. message of peace and hope. Astutely,
Despite the roadblocks and the Hamed concluded: “We can put our voice
increasingly dangerous security up in the world. Like, hey, Palestine is
situation in the West Bank, the here. All people deserve a good life,
Palestinian FA succeeded in to be free, and to wake up as equals.
cobbling a squad together. You know, all Palestinian lives matter.”
WORLD SOCCER 39
Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup victory
Triumphant…Iraq
supporters celebrate
their team’s 2007
Asian Cup success
40 WORLD SOCCER
TURN BACK
THE CLOCK
AGAINST
ALL ODDS
Iraq’s victory at the 2007 Asian Cup, against the
backdrop of war and sectarian violence at home, remains
one of the most remarkable sporting stories in the
continent’s history, writes John Duerden
W
hen George Bush took medal by an Italy team featuring Andrea
time out of whatever he Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini and Daniele De
was doing as US President Rossi. Three years later, much of the
to pay tribute to the squad that went to Athens was ready to
winners of the Asian Cup, then you knew take on the rest of Asia at senior level.
that something special had happened. Nevertheless, heading into the finals
So it was back in 2007. There has never – co-hosted by the Southeast Asian
been a bigger story in Asian football than quartet of Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia
Iraq becoming champions for the first and and Thailand – there was little cohesion,
– to date – only time. confidence or camaraderie.
In terms of the talent that the Lions Even before the US-led invasion
of Mesopotamia had at their disposal, it in 2003, the country’s sporting
wasn’t a huge shock. Iraq had long had infrastructure had been driven to
good players, first appearing at the World breaking point by United Nations-
Cup in 1986. Their Under-20s won the imposed sanctions following the first
Asian Youth Championship in 2000 Gulf War in the early 1990s. Forced
and, with many of the same players, the into a nomadic existence, the national
Under-23s reached the last four at the team didn’t play at home between
2004 Olympics – beaten to the bronze July 2002 and July 2009.
Asian champions…Iraq captain and 2007 Player of the Tournament Younis Mahmoud lifts the trophy
WORLD SOCCER 41
TURN BACK THE CLOCK
When Saddam Hussein was hotel booking. It

ousted, violence and chaos ensued. was a nightmare.”
The long-standing dictator was part Nobody was
of the Sunni Muslim minority that talking about
controlled the country in which the Iraq as potential
majority of the population were Shia champions.
Muslims. His deposition – and later Instead,
execution – was seen by the Kurds to Australia – then
the north as a chance to achieve their the Asian Football
dream of independence and break Confederation’s
free of Baghdad’s control. newest members,
If the country was divided, the same having left Oceania
sectarian fault lines could be felt in the a year earlier
team; winger Hawar Mohammed was – were regarded
criticised by some of his fellow Kurds as favourites. The
for being photographed in an Iraqi Socceroos were
flag before the tournament. still flying high
Federation president Hussain had been coaching for almost three Iraqi icon…Younis from the 2006 World Cup, where they
Saeed insisted otherwise: “We don’t decades, but while his CV was full of Mahmoud celebrates progressed from their group and were
aftter scoring the
know who is Sunni and who is Shia in Middle Eastern and North African posts, winner in the final only beaten by eventual winners Italy
our team or among the fans, and we he had never stayed at one place long. in the second round courtesy of a
don’t care,” he declared. Two warm-up games in South Korea controversial 95th-minute penalty.
Whether or not the players were failed to lift the gloom, with a 3-0 loss With a squad packed full of big names
divided by sectarianism, they could not to the hosts followed by a 2-0 defeat from the Premier League, Serie A
escape its consequences. Team physio against Uzbekistan. and the Bundesliga, they were Iraq’s
Anwar Jassim was the victim of a car There were reports of the federation second opponents in Group A.
bomb on his way to a pre-tournament wanting to replace the entire team with But first came Thailand. On a sultry
training camp in Jordan, goalkeeper their Under-23 counterparts and then, Friday evening, the co-hosts took an
Noor Sabri lost his brother-in-law in as the team looked offf the pace in the early lead from the penalty spot before
the days leading up to the tournament, build-up, get rid of their new coach a Younis Mahmoud header earned Iraq
and Mohammed’s stepmother was killed before he could really get started. a point. It was a decent one but there
just before the quarter-final clash with It was too late on both counts. was much work to do.
Vietnam. “The shadow of violence Matters did not improve as the team Inspiring… Nicknamed the Desert Fox, Younis was
Iraq supporters
hung over the Iraqis throughout the touched down in Thailand. “Two of our celebrate in the a powerful striker and a big personality,
f
Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup victory
bids from Lens and Lyon. Then playing Baghdad, with over 50 people estimated around, the locals would be supporting
for Qatari outfit Al Gharafa, he saw the to be killed. There were also deaths as Iraq. There was a celebratory atmosphere
tournament as a great chance to show people shot automatic weapons into the in the humid air of the Indonesian capital
what he could do, but that was the air in celebration, forcing the US military and little doubt that almost everyone in
extent of his ambition. Leading the helicopters to suspend their regular the 60,000-crowd wanted to see the
team to the title was a fanciful notion. patrol. “It’s very sad,” Vieira said. “We underdogs triumph.
He didn’t get on the score sheet in changed Iraq’s history, and then these For the Saudis, this was their sixth final
the next game, a result that shocked senseless killings happened. If we lose, in seven tournaments, pursuing a record
Asia, the players, the coach and millions people get killed. If we win, people still fourth title. An undisputed continental
back home. Australia had been lucky in get killed.” powerhouse, they were widely expected
the opening game to get a point against The squad, feeling responsibility for to swiftly bring an end to the Iraqi dream.
Oman, a last-minute Tim Cahill strike the atrocities through their success, In truth, it wasn’t a great game,
earning a 1-1 draw. It was seen as a even discussed pulling out of the ultimately decided by a second-half
wake-up call for the Everton star and competition. The decision was taken to corner that was sent over by Mohammed
his Premier League team-mates, stay, to try to deliver some good news and headed home by – who else –
Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and for the people of Iraq, and to show the Younis, taking him joint-top of the
Mark Schwarzer, to get into gear. world a different face of the war-torn tournament’s scoring charts. Iraq
Yet Iraq ended up winning 3-1 country – for a little while at least. hung on and the rest is football history.
in a result that changed everything. “We want to unite the people behind Vieira didn’t last much longer and was
It not only showed an overconfident the team, whatever group they belong soon resuming his journeyman career,
Australia that Asia should not be taken to,” said Sabri. Vieira revealed there had though had another spell in charge of
for granted, it gave Iraq belief. It also been a meeting until the early hours of Iraq. The same heights were never
meant that a 0-0 draw in the final the morning led by Younis. “The players reached again but he had already had
group game with Oman was enough said: ‘If we win, there will be more killing; the kind of triumph that few coaches
to earn top spot, a stay in Bangkok if we lose there will be more killing; and would get to experience even once.
and a meeting with Vietnam in the For understandable
quarter-final. After a routine 2-0 win, “The players said: ‘If we win, there will be more security reasons,
with two more goals for Mahmoud, the homecoming
the semi-finals beckoned.
killing; if we lose there will be more killing; and from Jakarta was
Vieira, who knew that failure to get if we pull out there will be more killing” very low-key. The
out of the group would have resulted Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup-winning head coach Jorvan Vieira players met the prime
in his rapid dismissal, could now relax a minister behind closed
little. Getting to the last four meant that if we pull out there will be more killing. doors in Baghdad while Younis, worried
he had bettered Iraq’s three previous At least if we stay on and win, we might for his safety, did not even attend.
attempts, when they reached the be able to bring some happiness into Later that year, the striker made
quarter-finals. Previously, the country’s people’s lives.’ And we did.” history as the first and only Iraqi to be
best-ever showing was fourth, but that The likes of Nashat Akram and included in the Ballon d’Or shortlist, and
was back in 1976 when there were just Mohammed caught the eye of viewers finished third in the Asian Player of the
six participants and the only victory and scouts, as did the team’s talisman Year awards, but it was not enough to
came against South Yemen. and star, Younis. But tragedy was never earn the move to Europe he’d dreamed
Facing South Korea in the semi-finals far away; on the morning of the final, of. He played for a host of Qatari clubs
31 years later was a much bigger deal. seven people in the captain’s home before returning to Iraq in 2015, retiring
The pressure was off, with the East Asians, city of Kirkuk were killed by gunmen. a year later.
World Cup semi-finalists just five years Far away in Jakarta, the mood was Younis remains his country’s most
earlier, expected to win. Yet the Taegeuk very different on the streets. On the capped player, and its third-highest
Warriors arrived in Kuala Lumpur without short walk from the hotel down to the goalscorer. But his glorious exploits in
Journeyman
really impressing. Premier League stars Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, it was clear …Iraq coach 2007 are the reason that he – and his
Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo were that, while there were not many Iraqis Jorvan Vieira team-mates – will never be forgotten.
absent. Under Pim Verbeek, the Dutch
assistant to Guus Hiddink in 2002, Korea
Shootout hero…
lacked creativity and had scored just Iraq goalkeeper
three goals in the previous four games, Noor Sabri after
negotiating the quarter-final against the semi-final
Iran with a penalty-shootout victory
after 120 goalless minutes.
The semi-final was not a great
spectacle but what it lacked in finesse,
it made up for in tension. It became
apparent early in the second half that
extra-time was on the agenda and early
in extra-time, penalties loomed large.
Iraq goalkeeper Sabri made the vital
save to give his team a 4-3 shootout
win and a final against Saudi Arabia.
It was a famous triumph and widely
celebrated back home – but even that
brought tragedy. Two suicide bombers
targeted the gathering crowds in
WORLD SOCCER 43
Headliners
Girona
Spain’s great entertainers are benefitting from careful planning
as they continue to maintain their shock La Liga title charge
irona’s Central to Girona’s heady La Liga’s influence, too. Viktor Tsygankov is a

remarkable climb has been Aleix Garcia, the entertainers… smooth operator that lines up on the
Girona players
ascent to the former Manchester City youngster, celebrate another opposite wing to Savio, while striker
top of La Liga who springs attacks from the base winning goal Artem Dovbyk is a robust leader of
didn’t start with of the midfield with raking passes. the line and an effective goalscorer.
a bang but a Meanwhile, Brazilian bright spark Under their head coach, Michel,
commendable Savio hugs the touchline, powering overachieving Girona are easy on
draw, against Real Sociedad on forward, turning defenders inside-out the eye in pursuit of victories. It’s a
the opening day. Still, it proved and delivering decisive crosses into fluid style, with precise passes through
a steady foundation on which the penalty box. Mastermind…Girona the lines and, crucially, bodies piling
to breed a purple patch that few There has been a strong Ukrainian head coach Michel forward to score – often in clinical
thought would last but soon became fashion before their jubilant fans
thrilling, title-winning form, leaving at the Estadi Montilivi.
usual suspects Real Madrid and If there’s one criticism, it’s a
Barcelona with an unexpected leaky back line, but that comes
challenger for the crown. with the territory when playing such
This century, only Atletico an expansive game. They make up
Madrid and Valencia (champions for it at the other end too, the first
twice each) have beaten Barcelona team in the league to pass 50 goals
and Real Madrid to the top prize. for the season, and often scoring four
Meanwhile, Girona have generally goals or more in individual matches
found themselves two tiers lower – including in victories over Barcelona
– an irrelevance to the elite sides and Atletico Madrid. It’s been the
chasing glory. Before this surge, the antithesis to Carlo Ancelotti’s Real
club’s best-ever finish was tenth in Madrid, the most likely threat to their
La Liga, which they achieved last year. dreams, who grind out results and
44 WORLD SOCCER
PEOPLE ANDPEOPLE
PLACES IN THE
AND PLACES NEWS
IN THE NEWS
keep the defence tight when not Equally, they cannot always all play in the second tier, while
performing at full tilt. afford to keep their best players. Last projects in America, India, Japan
Girona’s approach is in keeping season’s top scorer, Taty Castellanos, a and Australia have brought trophies
with Michel’s previous work at Rayo loan signing from New York City FC, but not dominance.
Vallecano – where he remains a hero joined Lazio in the summer, while For Girona, there has been
after a long career – and Huesca. In Oriol Romeu and Santiago Bueno, incredible momentum, even a sense
both cases, he achieved promotion first-team regulars in 2022-23, left of destiny. That’s not to say Michel’s
before eventually losing his job while for Barcelona and Wolves respectively. men will win it all. Champions League
fighting relegation, but the style Savio is the clearest example of the qualification in itself would still be a
remained the same. Huesca had club utilising its CFG resources. On significant achievement. Regardless,
a soft underbelly but, despite the paper, he is on loan from Troyes, but moments like their captivating 4-3
results, Girona’s board saw a team he has never kicked a ball for the win over Atletico Madrid, where
that liked to play and felt Michel French club. It is an arrangement Ivan Martin’s strike seemed to float
perfectly fitted the bill. They hired that only works because the two inevitably towards the top corner in
him in July 2021, six months after clubs have the same owners with the closing stages, makes you wonder
he was sacked by Huesca, and bigger aims and ambitions. whether this was part of a script, their
he led the Catalan club moment in history finally carved out.
to promotion in his As for the supporters watching
first season. Overachieving Girona are easy on the eye inside the intimate Montilivi, where
It is not an in pursuit of victories. It’s a fluid style, with the average attendance is less than
entirely romantic precise passes through the lines and bodies 13,000 – higher only than Getafe’s
tale. Far from plucky – it doesn’t get much sweeter. For
underdogs, Girona are
piling forward to score an enterprise whose primary goal
part-owned by the Abu is to stay amongst the top 20 in
Dhabi-backed City Football Group For now, the symbiosis between the Spain, these are giddy heights when
(CFG), with close links to Manchester CFG setup – specifically meticulous one reflects on Girona’s history of
City. The club chairman is Pere research and access to talented yo-yoing between the leagues and
Guardiola (brother of Pep), first-team players easily transferrable between only reaching the top flight for the
regulars Garcia, Yangel Herrera and CFG clubs – and the Guardiola first time in 2017.
Eric Garcia are all former City players, family’s brains have laid the It would be easy to get carried
and Brazilian right-back Yan Couto is foundations. away, so Michel’s main job is keeping
one of many loanees to have joined There is little doubt that Girona are his and the players’ feet on the ground,
from the English champions. currently the most remarkable project as he puts it. And that may be the key.
Still, it would be wrong to see In the script…Ivan in the CFG portfolio. City’s dominance Girona has the strategy; now it’s about
Girona simply as an extension of City. Martin watches his in England has become the norm and their mentality as the competition
match-winning goal
Their rise has been fuelled less by against Atletico the group’s other European clubs – heats up.
glitzy signings and world-class training Madrid go in Lommel SK, Troyes and Palermo – Henry Flynn
facilities, and more by a clear sporting
strategy and shrewd squad planning.
Every club in La Liga has an agreed
salary cap at the start of the season,
and Girona’s figure of €52 million
places them 13th in the league,
almost €700m behind Real
Madrid’s budget.
For all the players’ qualities,
they are not wildly expensive
commodities. Record signing
Dovbyk cost £6.5m last summer.
Paolo Gazzaniga, a middle-of-the-
road goalkeeper in the Premier
League, is trusted between the
sticks. Daley Blind, with his best days
seemingly behind him, has become
a regular at no cost. Unfancied at
Barcelona, loan defender Eric Garcia
is a starter, while captain Cristhian
Stuani, formerly of Middlesbrough,
has been at the club since 2017.
WORLD SOCCER 45
Headliners
Ventforet Kofu
Japanese second-tier side advance to Asian Champions
League knockout rounds with a second-string team
League second-division opener at the National Stadium, a Into the second Yamagata denied them a place
round…Ventforet
club Ventforet Kofu 2-1 Super Cup defeat to the 2022 Kofu’s players in the play-offs. But in the Asian
have lived the Asian J. League champions Yohokama celebrate after Champions League, it was a very
dream since lifting F. Marinos, but that should have topping their group different story.
the Emperor’s Cup been the end of the fairy tale. Kofu is a provincial city located
(Japan’s FA Cup) in It was not. Instead, 2023 was in a mountain basin north of Mount
2022. Nobody gave a season of great highs and lows Fuji, about 90 minutes by express
them much chance when that win for Ventforet. In the league, they train from Tokyo. The club has no big
qualified them for the 2023-24 challenged strongly for promotion, corporate sponsor but is financed
Asian Champions League, but only to face final-day heartbreak The manager… jointly by a large number of small
they have since defied the odds by when two late goals by Montedio Yoshiyuki Shinoda local companies. Though based
winning their group and becoming in Kofu, it regards the whole of
the first-ever J2 club to advance to Yamanashi Prefecture as its home.
the knockout stage. In the last 16, The Kofu Basin – ferociously hot
they were drawn against South in summer and icy in winter – has
Korean champions Ulsan HD. long been known for its wine rather
Ventforet’s dream commenced than its football. Until the Emperor’s
with a spectacular Emperor’s Cup Cup success, Kofu’s biggest claim
run in 2022 under former manager to football greatness was as the
Tatsuma Yoshida. They wound up birthplace of Hidetoshi Nakata, the
18th in the second division that first Asian player to be nominated
season but claimed five consecutive for the Ballon d’Or.
top-flight scalps on the way to The name, Ventforet, is sort of
winning their first major trophy, French but echoes the Wind-Forest-
including Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Fire-Mountain (Furinkazan) banner
the final. Ventforet also put up a of an indomitable 16th century
strong showing in the 2023 season- Yamanashi warlord, Takeda Shingen.
46 WORLD SOCCER
PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
It represents four core concepts of excitement. Fans of other clubs, last two matches came after the end
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “An army too, were inspired by the dream and of the J2 season and Shinoda did
must be as swift as the wind, as organised to cheer them on. Nobody make more use of first-team players,
flexible as the forest, as fierce as fire, really expected Kofu to win, but there but largely stayed loyal to the players
as immovable as a mountain.” The was nothing lose. who had brought the team this far.
slogan also works for the tight, swift, Kofu next defeated Buriram 1-0 The Champions League run has
counter-attacking style played under on October 4. First-team attacker changed the way the club is viewed,
current manager Yoshiyuki Shinoda. Motoki Hasegawa, who had not not only in Kofu but across Japan.
Ventforet stepped onto the even made the trip to Melbourne, As well as fans of other clubs tuning
national stage as founding members came off the bench to net the in, national team manager Hajime
of the second division in 1999, only 90th-minute winner. Ventforet lost Moriyasu has been paying attention,
to finish bottom three times in a row the third match 2-0 in China but calling up full-back Sota Miura for his
in their first three league seasons. replied with a 4-1 victory against Japan debut. Opposition scouts were
They have made it to the top flight Zhejiang in the return in Tokyo two also watching, with Miura (Kawasaki
three times since then, for weeks later. In the process, striker Frontale), Hasegawa (Albirex Niigata),
a combined eight and winger Shion Inoue (Nagoya
seasons, never Grampus) among the players to
finishing higher Shinoda was perfectly clear that promotion was be snapped up by top-flight clubs.
than 13th, but the club’s primary goal and decided from the But, as their Champions League
haven’t been start to save his best players for the league run proved, Ventforet’s B-team
back since are ready to step up.
relegation in 2017. By the time you read this, they
Ventforet enjoyed the luck of Peter Utaka became the oldest-ever may already have been knocked
the draw in the 2023-24 Asian AFC Champions League goalscorer out by the mighty Ulsan. Just days
Champions League by avoiding the at 39 years old. after their last-16 second-leg tie in
South Korean clubs in the group The excitement was maintained late February, the 2024 J2 League
stage. Even so, Australian champions in a 3-3 draw against Melbourne in campaign begins against Tokushima
Melbourne City, Thai champions Tokyo, and Ventforet then clinched Vortis, the club now managed by
Record breaker
Buriram United and Zhejiang, third …Peter Utaka top spot with a 3-2 win at Buriram Yoshida. Shinoda, ahead of his
in the 2022 Chinese Super League, celebrates after in front of 500 travelling supporters. second season at Ventforet, is clear
must have also been pleased not becoming the After just one goal in their first three of his priorities. “Our first target is
AFC Champions
to face any top-flight Japanese League’s oldest- Champions League games, Ventforet promotion,” said the manager.
opponent. ever goalscorer netted ten in their next three. The Mike Plastow
Shinoda was perfectly clear that
promotion was the club’s primary
goal and decided from the start to
save his best players for the league.
The team he fielded in Melbourne
for the Champions League opener in
September included only two regular
first-team starters. Melbourne could
have been forgiven for complacency
but, 18 Kofu shots later, looked glad
to have escaped with a 0-0 draw.
The Kofu B-team was fresh and
hungry, and continued to play with
the same sparkle and verve all
through the group stage. The truth
may be that Japan’s second division
squads have many players of about
the same quality. Phrased differently,
in a squad of essentially second-rank
players, it made little difference who
played. Either way, they were all
highly motivated to play.
Kofu hosted all of their Champions
League home games at the National
Stadium in Tokyo, and this, too, was
a masterstroke for stoking up
WORLD SOCCER 47
Headliners PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
Andriy Shevchenko
Ukraine’s record goalscorer and former manager becomes
president of the country’s Football Association
ew challenges
require decisive
solutions,
especially if
the country
is experiencing
a war on an
unprecedented scale in the 21st century.
In Ukraine, football reforms will now
be carried out by Andriy Shevchenko.
At the extraordinary XXVI Congress
of the Ukrainian Football Association
(UAF), the former player and coach,
who has the status of a legend in his
country, was unanimously elected
president of the organisation.
It would hardly have been possible
to imagine a more difficult time for
Shevchenko to receive the keys to the
main football office in Ukraine. The
Football House itself in Kyiv, where the
elections were held, resembled a well-
protected fortress in which numerous
signs indicated to the 94 delegates
how to quickly go down to the bomb
shelter at the first air raid signal. “At one of the most difficult moments Unanimously in the school during air raids, a third
And this is the reality in which in the history of Ukraine, I had to do elected…Shevchenko of whom were children. One day, as
is announced as
Ukrainians have been surviving for everything to help my people.” president of the a result of shelling, the roof collapsed,
almost two years. Two days before the Zelensky praised his efforts: Ukrainian Football the teacher died, there were wounded.
elections, the Lokomotiv sports complex “Andriy has enormous influence, Association When Shevchenko found out about this,
was destroyed as a result of a missile which he achieved through his hard he immediately came to the rescue,”
attack on Kyiv. The facilities, where 500 work and his sporting achievements. said Lyceum director Mykola Shpak.
children were taught football, can no He directed all his authority to increase Shevchenko, remains confident
longer be used. Shevchenko himself was international assistance to our state.” that the one who does not give up
there not long ago to speak with the With the help of Arsenal’s Oleksandr always wins: “The war directly affects
latest generation of promising talents. Zinchenko, Shevchenko also organised football, we have stagnation; the
To date, 353 sports facilities have been a charity match in London last August low level of the championship, the
damaged by bombing in Ukraine and with all funds raised going to the inability to invite strong foreign players,
24 football clubs have been forced restoration of the Lyceum in the complicated international prospects
to stop their activities. village of Mykhailo-Kotsyubynske. and the outflow of talented children.
Shevchenko knows first-hand about “About 100 people were hiding “But there is an example of a
the horrors of war. In the first days, country that has successfully overcome
his mother and sister witnessed the this challenge: Croatia, which faced a
bombing of Ukraine’s capital: “What
“The war directly affects football, mass exodus of children in the 1990s
I felt then cannot be expressed in we have stagnation” when the war began. I talked with
words. There was emptiness and New UAF president Andriy Shevchenko my friend Zvonimir Boban, who was
hopelessness in my soul, but at the involved in solving these problems.
same time, the belief that we would And he is ready to help us.”
defend our independence and freedom.” Shevchenko is a winner by nature, and,
At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale like in his playing days, now finds himself
invasion of Ukraine, Shevchenko became in the right place at the right time: “Even
the first ambassador of the charitable during the war, we need not only to hold
fundraising platform United24, on to what we have, but also to move
established by the country’s president forward, set high and ambitious goals.
Volodymyr Zelensky. He immediately I thank all Ukrainians for the support that
got involved in raising funds for refugees I have felt for many years. In return, I will
in dire need of humanitarian, medical Ukraine legend… do everything to make Ukrainian football
Shevchenko scored
and food assistance. “We are one people a record 48 goals in stronger and give a reason to be proud.”
and one country,” said Shevchenko. 111 appearances Oleg Zadernovsky
48 WORLD SOCCER
CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE
2023-24
KNOCKOUT
ROUND
PREVIEW
Turn over now for Nick Bidwell’s

comprehensive team-by-team guide
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Knockout round
REAL MADRID
For only the third time in the current

iteration of the Champions League
(dating from 2003-04), Real proved
pitch perfect in the group stage, winning
all six of their matches in a pool that
comprised Italian champions Napoli,
Portuguese upstarts Braga and German
surprise packages Union Berlin. Not that
Los Blancos will have any grounds for
complacency. On the two other
occasions when they gained maximum
points (2011-12 and 2014-15), first
round full houses did not translate into
silverware, beaten at the semi-final
stage by Bayern Munich and Juventus
respectively. Should Real collect their
15th Champions League crown, coach
Carlo Ancelotti will deserve a substantial
bonus. ACL injuries to goalkeeper
Thibaut Courtois and centre-backs
Eder Militao and David Alaba have
stripped bare the team’s defensive
options and the Italian will have to
be at his most ingenious to plug the
gaps. Heaven forbid anything untoward
should happen to goalscoring tyros Jude
Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo,
where finding adequate replacements
would prove far more difficult.
Strong display…Lois
Openda gave Leipzig
a two-goal lead
in Manchester
Real Madrid proved pitch perfect
table-toppers in the group stage, winning all
Manchester City. six of their matches
A last-16 tie versus the mighty Real
Madrid will be a huge challenge for
Marco Rose’s side, but they will take RB have made remarkable progress
heart from their strong performances on the collective front. According to
RB LEIPZIG in defeat to City in the autumn. For head coach Rose, the only missing
long periods in both games, they more ingredient is a more pronounced
Undoubtedly aided by a favourable than held their own and, after taking killer instinct. The return to fitness
draw – giving them the opportunity to a two-goal lead early on at the Etihad of goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, stopper
devour the limited Red Star Belgrade Stadium, arguably deserved better than Willi Orban and winger Dani Olmo
and Young Boys – Leipzig had no the wrong end of a 3-2 final scoreline. is a real boost, as is the €20 million
problem qualifying as Group G For a team that underwent heavy arrival from Napoli of clever North
runners-up behind runaway reconstruction in the off-season, Macedonian playmaker Eljif Elmas.
50 WORLD SOCCER
February 13 & March 6
Fortress…Copenhagen’s
Parken Stadium was
a tough place to go
in the group stage
FC COPENHAGEN
The Danish Superliga champions are

not exactly continental heavyweights
– only twice have they qualified for the
knockout stages of the Champions
League (this campaign and back in
2010-11 when they lost to Chelsea in
the last 16). Expertly led and marshalled
by coach Jacob Neestrup, they had to
claw, scrap and forage their way through
Group A. Their over-achieving progress
centred on a heroic goalless draw in
Munich against Bayern – the first
time the Bavarians had suffered a
goalscoring blank in 26 home games
in the competition – and a stunning
4-3 home win over Manchester United,
albeit aided by Marcus Rashford’s red
card shortly before half-time. Usually
lining up in a compact 4-5-1 system,
Copenhagen are effective counter-
attackers, relying on the wiles of
Mohamed Elyounoussi and Roony
Bardghji on the wings and flair for
goals of midfielder Lukas Lerager.
Real Madrid’s
goalscoring tyro
…Jude Bellingham
certainly seem to have lost a degree of

focus in the Premier League, culpable
of conceding a glut of late goals. That
said, their work in the opening phase
of this season’s Champions League was
MANCHESTER CITY exemplary, winning all six of their ties,
scoring, on average, three goals per
After securing an historic treble last game. The freshly crowned world
campaign, including their first-ever champions remain a formidable force
Champions League title, something and will be that much stronger in the
of a drop-off in standards was always second half of the campaign with
on the cards. Once you touch base in playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and striker
heaven, thoughts of dynasty-building extraordinaire Erling Haaland fit and
do not matter quite so much and City firing again after spells out injured. Returning to fitness…Erling Haaland was joint-top scorer in the group stage
WORLD SOCCER 51
– also featuring Internazionale,
Benfica and Red Bull Salzburg –
La Real are formidable competitors,
defensively organised to the nth
degree and ever ready to go about
their business at full throttle, the
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN REAL SOCIEDAD sort of rabid high tempo that many
opponents cannot live with. Under
PSG barely gave the impression of Paris Saint-Germain would be coach Imanol Alguacil, at the helm
a continental juggernaut in the group well advised not to take the San since December 2018, the men
phase, middling to mediocre in their Sebastian outfit lightly when the pair in blue-and-white stripes overflow
performance, mustering just eight go head-to-head. While PSG were with belief, hunger and pride. Often
points (two wins, two draws and two clearly relieved to avoid the likes of fielding as many as seven homegrown
losses) and only gaining the second Manchester City, Bayern Munich and players, they have only reached the
qualifying slot in Group F thanks to a Real Madrid, the Basques represent knockout phase of the Champions
Formidable
superior head-to-head goal difference anything but easy meat. As they competitors… League on one other occasion,
over Milan. PSG chairman Nasser Al proved in winning a tough Group D Real Sociedad back in the spring of 2004.
Khelaifi recently waxed lyrical about
coach Luis Enrique, describing the
Spaniard as the “best coach in the
world”. Some might call such praise
a blatant case of over-egging the
Misfiring…PSG failed to impress in the group stage
pudding; for the most part, the Parisians

have failed to convince this season, only
rarely functioning as a unit, short of
intensity in away games and lacking
in precision
when going for
goal. In the 1-1 Under coach Imanol Alguacil, at the
Champions helm since December 2018, the men
League draw in blue-and-white stripes overflow
at home to
Newcastle in
with belief, hunger and pride
November they
had 31 shots of which only seven
were on target. The attacking brilliance
of Kylian Mbappe can paper over
many of the cracks, but not all.
52 WORLD SOCCER
He was referring
Super skipper…
Ciro Immobile has specifically to
three Champions the events of
League goals in matchday 6, a 2-0
2023-24
defeat at Atletico.
LAZIO Sarri admitted that
the Biancocelesti had
Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri likes to tell it as it not been ruthless
is. In the wake of his side’s qualification for enough, wasting four
the Champions League last 16 – finishing good chances and
second in Group E to Atletico Madrid at fault for both
– Sarri, never one to shy away from a Atletico’s goals.
heartfelt opinion, thought it a good idea to Lazio have regressed
suggest that his team was not coping well since clinching the
with their multi-competition commitments runners-up spot in
and that, at the highest level, the mentality last season’s Serie A.
of his players left a little to be desired. They badly miss the
Serbian midfielder
Sergej Milinkovic-
Savic, who moved to
the Saudi Pro League last summer, most
of their new signings have flopped and,
mysteriously, their ferocious pressing
game has gone AWOL.
BAYERN MUNICH
No one would have been surprised to see

the Bavarian giants dominate Group A,
remaining unbeaten and only dropping two
points (in a goalless home draw with FC
Copenhagen). Bayern have not lost in 40
Champions League group stage matches
– a run stretching back to 2017 – and
have now topped their pool six seasons
in a row. Ultimately though, Bayern only
judge a European campaign on what they
achieve in the knockout rounds and they
will be aware that in the last three years
they have come up short, dumped out at
the quarter-final stage by PSG, Villarreal
and Manchester City. This is precisely the
reason why Thomas Tuchel, a European
champion with Chelsea in 2021, was hired;
either they go deep into the competition
or face the consequences. As prolific as
ever in his first season at the club, Harry
Kane is their ace in the hole, though
many have legitimate concerns about the
squad’s strength in depth, particularly
at right-back, central defence and in
defensive midfield. Is Eric Dier, recently
acquired from Spurs, the answer?
Prolific…can
Harry Kane
fire Bayern to
the trophy?
WORLD SOCCER 53
ATLETICO MADRID
This time last year, much of the

discussion around Atletico was the
future of Diego Simeone, with the
long-serving head coach seemingly
coming to the end of his time in
Madrid. Yet not only did the Argentine
stay, he seems to have gained a new
outlook. Once exclusively regarded
as a defensive-minded coach, more
warrior king of a battle-hardened
private army than football manager,
Simeone has released the handbrake
this term. The Colchoneros topped
Group E unbeaten with plenty of style
and attacking intent, their goal tally of
17 bettered only by Manchester City.
With Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro
Morata regularly on the scoresheet,
Atleti have one of the most potent
forward lines in Europe. What will
bother old-school Atletico followers
is their current defensive frailty, an
uncharacteristic lack of concentration
and aggression. Simeone’s side used Potent
to be masters of the art of stifling, partnership…
Alvaro Morata
harassing and intimidating – and Antoine
not so much anymore. Griezmann
With Antoine Griezmann and

Alvaro Morata regularly on the
scoresheet, Atletico Madrid
have one of the most potent
forward lines in Europe
it’s no coincidence they carry more
threat away from home, pragmatic
defensively, but quick, direct and
decisive when sparking into offensive
enough space in open field and they Inter’s star man… action. In six Champions League away
will take full advantage, punishing the Lautaro Martinez games last season, they lost only one
unwary with the devastating speed of (2-0 at Bayern Munich in the group
wing-back Denzel Dumfries and twin phase) and they have been equally
strikers Lautaro Martinez and Marcus intransigent on their travels in this
INTERNAZIONALE Thuram, not to mention the midfield year’s competition, drawing at Real
guile of Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Sociedad and Benfica and winning
Last season’s losing Champions League Barella. Inter, meticulously prepared in Salzburg. One snag: Inzaghi’s top
finalists are the loaded gun that could go by coach Simone Inzaghi, are quite priority this term is the Serie A title,
off at any moment. Give the Nerazzurri brilliant on the counter-attack and so Europe may take a back seat.
54 WORLD SOCCER
In form and
firing…PSV
PSV
Back in the knockout stage of the

Champions League for the first time
since 2016, PSV will be encouraged by
the bulk of their performances in group
combat last autumn. A 4-0 thumping at
Arsenal on matchday 1 would destabilise
many a team, but the side coached by
Peter Bosz are made of stern stuff and
did not lose again in Group B, repeatedly
proving their mettle with late goals. PSV
have certainly been enjoying themselves
on the domestic front this campaign,
winning all 16 of their Eredivisie fixtures
prior to the winter break, and they have
no end of in-form players: United States
full-back Sergino
Dest (currently
on loan from
Barcelona),
evergreen target
man Luuk de
Jong, incisive
Belgium winger
Johan Bakayoko
and midfielder
and skipper Joey
BORUSSIA DORTMUND Veerman. The
latter recently
These are nervous and confusing caused a stir
times at the Westfalenstadion, where by reportedly
Dortmund have led a mysterious double turning down
life this term. Good enough to seal first a contract
place in a Champions League “Group extension, and
of Death”, notably beating Newcastle could soon be
home and away and winning 3-1 at on his way to the
Milan’s San Siro, yet markedly off the Premier League.
pace in the Bundesliga. They only Which club he
recorded one victory in the last eight and RB Leipzig. In a rare occurrence Under pressure… joins may well depend on how far he
games before the winter break and of the boo-boys coming out to play, Dortmund boss can lead his team in Europe. Certainly,
Edin Terzic
picked up just one point from nine Dortmund fans have been showing their a last-16 showdown with a floundering
in heavyweight encounters against displeasure of late and rumours abound Dortmund outfit will hold no fears
Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen that coach Edin Terzic is on thin ice. for the runaway Eredivisie leaders.
WORLD SOCCER 55
League challenge can be built on.
light of their inexperience at this level Conversely, outstanding wingers Bukayo
to win Group B. Only in one fixture Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are a twofold
(the 2-1 defeat in Lens) did they let cause for concern: opponents, mindful
themselves down and generally fired on of the pair’s importance to Arsenal, are
all cylinders, outplaying and outthinking successfully doubling up on them and,
ARSENAL the opposition. Their outstanding in a worrying development, both
defensive triumvirate of centre-backs
In the North London club’s first Gabriel and William Saliba behind
Champions League odyssey in six long midfield holder Declan Rice is the sort
The outstanding triumvirate
years, Mikel Arteta’s young side made of foundation that a serious Champions of Gabriel and William Saliba
behind Declan Rice is the
Champions
sort of foundation that a
League
contenders…
serious Champions League
Arsenal challenge can be built on
youngsters appear to be running
on fumes. They must not be run into
the ground. Another big concern for
Arteta is his side’s profligacy in front
of goal, something that the Gunners
failed to address with a new signing
in the January window.
PORTO
Speaking in terms of economic

power, Porto vice-president Vitor
Baia calls his side’s last-16 clash
with Arsenal “an unequal fight”.
However, Baia, who won the
Champions League with the Dragons
in 2003-04, knows only too well
that his club are anything but naive
no-hopers on the European scene.
Over the last decade, they have
reached the knockout stages of
the Champions League on no fewer
than seven occasions and three
times have progressed to the
quarter-finals. Porto could definitely
use a big European scalp to distract
from their troubles of late: the
announcement of €47.6m losses last
season and bitter internal wrangling
about the future of long-time club
president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa.
Porto, who finished second in their
qualifying group behind Barcelona,
will be especially looking to Brazilian
winger Galeno – the standout
forward in the group stage with Wing wizard…
Porto’s Galeno
four goals and four assists – to shone in the
turn on the style against Arsenal. group stage
56 WORLD SOCCER
and Jules Kounde all missing for

periods this season – has not helped,
and they certainly could have done
without the long-term absence of
young midfield maestro Gavi, who
BARCELONA tore cruciate ligaments in November
while on international duty. They
Despite finishing atop Group H, there must do better defensively too. The
were still widespread calls for Xavi’s news that keeper Marc-Andre ter
head, leading to the announcement that Stegen is available again after back
he will step down as Barca coach in the surgery should aid the process.
summer. Lauded as the Camp Nou
saviour after steering the side to the La
Liga title last year, Xavi came under
attack from all quarters for a string of
poor results in all competitions, tactical
deficiencies and a tendency to deploy
players out of position. Defeats in the NAPOLI
Champions League to such minnows as
Shakhtar Donetsk and Antwerp were Napoli made the cut easily enough
embarrassing indeed, light years from the for the knockout phase, seeing off
glory of Xavi’s playing day. In fairness, a Braga and Union Berlin to seal
crippling injury list – with Pedri, Frenkie Set to leave qualification in Group C behind Real
de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha this summer… Madrid, but few fans are optimistic of
Barcelona further progress. After running away
coach Xavi
with the Serie A title last campaign,
playing some of the most attractive
football in Europe, the Neapolitans
have clearly lost their way, with the
summer departure of inspirational
coach Luciano Spalletti provoking
an almost immediate degradation,
the sophisticated pressing schemes,
dynamism and audacious attacking
play giving way to a miserable
Uncertain future…Napoli striker Victor Osimhen
one-dimensional approach. So far

this term, two coaches (Frenchman
Rudi Garcia and current incumbent
Walter Mazzarri) have palpably failed,
while rumours surrounding the future
of star striker Victor Osimhen are not
helping matters. Nonetheless, Barca
cannot afford to underestimate the
Italians in their last-16 head-to-head.
WORLD SOCCER 57
T
The b s facts and s t from this season’s Ch
MBE ons League
ME
UEFA
centurion…
Lewandowski
22 18 36.3
Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni was fouled Manchester Cit were the top- Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi was
22 times in the group stage, more scoring team in e group stage, th
he quickest player of the group
than any other player, drawing a ahead of Atletico drid (17), stage, clocking a top speed of
foul roughly every 18 minutes. Arsenal and Real Ma (16). 36.3 kilometres an hour.
100 Hot streak…Kylian Mbappe
Duringg the gro p t e, Robert

2
Lewandowski b c the third
player (aafter Cristi n onaldo and
FC
C Copenhagen advanced through
Lionel Messi) to s or 00 goals
thee group stage for the second time
in UEFA club c titions.
in
n their history. They are the only
Danish team to progress from
a Champions League group.
40 8
At the age of 40, Porto defen r
Pepe became both the oldes
playeer and oldest goalscorer Kylian Mbappe has now scored in
296
in Champions League history each of his last eight Champions
du
uring the group stage. League group stage home games
for PSG, with a total of 11 goals. Goal cored in the group
sta – eight fewer than
e 2022-23 season. Top attacker
…Porto’s
16 5
Galeno
Barceelona’s Lamine Yamal –

67% 505
who was born three years after With goals each, four players
Pepe’s Champions League debut a rrently leading the race for the
– replacced Celestine Babayaro olden Boot – Antoine Griezmann, Two thir he goals scored Celtic defender Liam Scales*
the youungest player to ever t Erling Haaland, Alvaro Morata in the group s e came from co
ompleted more passes than any
a Chaampions League ma h. and Rasmus Hojlund*. five passes r fewer. other player in the group stage.
TOP ATTACKERS TOP DRIBBLERS TOP PASSERS

Player (club) Goal contributions Player (club) Dribbles Player (club) Attempted** Accuracy
(Goals + assists)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) 46 Nathan Ake (Man. City) 301 98.7%
Galeno (Porto) 8 (4+4) Kylian Mbappe (PSG) 44 Ruben Dias (Man. City) 468 98.1%
Harry Kane (Bayern) 7 (4+3) Rafael Leao* (Milan) 36 Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) 94 97.9%
Jude Bellingham (R. Madrid) 7 (4+3) Elias Achouri (Copenhagen) 32 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) 349 97.1%
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) 7 (3+4) Ander Barrenetxea (Sociedad) 30 Manuel Akanji (Man. City) 333 97%
Erling Haaland (Man. City) 6 (5+1)
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) 6 (4+2) **Minimum of 90 attempted passes
58 WORLD SOCCER
HEAD-TO-HEADS
FC COPENHAGEN v MANCHESTER CITY
WINS DRAWS WINS
0 2 2
City thrashed Copenhagen 5-0 in last season’s group
stage, but were held to a goalless draw in Denmark
Goalscoring
RB LEIPZIG v REAL MADRID
goalkeeper…
WINS DRAWS WINS
Ivan Provedel
4 1 0 1
Leipzig scored twice in the first 18 minutes en route to
beating Real Madrid 3-2 in last season’s group stage
Lazio’s Ivan Provedel became

the fourth goalkeeper – after
Hans-Jorg Butt, Sinan Bolat and
50 WINS
0
LAZIO v BAYERN MUNICH
DRAWS
0
WINS
2
These two met at the same stage of the 2020-21
Vincent Enyeama – to score season, with Bayern winning 6-2 on aggregate
a Champions League goal.
Paris Saint-Germain have scored
in their last 50 Champions League
group stage matches, last drawing PSG v REAL SOCIEDAD
a blank in a 1-0 defeat to Real
WINS DRAWS WINS
53 Madrid in November 2015.

0 0 0
Sociedad were knocked out by French opposition on their last
progression to this stage, beaten by Lyon in 2003-04
53 players played every minute of INTERNAZIONALE v ATLETICO MADRID

their team’s group-stage campaign. WINS DRAWS WINS
0 0 1
The only time these two sides have met competitively was
in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup, with Atletico winning 2-0
91 WINS
PSV v BORUSSIA DORTMUND
DRAWS WINS
1 1 0
Top dribbler The last time these two sides met was in the 2002-03 group
Real Sociedad committed more fouls …Khvicha stage. Dortmund won 3-1 in Eindhoven, before a 1-1 draw
than any other team in the group Kvaratskhelia
stage, and 16 more than any other
side that made it to the knockouts. PORTO v ARSENAL
WINS DRAWS WINS
2 1 3
7 31 These two met six times in four years, but not since back in 2010.
Porto have only won one of their last ten games v English opponents
NAPOLI v BARCELONA
Red Star Belgrade goalkeeper WINS DRAWS WINS
Champions League holders Omri Glazer* and Young Boys’ 0 2 2
Manchester City finished top Anthony Racioppi* were the Barca knocked Napoli out of the knockout stages of the 2021-22
of their group for the seventh busiest keepers in the group Europa League and the 2019-20 Champions League
consecutive campaign. stage, making 31 saves each.
TOP RUNNERS TOP KEEPERS TOP DEFENDERS

Player (club) Distance Player (club) Saves Clean Player (team) Ball Tackles
covered per goal sheets recoveries won
All stats from uefa.com
Rasmus Falk (Copenhagen) 79.4km Yann Sommer (Inter) 9.5 3 Mats Hummels (Dortmund) 57 17
Fredrik Aursnes* (Benfica) 76km Alejandro Remiro (Sociedad) 5.5 4 Nicolas Otamendi* (Benfica) 50 9
Mads Bidstrup* (Salzburg) 75.5km Nick Pope* (Newcastle) 5.2 1 Diogo Leite* (Union Berlin) 49 7
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern) 75.1km Gregor Kobel (Dortmund) 4.5 3 Denis Vavro (Copenhagen) 48 2
Stephen Eustaquio (Porto) 74.8km Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) 4 2 Strahinja Pavlovic* (Salzburg) 47 9
Lukas Lerager (Copenhagen) 74.8km
*Player/team has already been eliminated
WORLD SOCCER 59
EUROPA LEAGUE Knockout round
Nick Bidwell picks 12

players who could shine
in the Europa League
knockout stage
Alex Hot-headed
…Alex Baena
he was well into double figures for coach Pacheta – who has since been
BAENA yellow cards in each of the last two

seasons and is well on the way to
replaced by Marcelino – told a press
conference that in a conversation with
VILLARREAL repeating that record again, while Baena, he had pressed the latter to
in October he was sent off in La Liga clean up his act. “He’s an exceptional
The 22-year-old attacking when VAR adjudged him to have player and person,” declared Pacheta.
midfielder or winger, who marked elbowed Getafe defender Stefan “He’s had many sending-offs in his
his senior debut for Spain with a goal Mitrovic. He came close to another career and we want to help him improve
last autumn, seems to have most bases expulsion in a Europa League tie with this. As a footballer, he’s fantastic. Alex
covered as he looks to clamber up the Rennes, so enveloped by the red mist uses his bad temper to compete. But
greasy pole to stardom: slippery as an that his coach hauled him off soon after controlling one’s emotions is what
eel on the ball, dynamism, mobility, an being booked early in the second half. makes a human being.”
outstanding range of pass, final-ball Back in autumn, then-Villarreal A key member of Spain’s Under-21
execution and shooting power. side that won silver at last summer’s
There is, though, one vital phase European Championship, Baena
of the game in which he can often Baena is on the radar of a number is reported to be on the radar of
be found wanting: discipline. Regularly of top Premier League sides a number of top Premier League
confusing will-to-win for recklessness, sides. Barcelona are keen on him
60 WORLD SOCCER
Pascal GROSS
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Over seven seasons and some 230

games, the versatile and indefatigable
German midfielder or full-back has
proved worth his weight in gold to the
Seagulls. Recently won his first full cap
for his country at the grand age of 32.
Arnaud KALIMUENDO
RENNES
Nurtured at PSG’s academy, the gifted

France U21 striker is being watched at
Hat-trick hero…
Michael Gregoritsch
the moment by a host of top German
clubs. A move to the Bundesliga is a
tempting proposition for him, though
Michael GREGORITSCH Rennes are most unwilling to negotiate.
FREIBURG
Ross McCAUSLAND
Highly intelligent forward who burst into RANGERS
Europa League action in November with
a fine hat-trick in the 5-0 thumping The young winger from Northern
of Olympiakos. He also made a vital Ireland is enjoying a wonderful breakout
four-goal contribution to Austria’s season at Ibrox, clearly trusted by Gers
qualification for Euro 2024. coach Philippe Clement, impressing in
Europe and banking a League Cup
Mojmir CHYTIL winners’ medal. Positive and direct.
SLAVIA PRAGUE
Luis MURIEL
Rangy Czech national team striker ATALANTA
with an instinctive feel for being in
the right place at the right time in the Ageless Colombian attacker who,
penalty box. Renowned for his fancy despite being in his early 30s, continues
finishes (backheels and flicks), his to be the epitome of lively commitment.
physical presence can be a major Perfectly two-footed, he can operate as
distraction for defenders. a conventional centre-forward, second
striker or as a right-winger.
Jonathan CLAUSS
MARSEILLE Antonio SILVA
BENFICA
All-action France international
right-back, who has been one of the After playing an instrumental role in
rare five-star performers in a thoroughly Benfica’s UEFA Youth League victory in
inconsistent Marseille. Rumoured to be 2021-22, the exceptional centre-back
on the watch-list of Bayern Munich. stepped straight into the Eagles’ first-
team back line for last season’s league
Viktor GYOKERES title win – all before his 20th birthday.
SPORTING
Calvin STENGS
The Sweden striker has not stopped FEYENOORD
too, though might be too cash-strapped scoring since leaving English second-
to strike a deal. Under contract with tier side Coventry City for Lisbon last The hugely talented attacking midfielder
Villarreal until 2028, Baena is subject summer, piling up the goals in all has been turning on the style since joining
to a €60 million release clause. competitions. His boundless energy the Rotterdammers from Nice last July.
He has been on Villarreal’s books is the lifeblood of Sporting’s excellent First made a name for himself at AZ
since the age of 11 and spent the Sporting star… domestic form, while his three goals in Alkmaar and clinched the Belgian league
2021-22 season on loan at Girona, Viktor Gyokeres Europe fired his club to the play-offs. title on loan at Antwerp last campaign.
helping them win promotion to the
Spanish top flight, but now he is James WARD-PROWSE
undoubtedly one of the first names WEST HAM UNITED
on the Yellow Submarines’ team
sheet. With two goals and two assists The Hammers midfielder is without
in the Europa League group stage, he doubt the Premier League’s finest
was his team’s standout star, and will be dead-ball specialist. Apart from
their automatic go-to man once again elevating set-pieces to a work of art,
as they look for creativity, inspiration he is industrious and technically solid,
and match-winning ability in the contributing four assists in the group
knockout rounds. stage as West Ham topped their pool.
WORLD SOCCER 61
Bayer Leverkusen
62 WORLD SOCCER
CLUB
FOCUS
NEVER SAY
NEVER AGAIN
Bayer Leverkusen are determined to shake
off their tag of perennial runners-up
Words: Nick Bidwell
A
s Leverkusen set a blistering competitive record in the first half of
pace atop the German top this season (26 matches, 23 wins, three
flight – remaining unbeaten draws, zero losses, 82 goals scored and
in their first 18 fixtures to 18 conceded) is the absolute stuff of
move seven points clear at the summit dreams. Indeed, no German pro side
– older Bundesliga watchers could be has ever begun a campaign with
excused for experiencing flashbacks to such a long unvanquished run.
the 1997-98 campaign, when newly- Not that any Leverkusen fan with a
promoted Kaiserslautern defied the sense of history will be taking anything
odds to scoop the title ahead of for granted. Despite an impressive 16
perennial champions Bayern Munich. top-four Bundesliga finishes in the last
Then, as now, the narrative is word for three decades, Leverkusen and trophies
word. Everyone expecting Kaiserslautern/ have rarely gone together. Since first
Leverkusen to slip up and be overhauled breaking into the top flight in 1979, they
by Bayern, only for the unfancied have only claimed silverware on two
outsiders to relentlessly maintain their occasions. In 1988, they sensationally
winning momentum. Could we be in won the UEFA Cup in a final for the
for one of those all-too uncommon ages, recovering from a 3-0 first-leg
occurrences in the German elite: deficit against Espanyol to turn the
Bayern forced to play second fiddle? tables in the return and eventually win
Should Leverkusen coach Xabi on penalties. In 1993, they lifted the
Alonso and his merry men continue DFB-Pokal Cup courtesy of a 1-0
to make magic all the way to the victory over Hertha Berlin’s amateurs.
finishing line, thus securing their first- Over the years, Leverkusen have
ever championship shield, legendary had to endure the acute pain of several
status will be assured. And not only near-misses. Bundesliga runners-up on
in this corner of the Rhineland; equally no fewer than five occasions, as well as
euphoric would be the massed ranks finalists in the 2001-02 Champions
of the “anyone but Bayern brigade”, League – where they were essentially
the supporters up and down the land undone by Zinedine Zidane’s wonder-
who bristle at the Bavarian giants’ volley for Real Madrid – the club known
outrageous dominance and who would as the Werkself (aka the company team
dearly love to see more power-sharing. of the Bayer pharmaceutical concern)
Little wonder the atmosphere at the know all about falling at the final hurdle.
BayArena is electric at the moment. Not Unfortunately for Leverkusen, the
only is their Bundesliga title tilt in great “choker” tag has stuck, though it is only
shape; they have also run riot in the partially deserved. In some instances,
Europa League, winning all six group they simply lost out to superior teams
games. According to the bookmakers, and in truth, most of the “Never-kusen”
only Liverpool are more likely to lift headlines stem from two end-of-season
the trophy than Leverkusen. Their Bundesliga wipe-outs. On the final day
WORLD SOCCER 63
CLUB FOCUS
of the 1999-2000 campaign, needing

just a point to secure their first-ever
title, they somehow contrived to lose
2-0 at Unterhaching, allowing Bayern
Munich to overtake them on the line.
A couple of years later, they folded
again, a five-point lead at the top of the
table with three games to go suddenly
evaporating in the heat of a Borussia
Dortmund comeback.
Could the Class of 2023-24 suffer
a similar loss of nerve at the death?
Only time will tell. But on the evidence
of the season so far, it’s hard to envisage
an implosion. Xabi Alonso has built a
steamroller of a side, a relentless and
indomitable outfit that just oozes belief
and hunger.
No Alonso, no party. In his first
station as a pro coach, the former
Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich
and Spain midfielder has worked nothing
less than a miracle at Leverkusen. On his
arrival in the Rhineland back in October
2022, the club were in the emergency
room, second-bottom and sinking fast.
Dr Alonso, however would soon have
them back on their feet again, soaring
up the table to finish a highly creditable
sixth and reaching the semi-finals of
the Europa League.
In an incredibly short space of
time, Alonso has improved Leverkusen
every which way. As a defensive unit,
his three-man back line (Jonathan Tah,
Odilon Kossounou and Edmond Tapsoba)
is much more disciplined and solid than aggressive in their pressing, no Watching on…Xabi And they are so well organised that
that of his predecessor Gerardo Seoane. longer dropping into a mid-block out Alonso watches they are rarely caught out on the break.
his team in action
The unforced errors of old have dried of possession, but seeking to squeeze against Heidenheim The boys from the BayArena have
up, they are considerably more the opposition as high as possible. become more flexible creatively too,
BAYER “NEVER-KUSEN” 1904-2023

Trophies
Champions
3
HONOURS
Bundesliga 2 North UEFA Cup German Cup Bundesliga League

1978-79 1987-88 1992-93 Runners-up: Runners-up:
Runners-up: 1996-97; 1998-99; 2001-02
2001-02; 1999-2000;
2008-09; 2019-20 2001-02; 2010-11
In the history of the German Bundesliga, no team has

Floored...2001-02
ever finished second as often as Bayer Leverkusen without Champions League
winning the league. Their reputation as perennial runners- runners-up
up was compounded in the 2001-02 season: as the end
of the campaign approached, they were on course for an
extraordinary treble – top of the Bundesliga and into the
finals of both the German Cup and Champions League. In
the end they won nothing, pipped to the league by Borussia
Zidane... Dortmund by a single point, thumped 4-2 by Schalke in the
wonder-volley
cup, and undone by a Zidane-inspired Real Madrid in Europe.
64 WORLD SOCCER
Bayer Leverkusen
Goal machine… obsession with flooding men forward

Victor Boniface that bordered on the suicidal. Alonso
has changed all that, adding substance,
consistency and balance to the mix.
Xabi regularly uses the word “mature”.
His team are just that.
If Leverkusen this season is very
much the Alonso Show, a great deal
of the credit for the Rhinelanders’
Unfortunately for Bayer Leverkusen, renaissance lies with the club’s scouting
team and the fine work in the transfer
just as happy initiating a lightning-fast
the “choker” tag has stuck market of director of sport Simon
counter-attack as patiently and precisely Rolfes, an underrated midfielder at
playing through the lines from front to Guardiola vibe about them. the BayArena in his playing days. His
back. Alonso was a great distributor of the Under previous Leverkusen coaches recruitment work last summer speaks
ball as a player (and remains so, judging (Gerardo Seoane, Peter Bosz and Roger Star signing…Alex for itself: each of Leverkusen’s four
Grimaldo (left) has
from social media clips of him joining in Schmidt), the Werkself were known for been a revelation main summer signings – Switzerland
with training) and his Leverkusen perform their naivety, defensive gaffes and an at left wing-back midfielder Granit Xhaka (ex-Arsenal),
with the same control and foresight. Their
slick combination play often is a work of
art and they are perfectly happy to shift
the ball around before applying the coup
de grace. The best example? The 29-pass
manoeuvre that led to their first goal in a
3-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach
back in August.
While Alonso clearly has drilled his
players to religiously espouse certain
passing schemes, choreographed
triangles and give-and-gos, he naturally
encourages his players to improvise as
well. Such is the quality of his team’s
movement and positional awareness,
there always seems to be options. If
one passing lane is blocked, suddenly
two or three alternatives appear. In
the ease with which they side-step
the opposition’s press and the flowing
nature of their possession game –
inspired in the middle of the park by the
likes of Granit Xhaka, Exequiel Palacios,
Alex Grimaldo and boy wonder Florian
Wirtz – they have something of a Pep
WORLD SOCCER 65
CLUB FOCUS
Spanish wing-back Alex Grimaldo

(Benfica), attacking midfielder Jonas
Hofmann (Gladbach) and Nigeria
forward Victor Boniface (Union SG)
– all settled in immediately, providing
an invaluable upgrade in quality.
Rolfes says that the four new
arrivals were Leverkusen’s number
one targets for a specific role. It says
much for his powers of persuasion and
negotiating nous that he managed to
bring them all on board. And for the
relatively inexpensive total outlay of
€44.5 million.
Will Leverkusen stay the distance
in the Bundesliga? Confidence in
the ranks is sky-high and plainly
Alonso has passed on his own winning
mentality. That will be tested as the end
of season approaches and the echoes
of “Never-kusen” begin to reverberate.
Much will depend on how they react to
the weight of history, while Bayern are
sure to dial up the pressure as they
battle to defend their crown. Engine room…Bayer’s testing, although their depth has been consistency, irrespective of who is
In the first half of the season, central midfield duo proven by their European form. Alonso handed the starting shirt, speaks to a
Granit Xhaka and
Leverkusen’s starting line-up was Exequiel Palacios has been more than happy to ring the happy camp of well-coached players.
remarkably stable, with four players changes on the continent, and the There is a long way to go, then.
starting every Bundesliga game prior likes of Josip Stanisic, Piero Hincapie, But Leverkusen have already defied
to the winter break and four others Robert Andrich and Nathan Tella – all the odds by coming this far. The
beginning all bar one. Any injury second-choice in the league – have “Never-kusen” tag could soon
setbacks will provide further delivered solid performances. Such be a thing of the past.
THE STADIUM THE KIT

For the last 30 years, Leverkusen
have experimented with various
shirt designs, but always with red
and black colours. Their current
home strip consists of a black shirt
with a red cross, but in the past they’ve
tried vertical, horizontal and diagonal
stripes, as well as sashes and strips.
Before the mid-’90s, they often played
in white, including in the 1987-88
season when they won the UEFA Cup.
Five years later, they lifted the German
Cup in all-red, shortly before black
became a staple part of the home kit.
BayArena renovation programme took place, resulting

Located in central Leverkusen, where the in an ultra-modern 22,000 capacity all-seater
A1 and A3 motorways intersect, Leverkusen’s arena, which was renamed the BayArena in 1998.
home ground was originally known as the Ulrich Another major redevelopment was commissioned
Haberland Stadium, named after a former in 2007, involving the conversion of some seating
chairman of the Bayer firm. Built in the mid- areas into standing places and the installation of
1950s, the Haberland was officially opened in a new avant-garde roof structure. It presently
1958 and had room for some 20,000 fans. can house 30,210 spectators, all of whom
During the 1980s and ’90s, an extensive have perfect sight lines.
66 WORLD SOCCER
Bayer Leverkusen
THE TEAM STRONGEST XI

Lukas HRADECKY (C) Florian WIRTZ
Between the posts since 2018, Equally influential as an attacking
1 the skipper was out of form last midfielder or winger, the 20-year-
season and almost left. Alonso’s old is back to his devastating best
faith in the 34-year-old Finland after tearing cruciate ligaments
keeper has reaped dividends. in the spring of 2022.
Odilon KOSSOUNOU Victor BONIFACE

The €23m Ivorian centre-back The Nigerian, bought last summer
6 4 12
was a disappointment when first from Belgian outfit Union SG for
arriving from Club Brugge in 2021, €19.5m, gives Leverkusen another
Kossounou Tah Tapsoba but decided to stay put and has dimension. Scores plenty, including
not put a foot wrong this season. seven in his first seven games, but
wastes plenty of chances too.
Jonathan TAH
30 25 34 20 Defensive prodigy who made his THE BACK-UPS
Hamburg debut aged 17 and his
full bow for Germany three years Matej KOVAR
Frimpong Pala s aka Grimaldo
later. With Leverkusen since 2015, The ex-Czech Republic Under-21
he has been impeccable as goalkeeper, who arrived for €5m
Alonso’s back-line organiser. from Manchester United last
7 10
summer, has worn the gloves in
Edmond TAPSOBA the Europa League this season.
Hofmann Wirtz The Burkina Faso international
is the prototype of the modern- Piero HINCAPIE
day central defender. Signed from The versatile Ecuadorian, proficient
22 Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes as a central defender or left-back,
for €18m in January 2020. lost his place in the line-up early
in the campaign after a red-card
Boniface Jeremie FRIMPONG carried over from last season.
The 23-year-old Dutchman is
one of the quickest players in Josip STANISIC
the Bundesliga. Spent 18 months Munich-born and raised utility
THE TACTICS at Celtic after coming through
Manchester City’s youth ranks.
defender who has enjoyed limited
game time on loan from Bayern
The foundations of this team are provided by a back three that Munich this season. The Croatian
possesses not only the footballing ability to play out from the back, Alex GRIMALDO international can play across the
but also the strength, speed and aggression to protect Hradecky’s Picked up on a free from Benfica back four or in defensive midfield.
goal while the rest of the team pushes on. last summer, the 28-year-old
In front of them, Palacios and Xhaka provide ball-winning bite and Spaniard has to be a contender for Robert ANDRICH
drive; the latter setting the tone with his intelligence, experience and Bundesliga Player of the Season. As recently as 2023 he was rated
crafty left foot. The wing-backs are integral, particularly Grimaldo who Already well into double figures among the most cultured deep-
drifts in from the left to showcase his exceptional creativity, while for goals and assists combined, lying midfielders in the Bundesliga,
Frimpong provides boundless energy up and down the right flank. and a handy free-kick taker too. but has fallen down Leverkusen’s
Ahead of them, Hofmann and Wirtz have the freedom to drift, probe pecking order since the arrival of
and create for Boniface - a prolific and “complete” striker according to Exequiel PALACIOS Xhaka. Can fill in as a sweeper.
Xabi Alonso - who also gives the team a physical presence and outlet. A bit-part member of Argentina’s
2022 World Cup-winning squad, Amine ADLI
THE COACH the former River Plate man is one
of the best defensive midfielders
French-born Morocco winger who
is used as impact sub. A graduate
Xabi ALONSO in the Bundesliga this season. of the Toulouse academy, he
Alonso effectively served as joined Leverkusen in 2021.
a coach-in-waiting during the Granit XHAKA
bulk of a magnificent playing The Switzerland international has Nathan TELLA
career, outstanding as a defensive been the key figure in Alonso’s Leverkusen signed the diminutive
midfielder and strategist for Real system since arriving from Arsenal, young winger from Southampton
Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, pulling the strings with intelligence. last summer. Spent last season on
Bayern Munich and Spain. A much better passer than loan at Burnley, helping them win
A two-time Champions League he is often given credit for. promotion to the Premier League.
winner (with Liverpool in 2005 and Real Madrid in 2014), he won
league titles in Spain and Germany and played a part in all three of Jonas HOFMANN Patrik SCHICK
La Roja’s major tournament successes between 2008 and 2012. One of the most adaptable players Scored 24 goals in 27 Bundesliga
Prior to his appointment as Leverkusen boss in autumn 2022, he cut in the Bundesliga, just as effective games in 2021-22, but the elegant
his coaching teeth with Real Madrid’s U14s and Real Sociedad’s B team. from attacking midfield, right-wing Czech forward has suffered plenty
His father, Periko was a gritty midfielder for Sociedad, Barcelona and or even as a right-back. Signed for of injuries since. Signed from Roma
Spain, who went on to coach Basque teams Eibar and Sociedad. €10m from Gladbach last summer. in 2020 after a loan at RB Leipzig.
WORLD SOCCER 67
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE Knockout round
Nick Bidwell highlights

12 players to keep an eye
on in the knockout phase
Meteoric rise sufficiently impressive to already have Debast and Ameen Al Dakhil at Burnley
Jorne ...Spileers earned a full call-up by Belgium, a non- for places behind first-choice trio Arthur
SPILEERS playing squad member for the friendly
victory over Serbia in November. Talk
Theate, Wout Faes and the evergreen Jan
Vertonghen. But he clearly has a chance
CLUB BRUGGE about a meteoric rise; young Spileers of going to Germany. A good run in the
only made his debut for the Under-21s Europa Conference League with Brugge
No player in the Belgian league has a couple of months previously. could be just the springboard he needs.
improved more in recent times than Obviously, he still has plenty to do Even Brugge insiders appear to have
the 19-year-old centre-back who, by in order to secure a spot in Domenico been caught unawares by Spileers’ rapid
some strange quirk of genetics, has Tedesco’s Euro 2024 selection. His lack progress. Despite starting in ten top-flight
the maturity, poise and football IQ of of experience may prove a dissuasive games for the Blauw-Zwart towards the
a grizzled and battle-hardened senior factor and he faces a lot of competition end the end of last season, the initial
pro. Nothing ever seems to disconcert from the likes Zinho Vanheusden of plan for 2023-24 was to send him on
him. He was born for this. Standard Liege, Anderlecht’s Zeno loan to top-flight minnows OH Leuven.
A little more than 12 months New Club boss Ronny Deila decided
ago, Spileers was featuring for Club otherwise, opting to make Spileers his
Brugge’s Under-18s. Now he exists Nothing ever seems to disconcert first-choice centre-back alongside the
on an altogether different plane, Spileers. He was born for this experienced Brandon Mechele.
a guaranteed first-teamer and Spileers fits the top-class bill in so
68 WORLD SOCCER
Going under
Kiril DESPODOV
the radar... PAOK
Fenerbahce’s
Szymanski
This season, his first in PAOK colours
after arriving from Ludogorets, the
27-year-old Bulgaria winger has lived
up to all expectations, proving himself
both a cute finisher and irresistible
provider of gilt-edged chances.
Junior Dina EBIMBE

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
The Franco-Cameroon utility man, full of

dynamism and physicality, was the focus
of Bundesliga attention in December
after scoring twice in Eintracht’s shock
5-1 thrashing of Bayern Munich. Can
Sebastian SZYMANSKI play literally anywhere on the pitch.
FENERBAHCE
Nikola MILENKOVIC
While attacking midfielder Dusan FIORENTINA
Tadic and centre-forward Edin Dzeko
receive most of the plaudits for the Combative, commanding Serbia
Istanbul giants, the terrific work of the centre-back who has been the rock
Poland ace, supplying plenty of goals at the heart of the Viola back line for
and assists, often goes unnoticed. the last six-and-a-half years. Rated in
the €20m bracket, he was a reported
Dereck KUTESA object of desire for Jose Mourinho
SERVETTE before the “Special One” left Roma.
With cult hero striker Chris Bedia Aitor RUIBAL

joining Union Berlin in January, the REAL BETIS
onus to produce match-winning
moments for Servette – who are The 27-year-old Catalan is a Swiss Army
starting to show unmistakeable signs knife of a player, capable of delivering
of returning to their old prominence the goods in any number of positions:
in Swiss football – will now fall on the both full-back slots, in wide midfield
shoulders of talented winger Kutesa. roles and up front. Recently fired
in a cracker versus Real Madrid.
Matty CASH
ASTON VILLA Pavel SULC
VIKTORIA PLZEN
The Poland international might just be
one of the most underrated players in Former Czech Under-21 standout,
the Premier League, and is relishing his whose most significant assets are his
change of role from right-back to wing- calm finishing and ability to drift with
back under Unai Emery. Signed from menace into all areas of the final third.
Nottingham Forest in September 2020. Usually plays as an attacking midfielder
but can also lead the line himself.
Hugo CUYPERS
many ways. He reads the game well, GENT Benjamin TAHIROVIC
quickly senses impending danger and AJAX
is strong in the tackle, while also racking Supporters of the Buffalos can only
up the kilometres on matchdays. His be delighted that their tremendously Acquired from Roma last summer, the
greatest strength, however, is his technical popular forward did not, as expected, Bosnian midfield holder has settled
ability, comfortable in possession and complete a transfer to Bologna last in remarkably in Amsterdam, doing a
quick to move with the ball into advanced Fans’ favourite summer. A self-made player who fine job of bringing more stability and
areas. He has been known to pop up in …Hugo Cuypers spends hours studying tactical matters. purpose to the Ajax engine room. Tall,
and around the opposition box, and early hard working and a quick-thinker.
this season he scored with a well-struck
long-range effort in a Conference League Yusuf YAZICI
qualifier against Icelandic side Akureyri. LILLE
He was very much brought up in
a football environment in eastern Repeatedly held back by injuries
Flanders, with both his father and and inconsistency, the elegant Turkish
mother playing the game. Jorne playmaker has become an undisputed
suggests that he has inherited his pillar of the Lille first team over the
father’s will-to-win and aggression last few months, always influential
and his mother’s skill. and often on the score sheet.
WORLD SOCCER 69
Jose Mourinho
70 WORLD SOCCER
SPECIAL
FEATURE
THE LAST DAYS

OF ROMA How Jose Mourinho’s time in the
Italian capital came to an end
Words: Paddy Agnew
I
t was the look of despair on Perhaps Mourinho was, to some extent,
Giuseppe’s face that first sounded the victim of his early success at Roma,
the alarm. Giuseppe, a lifelong having spoiled the fans and the owners
Roma fan, works at the Vatican with previously unimagined European
Press Office. It was the morning after success by winning the inaugural 2021-22
Roma’s mid-January Italian Cup Europa Conference League and reaching
elimination by city rivals, Lazio, and he last season’s Europa League final (beaten
was in total despair. Like a lot of Roma on penalties by Sevilla). Roma’s open-top
fans, he had only one thought in mind. bus parade around the Eternal City after
“Mourinho has got to go,” he moaned, that Conference League title win against
“and the sooner, the better”. Feyenoord was celebrated by the fans
You could argue that the sacking in a manner worthy of Julius Caesar
of Roma coach Jose Mourinho came returning from the Gallic wars.
as a surprise that flew in the face of the Mourinho had arrived in Rome
Portuguese guru’s huge popularity with a year earlier to a madly enthusiastic
many of the club’s fans. Yet the football reception. He began on a hot July day
realist would also point out that the on the Campidoglio hill, seat of Rome
recent Roma results under Mourinho government, ancient and modern,
had been disappointing. quoting Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius
On the day of Mourinho’s dismissal, and telling us: “Nothing comes from
Roma stood ninth in Serie A, five points nothing and nothing returns to nothing”.
off the Champions League spots, while We were not quite sure what he (or the
their current Europa League campaign Emperor) meant, but it sure sounded
sees them face Feyenoord in a February like a promise of exciting days ahead.
play-off for the next round. For the And so they were. He came, he saw
second-highest paid coach in Serie A and he conquered. Above all, he kept
(Max Allegri at Juventus is the highest), his promise to put Roma back in the
in charge of the club with the third- international limelight. The enthusiasm
highest payroll in the league, these generated by him translated itself into
are not outstanding results. huge success at the box-office. 65,000
If you really want to screw up in sell-out crowds were the order of the day
Rome, however, then lose yourself a at the Olimpico for much of his time. The
derby, particularly one played just two dour football was not always popular but
months after a grizzly 0-0 draw in the he argued that needs must.
first league derby of the season. A 3-1 In recent times, he had been seriously
away loss to Milan, just four days after undermined both by injuries and by
that 1-0 defeat to Lazio, prompted the squad strength (or lack thereof). For
Friedkin family, Roma’s owners, to pull example, arguably his most talented
the plug on the Special One. attacking player, Paulo Dybala, comes
WORLD SOCCER 71
SPECIAL FEATURE
European hero…
Mourinho lifts the
Europa Conference He came, he saw and he
League trophy
in 2022
conquered. Above all, he kept
his promise to put Roma back
complete with a “fragile” sticker on his three. He was booked in a further nine
in the international limelight
shirt, having missed seven of Roma’s games and only won two of them, losing
first 20 games this season. six, and sat in the stands numerous represented a first serious sign of
Experienced defender Chris times serving touchline bans. intent from them at Roma, they
Smalling, who has enjoyed a splendid If that fierce temper failed to produce immediately appointed former club
Indian summer at Roma over the last results, it might at least have helped forge captain Daniele De Rossi to take over
five campaigns, has been absent since his trademark siege mentality. Not for from him. Perhaps they felt that having
September with knee cartilage problems, nothing, many of his senior players dumped one club icon, they had better Grazie Jose…
and has played only three league games – including Dybala, Romelu Lukaku, replace him with another. “You defended us
against everything
in 2023-24. Worse still, his central captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, Gianluca The 40-year-old De Rossi, a 2006 and everyone; Rome
defensive partner, Marash Kumbulla, Mancini and goalkeeper Rui Patricio World Cup winner and someone who does not forget”
hadn’t played at all this season before – expressed their solidarity and thanks played 616 times for Roma (second only
joining Sassuolo on loan in January. on social media channels the week to Francesco Totti) between 2001 and
For a coach who has won league following Mourinho’s exit. 2019, takes the job on a six-month
titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Where now for Roma? The Friedkins, contract worth approximately €500,000
Spain, not to mention two Champions father Dan and son Ryan, were typically (a fraction of Mourinho’s reported annual
League trophies, these should be decisive. Having decided to offload salary). He said that he had accepted the
routine problems. Yet falling out with Mourinho, whose engagement had short-term contract because “neither
injured players has been a recurring I nor the team need a parachute”.
theme of Mourinho’s career. In De Rossi is not a total rookie,
November, he told reporters that although his previous coaching
Smalling “isn’t capable of playing experience was hardly an unqualified
through pain,” an accusation that the success. As coach of Serie B side SPAL
former England centre-back responded between October 2022 and February
to in a lengthy Instagram post after Jose’s 2023, he picked up just three wins
sacking. Smalling ended his message in 17 games before being sacked.
by thanking Mourinho, but news of the But he got off to a good start,
coach criticising an injured player will defeating Verona 2-1 just three days
be all too familiar to fans of Chelsea, after his appointment. Two goals in 25
Manchester United and his other first-half minutes was a strong response
former clubs. to those many fans that chose to pay
Likewise, his ability to keep himself homage to Mourinho with banners. There
centre-picture, arguing with referees was more than one message displayed
and getting himself sent off, remains inside the Stadio Olimpico, but the overall
intact. Gamesmanship or tantrum- message was clear: “Grazie, Mister.”
throwing? The numbers speak for As for Mourinho, it remains to be
themselves: of the seven games that seen what the future holds for him.
Mourinho was red-carded in, Roma But clearly we have not heard the
won only one, losing three and drawing Mourinho’s replacement…Daniele De Rossi last of the Special One.
72 WORLD SOCCER
Jose Mourinho
THE VIEW FROM PORTUGAL

Another Mourinho sacking elicits mixed reaction in Portugal
Jose Mourinho will forever remain the Special One in his homeland. His
achievements did wonders for the standing of Portuguese football and
he is perpetually cited as an inspiration for every Portuguese coach who
has followed him. Hardly surprising then, that many jumped to his
defence in the aftermath of his Roma dismissal.
“I’m very surprised,” said former Portuguese championship-winning
coach Augusto Inacio. “Mourinho pulled off a miracle by winning the Despite the solemn analysis, Mateus ends with words of hope regarding
Conference League. He pulled off a miracle by reaching the final of Mourinho’s future: “Football wants back the man who proved he was right
the Europa League. And now they were expecting another miracle. when he said: ‘I think I’m special!’”
Mourinho paid the price for being practically a miracle worker.” Across Portuguese media there were no lack of suggestions as to
Prominent sports commentator Mario Cagica gave a similar verdict. Mourinho’s next move. According to Bruno Roseiro, sports editor of
“It was a hasty decision. Roma were only five points off the Champions the online outlet Observador, “given the current context, there are three
League places and are still in the Europa League.” possibilities open to Mourinho after his departure from Roma. First, Saudi
Not that Mourinho has been beyond reproach. Radio Renascenca Arabia. Mourinho has said he would like to experiment in a league that is
journalist Ines Braga Sampaio gave a damning summation of Mourinho’s now in vogue, and he could become the highest-paid coach in the world.
recent record: “He has been sacked five times in total, four times in the “A return to the Premier League has to be an option, with the instability
last nine years, and by each of the last four teams he’s coached. at Chelsea and Newcastle opening up two other possibilities. Then there
Since 2013, Jose Mourinho has not seen out a project to the end.” is the Portuguese national team position. Mourinho has frequently been
Writing in A Bola, leading football journalist Luis Mateus summarised rumoured as a potential Portugal coach.”
Jose’s upward trajectory and subsequent decline: “Mourinho was first Unsurprisingly, Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes has already started
a coach before turning into a rockstar. He built the two dimensions at paving the way for a new appointment. “I wasn’t expecting this. He’s a
the same time, feeding them with victories, trophies, charisma and an winner,” said Mendes. “The fans are always right and they loved him. Not
extremely positive arrogance. His magnetic personality that can light up only the Roma fans, but the fans of all the clubs he’s coached at. His
a dark room is still there, although naturally its sheen has been worn down. conscience is clear. He knows he did a good job with a limited team.”
“But the greatest Portuguese coach of all time has not aged well. Jose That may be open to debate. Either way, modern football without
Mourinho made himself smaller, first by wanting to be the nemesis of Pep the ginormous figure of Jose Mourinho involved in some prominent
Guardiola and then by changing an idea of attacking and possession-based capacity is difficult to imagine. In all likelihood we will soon have the
football that was noticeable from the first steps of his career at Porto, opportunity to appraise him and his inimitable personality once again.
at Chelsea and whenever he didn’t face Barcelona, at Real Madrid.” Tom Kundert
MLS ones
to watch
James Nalton identifies six players to keep an eye
on ahead of the 2024 Major League Soccer season
1 Luis SUAREZ
INTER MIAMI
Lionel Messi will be the Inter where he finished the campaign

Miami player drawing the majority with 17 goals and 11 assists in
of crowds, TV audiences and 33 games.
media attention, but if Suarez The 37-year-old Uruguayan
can repeat the performances he is nursing an on-going knee
put in during the 2023 season problem, managing the pain
with Gremio, he will be up there game-by-game, which is why
with Messi as the best player in his deal with Miami is only for one
Major League Soccer. year. But if he can be anything like
Suarez enters the league on the Suarez of old, or even the
the back of being named the best Suarez of last year, it will be
player in the Brazilian Serie A, one glorious campaign.
Bernard KAMUNGO
2 FC DALLAS
The Tanzanian-born forward

was one of the most prolific
goalscorers in the league last
season in terms of minutes per
goal, scoring six times despite
only starting eight games –
usually from the right wing.
Kamungo was born and
grew up in a refugee camp in
Tanzania before being resettled
in Abilene, Texas in 2016, so he
already had a remarkable story
even before his rise to the FC
Dallas first team via their MLS
Next Pro team North Texas.
Now 22, the forward – who
made his United States debut
in a friendly against Slovenia in
January – looks ready to play
more MLS minutes for Dallas.
If the goal return can remain
as his minutes played increase,
Kamungo could be one of the
best attackers in the league.
74 WORLD SOCCER
6 OF THE BEST
3 Diego LUNA
REAL SALT LAKE
2023 was the year the 20-year- Luna was in and out of the team
old talent began to break through for the rest of that first season in
in MLS. Luna played regularly in the Utah, occasionally playing for RSL’s
United States team that won the reserve side, Real Monarchs, but is
CONCACAF U20 Championship in now set to establish himself as an
2022. That same year, he earned MLS regular and, likely, an MLS star.
a move to Real Salt Lake after A creative, imaginative and direct
demonstrating his promise in the attacking midfielder, like Kamungo
second-tier USL Championship he was handed his first senior
with El Paso Locomotive. international cap in January.
4 Luciano ACOSTA
FC CINCINNATI
There was no doubt which player to claim the MVP award this
deserved to be crowned MLS time around, but there were no
MVP in 2023. FC Cincinnati’s indications last year that Acosta’s
playmaker was clearly the form will drop off in 2024.
league’s best player – finishing If the 29-year-old can combine
the regular season with 17 goals well with Aaron Boupendza – and
and ten assists – in the team that his three assists for the forward
finished top of the standings to towards the end of last season
lift the Supporters’ Shield. suggest he can – then Cincinnati
Another Argentine No.10 over could be challenging for honours
in Miami might be the favourite once again in 2024.
Chris
5 Darlington NAGBE
COLUMBUS CREW 6 BRADY
CHICAGO FIRE
Nagbe has played for three After stepping in to replace

different American sides and another promising young
has lifted the MLS Cup with each. USMNT goalkeeper from the
His latest triumph saw the tidy Chicago ranks – Gabriel Slonina,
and intelligent midfielder guide who moved to Chelsea last year
Columbus Crew to the post- – 19-year-old Brady impressed
season title last year. in his debut season as Chicago
Born in Liberia but raised in Fire’s first choice between the
the States, his MLS career began posts, maintaining the same
in 2011 when he was drafted by level of quality as his
the Portland Timbers. He made predecessor and
over 200 appearances for the club recognised by the
– and earned the first of 25 US club as Defensive
caps – before moving to Atlanta Player of the Year.
United, winning an MLS Cup in Along with the
his first season there in 2018. likes of Cincinnati’s
The Crew’s style under head Roman Celentano
coach Wilfried Nancy is an ideal and Columbus Crew’s
fit for Nagbe’s style of play. It is Patrick Schulte, Brady
not just longevity that marks him is among an emerging
out as an MLS legend: he also can group of players in a
knit a team together to help them position in which the
control and win games, which US has traditionally
he’ll continue to do in 2024. been strong.
WORLD SOCCER 75
SPOTLIGHT
THE FIVE-YEAR
PLAN RB Leipzig’s strategy to build a women’s team
as successful as their men’s is right on schedule
Words: Rich Laverty
Promotion
party…RB Leipzig
women’s players
celebrate winning
the second-tier
title last season
76 WORLD SOCCER
RB Leipzig Women
D
espite the name and the zone. For now, the club is operating the first ten games of the season.
brand, those at the helm of with a philosophy of developing their “We have some young players, it’s
Red Bull Leipzig’s women’s own players, and are not yet ready to not like we bought lots of experienced
team are keen to maintain become a completely professional outfit national team players. We still have a
that they are currently part of a long- like the country’s leading women’s teams, philosophy, which we try to keep and
term project. Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg. develop our game in that way.
While the men’s team is recognised But Leipzig do have plenty of “It takes time, but also the players
as regular title challengers and UEFA experience behind the scenes – two maybe feel a different pressure to
Champions League participants, the world champions no less – in the form another team. RB Leipzig stands for
women’s team was only created in 2016 of sporting director Viola Odebrecht, who things; it’s a big club. All of women’s
and, after working their way up through also won four European Cups as a player, football in Germany expects us to stay
es, was promoted to the
the leagues, and legendary striker Anja Mittag, who up and that’s pressure for the girls to
ga in time for this season.
Bundesliga is one of the team’s assistant coaches. handle.”
There iss no talk of titles and cups just “It will still take time,” says Odebrecht
ing into the winter break, the
yet; heading Mittag of the team’s long-term was the first of
team sat one place above the relegation vision, after just one win in the experienced
SPOTLIGHT
duo to arrive, leaving Wolfsburg’s academy

in May 2019 to take up her role when
Leipzig were still in the third tier. Mittag
joined shortly afterwards, initially as a
player-coach to sign off on an illustrious
career that saw her win a World Cup,
three European Championships and
a whole host of domestic honours.
While to the outside eye it looks
like a rapid journey that has taken
them from bottom to top in just seven
years, Odebrecht, knowing the plan
from day one, feels differently.
“When I came here in 2019 I made a
strategy for the chief executive officer, a
five-year plan, and we said: ‘What do we
need for an infrastructure? For players?
And in what period of time?’ We did it
exactly in the time we planned it, so it
hasn’t felt that fast to me.”
That initial five-year plan comes to
an end at the conclusion of the current
campaign and the next one is reliant
on remaining in the Frauen Bundesliga.
Relegation would be a blow – albeit
probably a temporary one – to their
long-term aim: reaching the same
levels as the men’s team.
Over the years, things have become
more integrated between the two teams.
Instead of playing away from the town
of Leipzig, the women’s team now uses
the Sportanlange Gontardweg, the state
training centre for women and girls of very strong, but we can go our own path and Odebrecht can shine through, as
the Saxony Football Association, which too in certain things, we just need to see two of Germany’s most experienced
was taken over by RB Leipzig in 2016. what we can take from them and then internationals, and both are acutely
“We talk a lot and try to find what kind what we can innovate ourselves.” aware of the role they can play in
of things we can adapt, because they did Heading into the winter break, the times of hardship.
a great job developing the men’s side,” team had managed just eight goals “I think for my colleagues who have
says Odebrecht of the closer relationship. in ten games, with three coming from only worked in the men’s game, it’s a
“They’re a Champions League club and exciting 22-year-old striker Vanessa good thing,” says Odebrecht. “They can
that’s our goal too. Fudalla, top scorer in last season’s learn from our experience because
“We talk about everything, from sales second division. Fudalla is one of several before we came here we were in the
and commercial to physiotherapy, what young players the team are relying on to women’s game and the club only did it
can we adapt and what do we need to Masterminds… step up, with only 30-year-old forward as an amateur sport. Anja and I know
develop ourselves? Because women’s Anja Mittag and Sandra Starke, formerly of Wolfsburg, the game. I’ve been in the game 25
Viola Odebrecht
football is different in some ways to Photos credit: providing top-flight experience. years as a former player and coach
men’s football. The collaboration is RB Leipzig/motivio It is now where the value of Mittag and Anja similar.
“It’s more about how women work,
what are the characteristics in the
game? What challenges do they face?
It’s different challenges to the men.
When you compare ten years ago
to the game we play now, it’s totally
different, and even Anja and I need to
adapt to be more innovative and brave.
The money is going into the game and
you can see some issues we face that
we didn’t ten years ago.”
Mittag, who with 158 caps is fourth
in Germany’s all-time appearances list,
adds: “It helps us a lot in our way of
communicating to players too, the
little bits of advice we can give. I’ve
been there, I know how it feels to be
benched or subbed off or whatever
it is. I can bring the experience from
other clubs I’ve played for, clubs who
78 WORLD SOCCER
RB Leipzig Women
Promising striker…Vanessa Fudalla joined in 2020
struggled, clubs who won. Champions… season progress from the academy and as Mittag puts it “there’s work to do”
“You still develop yourself too. I’ve Medina Desic lifts to the first team. to change that within the infrastructure,
the 2. Bundesliga
developed so much in the last four title last May They also know they have to grow but the long-term plan remains.
years and I can bring that from my with the game, because any five-year “Staying in the league is the main
playing experiences and it helps me too plan has to take into account the fact goal, to progress and take the next
to develop and give back to the players. that women’s football is potentially the steps, but to develop the players and
I can try to implement things I’ve seen fastest growing sport in the world, and make them even better,” says the former
in the past, there’s a lot as a group we in 2029 it will once again be in a very striker. “Then to scout some interesting
can learn from each other.” different place to where it is now. players to make RB Leipzig an attractive
They are also not losing sight of “That’s a challenge, actually,” admits club for players, but first we want to
the bigger picture though, and that Odebrecht. “The women’s game even in build a team to compete with the
is creating a sustainable structure the past two years has grown so much.” bigger clubs. It’s step by step.”
behind the scenes. While they could Mittag agrees: “There are more Odebrecht echoes the sentiments,
go and spend big to catch Bayern spectators, the new generation is and won’t stray away from the club’s
and Wolfsburg, who are littered with maybe different to my generation, wider philosophy, but is also proud
world-class talent, it would go against of what they have achieved so far,
what the club’s strategy is all about, whatever happens this season.
and they have no plans to veer from “When I came here in 2019 I made “We want to push our youth
that despite the threat of relegation. a five-year plan…We did it exactly department a little more to develop our
“The Bundesliga expects much more in the time we planned it” coaches, develop our players and focus
from you, there’s less space for mistakes, on our own players rather than buy
RB Leipzig women’s sporting director Viola Odebrecht
so we all have to take a step forward to expensive ones from all over the world.
do what it takes to stay in the league,” “I think I speak for all my colleagues
says Mittag. “The club is still really young it’s different and you have to consider who have helped [get us here], we’re
and it takes time to be a team that all this. There’s more to think about, it’s proud of this. It’s always easy to look
players say: ‘Yeah, I want to play for them.’ more professional, it requires more staff. from the outside and say: ‘They have this
“For all these reasons, it takes time to There’s less room for mistakes in how and that’, but they don’t see how much
build this reputation, this kind of club you work.” hard work it takes.
and to recruit the best young players.” Previously, the team started training “I think we did a good job as a whole
Odebrecht adds that “we are not at 7pm and finished at 9pm, now team and I know other Bundesliga clubs
done yet” and points to the work they train sometimes in the morning, think next season we will play for the
needing to be done to improve their sometimes in the afternoon. They play title, but I know there is a lot of hard
academy so they can develop players home games in Leipzig rather than a work to do that, but we can take these
within the Red Bull philosophy, with nearby town, but all the players still steps and build a sustainable club on the
the goal of having a player per either study or work outside football, women’s side.”
WORLD SOCCER 79
Women’s Football
Glenn Moore
The road
to Paris
The final qualifiers
for this summer’s
Olympic Games
are approaching
Though its status is under pressure,
the Olympic football tournament
remains the women’s game’s biggest
prize after the World Cup and eyes
are increasingly being drawn to Paris
as this summer’s jamboree nears.
The path to gold will narrow
significantly by the end of February
as all but two of the dozen qualifiers
– known as a series of eliminators –
play out across the globe.
Five countries are already inked
in: hosts France, defending champions it. If Spain miss out too, the gold Road to Paris… Should the Dutch qualify they will
Australia will face
Canada, four-time gold medallists USA, may lose a little of its lustre. Uzbekistan in a play-
have five tournaments in succession,
plus Brazil and Colombia. off to qualify for this culminating in 2025. A dozen players
Five nations from Europe, Asia and EUROPE summer’s Olympics are in line to play their fourth successive
Oceania will now book their places, UEFA had previously sent the best summer if they make the Olympics.
with Africa’s contenders reduced finishers at the World Cup to the Qualification is complicated by
to four, from which two will qualify. Olympics, which this year would have France’s progress to the last four. They
While arguably the most intriguing tie been Spain and England/GB besides play Germany in Lyon on February 23
is in Asia, where Japan face North Korea, hosts France. However, the arrival of the while Spain host the Netherlands in
much of the focus will be on Europe Nations League, and the need to give it Cadiz. The winners of the latter semi-
where world champions Spain must meaning, meant a change; now, the two final will qualify for the Olympics,
beat Netherlands in the Nations League best finishers in that competition will and so will Germany if they reach the
semi-finals to secure their Olympic spot. qualify alongside France. final. But if France make the final, the
third-place play-off (on February 28)
will take on more significance, as
The Olympics could do with Spain making what would the winners will go to Paris.
be their competition debut for the credibility of the event
ASIA
The Olympics could do with Spain While Spain successfully made it The 31 teams who entered have been
making what would be their competition through to the semi-finals England reduced to four, who will play a pair of
debut for the credibility of the event. did not, pipped at the post by the two-legged ties on February 24 and 28
In contrast to the men’s tournament, Netherlands – although that may be for the right to go to France. One pits
which is primarily an Under-23 event, a blessing in disguise. The Lionesses, Australia against Uzbekistan, the only
women’s Olympic football has been one who would have provided the bulk one of the quartet yet to play at an
of the sport’s major prizes since being of the squad, went deep in summer Olympics. The other pairs Japan and
launched in 1996, being an open-age tournaments in 2021 (as GB in Tokyo), North Korea, back after withdrawing
competition that usually features 2022 and 2023, and have the 2025 from qualification for both the Tokyo
most of the elite players. Euros on the horizon. Captain Leah Olympics and 2023 World Cup.
But the demands of the calendar Williamson, who is just back from North Korea were in the same second
threaten to squeeze it, as does the the ACL injury that ruled her out of round qualifying group as South Korea.
rise of the European Championship the World Cup, said after her initial The nations, divided by the 38th parallel,
which, following the growth of the disappointment at England’s exit: drew 0-0 but the North topped the pool
game in Europe, may now be “One of the first things that popped thanks to the South being held by group
a higher collective standard. into my head was, ‘At least they’ll hosts China after conceding a late goal.
As it stands, World Cup finalists probably all get another two or three
England (or rather, their Olympian alter years on their career now, because OCEANIA
ego Great Britain) and semi-finalists they’ll get a summer off. Everyone Samoa are hosting the qualifying event
Sweden have already failed to make needs a rest and now they’ll get one’. ” – two groups of four – which began on
80 WORLD SOCCER
February 7 and will conclude with
the final in Apia on February 19. New
Zealand, seeking a fifth successive
qualification, and Papua New Guinea
were seeded in each group. Tonga,
Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, American
Samoa and Fiji make up the octet.
AFRICA
Four two-legged ties are being held
on February 19 and 28 with the winners
progressing to April’s fourth round, from
which two qualifiers will emerge. One tie
features the only remaining teams from
North Africa, Tunisia and Morocco, neither
of whom have played at an Olympics.
Powerhouses Cameroon and Nigeria,
both of whom have done so, also meet.
Tanzania and Ghana, both seeking a
first appearance, face former Olympians
Zambia and South Africa respectively.
Into the Champions League knockouts
…Chelsea celebrate beating Paris FC
CONCACAF
Despite being defending Olympic
champions, Canada still had to GERMANS MISS OUT Curse of
qualify, which they did via a play-off IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE the ACL…
against Jamaica. The CONCACAF W For the first time ever, no German Jill Roord
Championship, held in Mexico last teams reached the Champions League
summer, served as qualifying with the last eight with Bayern Munich joining
winners booking a place in Paris and Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt on
the second and third teams playing off. the sidelines. But Benfica have become
The United States romped through the first Portuguese quarter-finalists
the competition with five straight wins, and Ajax the first Dutch since 2007.
13 goals scored and none conceded. The main drama was in Group C.
A late Alex Morgan penalty saw off After 84 minutes of the final round,
Canada in the final. Jamaica, meanwhile, with Bayern beating PSG and Ajax cruciate knee ligament injury. City
defeated Costa Rica in the third-place being held by Roma, Bayern were top paid £300,000 to sign the Dutch
play-off but two months later lost and PSG second. Then an own goal by international last summer, who will
home-and-away to a Canadian Zara Kramzar put Ajax top, with Bayern almost certainly miss out on the
side in no mood to slip up. second. Then another own goal, by Olympics if the Netherlands qualify.
England’s Georgia Stanway in the Likewise, Chelsea and Australia star
SOUTH AMERICA 88th minute, put PSG top, Ajax Sam Kerr will also not be heading to
The 2022 Copa America Femenina second – and Bayern out. Paris – should the Matildas make it
doubled up as qualifying, with both Barcelona cruised through Group A – after sustaining a similar injury.
finalists making it. That meant the joined by Benfica, who not only edged
semi-finals were the matches that out Frankfurt but were only denied a HERMOSO SWAPS CLUBS
mattered with Brazil beating Paraguay notable 4-3 victory over Barca by a Jenni Hermoso, the player at the centre
2-0 and hosts Colombia defeating 96th-minute Lucy Bronze equaliser. of the World Cup “kiss” scandal, has left
Argentina 1-0. Brazil thus maintained Lyon were held at Brann but won Pachuca for fellow Mexican team Tigres
their record of being the only side, every other match to top Group B. UANL. The 33-year-old forward scored
Spain debut?... along with the US, to feature in all eight Second-placed Brann became 23 goals in 32 games for Pachuca.
La Roja are aiming women’s Olympic football tournaments. the first Norwegian quarter-
to qualify for the
Olympic tournament Colombia, at their third tournament, finalists in five seasons. THORNS ACQUIRE
for the first time will be aiming for a first victory. Chelsea comfortably NEW OWNERS,
advanced in Group D LOSE SEVECKE
despite being held at Denmark defender
home by runners-up Rikke Sevecke has
Hacken. The Swedes been forced to retire
ended the remarkable with a heart condition
run of Paris FC, who had Welcome to Tigres at the age of 27. The
knocked out Arsenal and …Jenni Hermoso former Brondby and
Wolfsburg and beaten Real Fleury player left Everton
Madrid home and away. The for Portland Thorns in September
Spanish giants endured a miserable but never played for the National
group stage, winning just one point. Women’s Soccer League club.
Thorns, meanwhile, are now
ACL CURSE STRIKES AGAIN under new ownership, bought by
Manchester City’s record signing Jill the Bhathal family, investors in
Roord has become the latest high- the NBA’s Sacramento Kings,
profile player to suffer an anterior for a reported $63 million.
WORLD SOCCER 81
WANT IT
TODAY?
GO DIGITAL
In the next issue

With the main focus of March’s issue on the UEFA Champions
League and the club game, the attention of World Soccer’s
April 2024 edition switches to the international stage.
We have reaction from the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup
tournaments with reviews, squads and results, while we preview
the Euro 2024 play-offs and CONCACAF Nations League finals, and
digest developments at the South American Under-23 Championship
by reviewing the competition and highlighting the stars of the future.
Plus, don’t miss dispatches from Spain and Gibraltar, as well as

comment from Keir Radnedge, Jonathan Wilson and Jim Holden.
Print £5.99 | Digital £4.99
ORDER NOW
shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSC24
Or Call: 01959 543 747
You may have missed...
November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024
SAVE 10% when you spend £25 or more VOUCHERCODE: WSCSHOP24
+44 (0) 1959 543 747
Offers subject to availability. Prices for goods delivered to destinations outside of the UK may be higher
Also from the publishers of
World Soccer Presents
Digital format only Digital format only
As Messi mania swept This special edition A collection of interviews Coinciding with its 60th The greatest coach of all
football, we were there showcases some of the including Kaka, Ronaldo, anniversary, we chronicled time or a flawed genius?
every step of the way to biggest rivalries in football Cruyff, Sacchi, Xavi, Pele, the history of the Euros You decide after reading
track Leo’s epic journey. from across the globe. Klinsmann and Wenger. – from 1960 to 2020. this dedication to Pep.
Digital format only Digital format only Digital format only
We assess the most CR7’s incredible journey Celebrating the history of Nostalgic reads on Henry, An anthology of the latter
famous teams the world from young starlet to all- our award winners, such as Owen, Juninho, Shearer, era of the Prem, including
has ever seen, and explain time top scorer in men’s Platini, Maradona, Zidane, Cantona, Bergkamp, Manchester City’s rise and
what made them so iconic. international football. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Beckham and more. Leicester’s shock title win.
Print Digital
£7.99 £6.99
Digital format only Digital format only Digital format only
A look at the European A record of the finals, A definitive history of the

Cup years (1955-1992) teams and players from World Cup finals, looking
and the iconic stars that the Champions League back at every tournament
graced the tournament. era (1992-2022). between 1930 and 2018.
Merchandise
when you
SAVE spend £25
10% or more
£15 £15 £15 £10.95 VOUCHERCODE:
WSCSHOP24
Spain ’82 T-Shirt Mexico ’86 T-Shirt Italia ’90 T-Shirt Binder
+44 (0) 1959 543 747
Offers subject to availability. Prices for goods delivered to destinations outside of the UK may be higher
“A cool, snappy retrospective of the last 60 years of albums.”
—The Athletic
Relive the best moments in international soccer with the complete PANINI sticker book series
?^Zmnkbg`ma^Ûklmmphohenf^lh_ma^_Zlm&`khpbg`
Ngbm^]Dbg`]hfLh\\^k<hee^\mbhgl'
STEVE EARL FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES (DEPT.WS)

BROAD STREET, BUNGAY, SUFFOLK, NR35 1AH, ENGLAND
or phone 01986 892621 or visit www.footballprogs.co.uk
The 2024 Carabao Cup Final (Chelsea v Liverpool) £15.50 (inc.p&p)
ULTIMATE NEWS & RESULTS SECTION
Gl
I N al
ob
CL
UD
IN
G
Exclusive
di
ar
reports from
y
our worldwide
network of
correspondents
86
94
90
JOHN
STEVE DUERDEN
MENARY
Asian
St Helena Champions
League & South
Korea
JAMES SEAN
NALTON CREEDON
United States Republic
of Ireland
88 92
88 NEWS 92
86 Asian Champions League
88 United States: Major League Soccer
90 South Korea: K-League
92 Republic of Ireland: League of Ireland
94 St Helena
P L U S
DIARY
95 Global diary
RESULTS, TABLES, FIXTURES
MLS 2024... 96 Club football
season preview
97 Internationals Shamrock Rovers...targetting League of Ireland history
WORLD SOCCER 85
Asia
JOHN DUERDEN
Into the knockouts…

Kawasaki Frontale
midfielder Kento
Tachibanada
Pr
ev
ie
w
Champions League
knockout rounds begin
The last 16 has already begun, with the quarter-finals soon to follow
ebruary is sides from the kingdom making it Al Fayha lost their last five league
usually a time through. Three – Al Ittihad, Al Hilal games before the break and dropped
F when the Asian

Champions League
gets going but not
in 2024 as, due
and Al Nassr – topped their groups
with the help of their megastars, while
Al Fayha, not one of the big-spending
sides backed by the Public Investment
down to 14th in the 18-team league,
just two points above the relegation
zone. With little involvement in the
Asian Cup, their players have at least
to a calendar change, the 16 teams Fund, squeezed through as the fourth been able to rest and train. But facing
remaining have been preparing instead of the four best performing second- Al Nassr, with Cristiano Ronaldo keen
for the second round that kicked off in placed teams. to add the Asian Champions League
mid-February. The latter were drawn with Al Nassr to his five European titles, is going
The question before the group in an all-Saudi tie. It is hard to know to be tough.
stage started back in September what kind of form the teams will be Neymar was just starting to settle at
was whether anyone could stop the in – due to the Asian Cup, there were Al Hilal when he picked up a season-
big-spending teams from Saudi Arabia. no Saudi Pro League games from the ending injury while on international
So far, the answer is no, with all four end of December to February – but duty in October, but the Brazilian
86 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SERVICE
winners, Ulsan HD (recently rebranded

from Ulsan Hyundai). For Kofu to get to
the last eight really would be impressive.
Fellow Japanese club Kawasaki
Frontale meet Shandong Taishan of
China in what should be a fascinating
match-up. Shandong just missed out
on the Chinese title late last year and
squeezed into the second round by the
narrowest of margins. Losing Marouane
Fellaini since is a blow and the Belgian’s
aerial and all-round physical presence
will be missed. Kawasaki have badly
underachieved on the Asian stage over
the years and this could be a perfect
way to get a step closer to rectifying
that.
Yokohama F. Marinos have, like
Kawasaki, struggled to replicate
domestic form on the continental
stage and, like Shandong, have seen a
major departure. As soon as the group
Leading goalscorer…Al Nassr’s Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca scored six times in the group stage stage finished in December, head coach
Kevin Muscat left to take over Shanghai
has not been missed. When the Soleimani. The AFC handed the Saudis Port. Even so, Yokohama will fancy their
Saudi league resumed in February, a 3-0 win. The Iranians have promised chances of getting past Bangkok United.
the four-time continental champions that there won’t be a repeat. While none of the three Japanese
were seven points clear at the top of Al Ittihad, whose patchy form saw teams left have won the competition,
the table, unbeaten in all competitions Nuno Espirito Santo replaced as head Korean titans Pohang Steelers and
since August. Their opponents, Iranian coach by Marcelo Gallardo in November, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have five
side Sepahan, will have their work cut have a longer trip. The first leg will between them but only one will
out. take place at the Uzbekistan home of make it to the last eight.
Organisers are hoping that the Navbahor, a team from the very east of
Iranian leg will pass without major the Central Asian country that is making
a first appearance QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
in the competition.
The question before the group stage started The only western WEST ZONE
back in September was whether anyone could region tie (the Nasaf Qarshi or
stop the big-spending teams from Saudi tournament is
Al Ain
Arabia. So far, the answer is no divided into two
geographic zones v
until the final) not Al Fayha or
incident. In the group stage, Al Ittihad featuring a Saudi team is also the only Al Nassr
Three-time Asian arrived from Jeddah to face Sepahan tie between two group winners: Nasaf
champions…Pohang but refused to take the field, reportedly Qarshi of Uzbekistan against Al Ain from
Steelers face Korean
due to the pitchside presence of three the United Arab Emirates. The former Sepahan or
counterparts Jeonbuk
Hyundai Motors busts of slain Iranian general Qasem topped a group containing Qatari Al Hilal
powerhouses Al Sadd as well as v
teams from UAE (Sharjah) and Jordan Navbahor or
(Al Faisaly), while Al Ain finished ahead
Al Ittihad
of Al Fayha in Group A. It looks to be
an evenly balanced tie, with a Saudi
EAST ZONE
opponent awaiting the winners in the
quarter-finals. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors or
Over in the eastern zone, there are Pohang Steelers
three teams each from South Korea v
and Japan with China and Thailand
having sole representatives. Ulsan HD or
Ventforet Kofu were the story of Ventforet Kofu
the group stage as the team from
Japan’s second tier – who qualified Shandong Taishan or
with a domestic cup win – finished top
Kawasaki Frontale
of their group above Melbourne City,
v
China’s Zhejiang and Thai champions
Buriram United. Their reward is a very Bangkok United or
tricky tie with South Korean champions, Yokohama F. Marinos
as well as 2012 and 2020 Asian title
WORLD SOCCER 87
United States
JAMES NALTON
Messi set for

MLS spotlight
The Argentine and his Inter Miami team-mates will dom minate
the MLS headlines in a big year for North American footb
ball
he 2024 Major third-worst team in the league Kong and Jap pan, as well as a home
League Soccer to favourites to win it. friendly against Leo’s boyhood club
T season will be one

of settling into a new
era, preparing to ride
the wave generated
This being MLS, there will still be
occasional turbulence along the way.
It is part of the ride in any American
soccer competition, and there was
Newell’s Old Boys.
But while Messi and Co. will
naturally be used as a marketing tool
for the league, on the sporting side,
by what will be some of the biggest controversy even before the season the coach, Gerardo Martino, and the
soccer moments seen on North started. In January, MLS announced players are focused on success on
American shores. It’s an era of Lionel it would withdraw its US-based the field. Luis Suarez was added to
Messi, Apple TV and the hosting of teams from the country’s national the mix ahead of 2024, completing
high-profile international tournaments. cup competition – the US Open Cup a former Barcelona quartet of himself,
The 2024 season will be Messi’s – only for the United States Soccer Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
first proper MLS campaign. Though Federation to block the move days In typical ultra-competitive fashion,
he arrived at Inter Miami last year, later. It meant the relationship between Suarez has already said the team are
his initial involvement was in the mid- MLS and US Soccer was strained even
season Leagues Cup tournament, before the season began, and it will Whatever else happens, the
which Miami won. But having joined be interesting to see how MLS teams
with the 2023 season already well approach the Open Cup this season. headline act will be Messi and
underway, his league exploits were Aside from that hiccup, everything is the Inter Miami road show
limited to a late cameo. in place for it to be one of the league’s
Miami finished 27th out of 29 most celebrated seasons yet. Whatever aiming to win “all four titles”, and
teams last year but still qualified for else happens, the headline act will be Busquets has spoken of the need to
the Champions Cup (CONCACAF’s Messi and the Inter Miami road show. find the right balance between the
version of the Champions League) In Harlem Globetrotters style, Inter’s sporting side and the business side.
thanks to that Messi-inspired Leagues global pre-season tour included stops Messi’s presence will naturally
Cup success. They go from being the in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong overshadow everything else in the
league when it comes to global media
attention, which is perhaps unfair on last
season’s standout teams – FC Cincinnati
and Columbus Crew. The two Ohio clubs
both enjoyed success in 2023, in the
shape of the Supporters’ Shield
(league title) and the MLS Cup
(post-season play-offs) respectively.
Cincinnati go into the new campaign
boasting the official best player in MLS,
last season’s MVP Luciano Acosta,
while Columbus are led by the most
talked-about head coach in the league,
French tactician Wilfried Nancy. Both
teams will be present in the Champions
Cup along with Miami.
Competing on multiple fronts
can affect any team, so the large
MLS contingent in the CONCACAF
competition – ten teams in total – could Centre of
mix things up in the league, especially attention…all
MLS eyes will
early in the season. This could benefit be on Messi
Reunited in Miami…Lionel Messi with former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets the likes of Atlanta United, Seattle in 2024
88 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SERVICE
Sounders and Los Angeles FC who

haven’t qualified for the Champions
Cup but are built to challenge in
Pr
MLS and will expect to do so.
The visibility and profile of the
ev
league have been affected not just by
ie
Messi, but also by a new-look broadcast
deal with Apple TV, MLS Season Pass,
w
which began last season. On the whole,
putting the majority of the league’s
games behind a subscription streaming
service and taking them away from
more traditional TV channels has been
MLS’s “most talked-about coach”

…Columbus Crew’s Wilfried Nancy
good for existing MLS supporters, but

makes the league less accessible to
casual fans. The league hope Messi will
attract viewers regardless and lead to
an uptick in subscriptions, but it could
also prevent the league from finding a
casual audience and converting them
into longer-term followers. Season
ticket holders of MLS teams, though,
do get Season Pass included with their
ticket, which is a welcome initiative.
2024 will also be the first year
since 2016 in which no new teams
will be added through expansion. San
Diego FC are due to enter in 2025,
but this year will, in many ways, be a
season for settling down and setting
the agenda ahead of a key period for
the league and the sport in the US.
The Copa America will take place in
the United States this summer and MLS
will continue to play during it, before
the region hosts the first expanded
FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and
the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
These are monumental moments
for soccer in the United States and
Canada and, as has been the case
since its inaugural season in 1996,
MLS will play a key role.
WORLD SOCCER 89
South Korea
JOHN DUERDEN
Pr
ev
ie
w
New-look Ulsan
ready to defend title
The reigning K-League champions have rebranded since
last season and are the team to beat yet again in 2024
he 2024 K-League marked day, though often very cold, around £20 million. These are
season kicks off on and should result in big crowds, lustily not spectacular numbers but show
T March 1, a national
holiday on the
peninsula that
commemorates the
sung national anthems and plenty of
Taegeukgi flags flying from apartment
windows as well as stadiums.
There is some optimism ahead of the
a positive upwards trend. An exciting
title race should help, especially as
there wasn’t really one last time with
Ulsan Hyundai establishing a healthy
people and movement that fought for season. Attendances last year reached lead early in the season and never
independence from the Japanese an average of almost 11,000, the highest really looking like letting go. It was so
colonisers in the first half of the for a decade, and there were record comfortable that even a late bad run
20th century. It is always a well- ticket revenues for the top tier worth offered no hope to the challengers.
90 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SERVICE
Holders…Ulsan HD Experienced coach…

have rebranded Kim Hak-bum has taken
since last year’s charge of Jeju United
league title win
The chasing pack, such as it was, was Greens are the most successful team
led by Pohang Steelers and the top two in the K-League’s 41-year history and
will meet on the opening day. However, have been dominant since the first of
this is not quite the same champion as nine titles came in 2009. After a series
before. Just days after lifting the league of titanic struggles at the top between
trophy for the second successive season Jeonbuk and Ulsan, the Motors finished
and the fourth in total, the title winners fourth last term, the first failure to take
a top-two spot since 2013.
Romanian Dan Petrescu took the
Just days after lifting the league trophy for the job last summer and has much to do
second successive season and the fourth in total, to show he can return the team to the
the title winners rebranded themselves to Ulsan HD top. He has already lost ex-Barcelona
graduate Paik Seung-ho who has joined
Birmingham City, although another one-
rebranded themselves to Ulsan HD time prodigy has arrived in the shape of
to align with the image of the owners. Kwon Chang-hoon. An ex-international,
Last year Hyundai Heavy Industries, the Kwon’s once hugely promising career
world’s biggest shipbuilder, rebranded never really recovered from an Achilles
as HD Hyundai. The new-look tiger in injury on the eve of the 2018 World Cup.
the club’s logo has been redesigned to FC Seoul last won the title in 2016
look “more dynamic and courageous”. but have had some struggles since. Last
The champions’ key players are still season brought a seventh-place finish.
there for the upcoming campaign, such Kim Gi-dong has left Pohang to take
as last season’s league top scorer Joo over the team in the northwest of the
Min-kyu and veteran centre-back Kim capital. “Whilst at Pohang, after winning
Young-gwon, and reinforcements have the FA Cup, I thought about making
arrived too. Ex-international midfielder a change. I wanted a new challenge,”
Chasing pack…Pohang Steelers Kim Min-woo has been brought back he said. “This year I will try to help
finished second in 2023 from China, while striker Kelvin (Atletico FC Seoul rediscover its glory. Hopefully,
Goianiense) and his fellow Brazilian we can put smiles on the fans’ faces.”
midfielder Matheus Sales (Coritiba) The big elephant not in the room is
have been brought in. Head coach Suwon Samsung Bluewings who were
Hong Myung-bo is still hungry for more relegated last season. The four-time
success and it may be that Ulsan end up Korean and two-time Asian champions
focusing a little more on capturing a third will be missed, but it is hoped that a spell
Asian Champions League crown. in the second tier can act as a reset.
The opening game against Pohang Coming the other way are Gimcheon
is a derby of sorts, with both industrial Sangju, the country’s army team made
cities – Ulsan shipbuilding and Pohang up of players who are doing their military
steelmaking – situated on the southeast service. A battle to avoid the drop is
coast. The Steelers, however, have a new likely and Gangwon FC and Suwon FC,
coach in place. Park Tae-ha is a former who avoided relegation via the play-offs
player who has experience on the last season, will be hoping to finish higher
coaching staff of the national team as than last term. The same is true for Jeju
well as in China. It remains to be seen United who have brought in veteran boss
if Pohang have the strength in depth Kim Hak-bum, a K-League winner back
to challenge at home and abroad. in 2006 with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Elsewhere, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and then a gold medallist with South
want their domestic crown back. The Korea’s U23s at the 2018 Asian Games.
WORLD SOCCER 91
Republic of Ireland
SEAN CREEDON
Shamrock Rovers
chasing LOI history
The Dublin-based club can become the first-ever
team to win five League of Ireland titles in a row
hamrock Rovers were
not one of the eight
S founding members of
the League of Ireland
in 1921-22, when
St James’ Gate were
the inaugural winners. But a year later,
the Hoops won the league in their first
season of membership and in the
100 or so years since then have
become the Republic of Ireland’s
most successful club.
Last season, Rovers won four-in-a-
row for the second time in their history
(having also done so in the 1980s),
but it was the first time the feat was
achieved by just one manager, Stephen
Bradley. It was Rovers’ 21st League of
Ireland win, moving them seven clear
of the next best side, Dundalk. Rovers
have also won the FAI Cup a record last season,” says Bradley, whose side Rovers manager…
25 times, more than double their trailed top spot by ten points at one Stephen Bradley
nearest rivals, also Dundalk. stage of the 2023 campaign. “The
Rovers’ dominance is reflected in the performances and stats were very
crowds that they attract. “When I came good, but we struggled to get points.
in 2016, our average attendance was We had to keep strong and focused.”
1,300 and our average last season was Rovers’ league improvement was
nearly 7,000,” says Bradley, although also aided by their failure in other
attendances across the league are on competitions. The Irish champions
the up. Last year saw an overall rise of were dumped out at the first stages to send talent across the Irish Sea and
20 per cent, taking the league’s average of the FAI Cup, Champions League beyond.
attendance beyond pre-pandemic qualifiers and Conference League The joint-top scorers in last year’s
levels, with Rovers’ Tallaght Stadium qualifiers within the space of just a few league with 15 goals each, Jack Moylan
the best-attended ground for a fifth summer weeks – disappointments that and Jonathan Afolabi left Shelbourne
consecutive year. It is a trend that looks Bradley is determined to rectify. With and Bohemians respectively, with the
set to continue, as the manager adds: no distractions, however, they then former joining English League One side
“Our new stand will definitely be ready remained unbeaten for the rest of the Lincoln City and the latter heading to
for kick-off and we hope to be able to fill league season to claim top spot, seven Belgian outfit KV Kortrijk. Elsewhere,
the new capacity of just under 11,000.” and ten points ahead of Derry City and Ronan Coughlan, who hit a record 35
While Rovers have the history and the St Patrick’s Athletic respectively. First Division goals for newly-promoted
fanbase, Bradley can claim much of the Bradley expects those two to be Waterford last season, has joined the
credit for their recent success. When he Rovers’ main rivals again this season, Blues’ sister club Fleetwood Town.
became Rovers manager in November particularly St Pat’s who finished last Of course, not every player that
2016, they had won two titles in the season on a high by winning the FAI leaves is a success. Darragh Burns was
previous 22 years; now, they are bidding Cup. Since then, the Saints have sold signed by MK Dons after impressing for
to become the first club in the history two young players to English Football St Pat’s in 2022, but failed to impress
of the league to win five in a row. League clubs (Adam Murphy to Bristol as the Dons were relegated from
“It’s going to be difficult, and we will City and Jay McGrath to Doncaster League One last season and has not
have to start much better than we did Rovers), as the league continues figured in League Two in 2023-24.
92 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SERVICE
Pr
ev
ie
w
ABOVE: Ireland’s Described by Bradley as “an exciting “Many managers work in the
dominant club… winger” that he tried to sign two years game a long time and don’t have
Shamrock Rovers
players during last ago, Burns will spend the season on many trophies,” says Bradley. “We have
season’s campaign loan at Shamrock Rovers. been at the top for a long time now and
With Republic of Ireland international
all the other clubs will be trying to beat
us, which is only
natural.”
“We have been at the top for a long The League
time now and all the other clubs will will finish on
be trying to beat us” November 1,
a couple of
Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley
weeks before
Bradley’s 40th
Jack Byrne also returning to the first birthday, and sealing a fifth title in a
team following surgery last season, row for the Hoops would be an ideal
Rovers’ squad is the envy of the rest of birthday present for the former
the league – even without club stalwart Arsenal apprentice.
Ronan Finn, who played a key role in all “It would be a brilliant achievement,
Returning
to Ireland… of the last four league titles but has but it will take a lot of hard work,” he
Darragh Burns left to join UCD in the second tier. says. “I think we can do it.”
WORLD SOCCER 93
there were two divisions of ten teams,”
St Helena adds Collins. “The decline is a reflection
of a shrinking and ageing population.
Unfortunately a lot of younger people
STEVE MENARY leave the island for economic reasons,
mainly to Ascension Island, Falklands
or the UK.”
Reconnecting In 2022, just 26 births were

registered on St Helena against 80
deaths, and the previous year two
with the world

St Helena’s ability to engage with the rest of the sporting
clubs, Wirebirds and Lakers, folded.
Two new sides, Bellboys and Chop
Shop, emerged with the former winning
the 2022 league and cup. A district
competition based on where players
world has improved, but major challenges still lie ahead live is also staged with Half Tree Hollow
beating Jamestown, Longwood and
St Paul’s to last season’s title.
Two junior competitions also run
but the island only has one field,
St Francis Plain, which is shared
with the cricketers and the island’s
destructive rabbit population.
“No-one wants to give it up because
of the history, but what they really want
is 5G pitches for the kids to train on,”
says Gary Davies, a former captain
of England’s cerebral palsy side and
UEFA B licence holder, who worked
as the island’s head of customs and
immigration and coached St Helena
in Guernsey.
The SHFA, whose new chairman Mike
E. Williams partnered Collins at the heart
of St Helena’s defence in Guernsey,
would benefit from outside help like the
cricketers, who joined the International
Cricket Council as an affiliate in 2001.
In 2018, the SHFA contacted FIFA,
whose then-secretary general Fatma
efore 2016, the Island Games… and it took three days each way to Samoura replied that all new members
South Atlantic island St Helena’s team travel to Guernsey. For the one-week must be recognised as countries by
B of St Helena’s only
connection to the
outside world was a
mail boat stopping off
in Guernsey
tournament there, the players needed
to be away from home for three weeks.”
The draw in Group D was tough
but the team improved after a 5-0
the United Nations and members
of a regional confederation.
The solution was seeking recognition
from CAF (the Confederation of African
between Britain and South Africa. That opening loss to Menorca. Their second Football), which was the cricketers’ route,
was until a new £285 million airport was opponents, Gozo, had a number of but after a change of leadership the
built, which opened up new possibilities players with U21 caps for Malta but SHFA has not so far pursued that route.
for sport on the island: sending teams St Helena put in a good showing,
overseas became easier, although at a losing 3-0, before falling 5-0 to
cost of between £50,000 and £60,000 eventual champions Jersey.
for the footballers. Unlike St Helena’s
cricketers, who are successful against
African countries, the football team “There is one flight a week to
remains winless. South Africa and it took three days
After losing all three matches on each way to travel to Guernsey”
their overseas debut at the 2019 Inter
Sam Collins, St Helena centre-back
Island Games in north Wales, the SHFA
fundraised again to send a team to the
2023 Island Games in Guernsey. In the classification match with
“There is no funding from other Froya, Shane Stroud put St Helena
organisations, such as the FA or FIFA,” ahead but the Norwegian island
says Sam Collins, St Helena’s centre- triumphed 4-2. The island’s players
back in Guernsey. “Funding is the biggest returned home to a domestic league Manager…
barrier to sending a team abroad, as well that kicked off in July with just six teams. Gary Davies
led the team
as how remote the island is. There is “This is the smallest league in the
in Guernsey
one flight a week to South Africa SHFA’s history. In previous generations
94 WORLD SOCCER
WORLD SERVICE
FEBRUARY 16-MARCH 16
Global diary 5 unmissable matches

• Inter Miami v Real Salt Lake,
February 21
The curtain-raiser for the 2024 Major
League Soccer season could see Luis
Games and dates to pencil in for the month ahead Suarez and Lionel Messi play a league
game together for the first time since
Barcelona’s visit to Alaves in July 2020.
Mid-season splits • Bodo/Glimt v Ajax, February 22
As the business end of the European season approaches, it’s time for some leagues across It would be tempting to describe this
the continent to divide into the championship and relegation rounds. The final matchdays Europa Conference League clash as
of the Greek, Slovakian and Romanian regular seasons take place on the first weekend of a potential upset but, given Ajax’s poor
March, with Austria a week later, and Belgium and Denmark the week after that. The Czech, form in 2023-24, it would be no surprise
Scottish, Serbian, Bulgarian and Swiss leagues don’t split until April. Elsewhere, the Russian if the Norwegian champions triumphed.
Premier League resumes after its almost three-month winter break at the start of March.
• Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig,
Mid-season split…Union Saint- February 24
Gilloise lead the way in Belgium
Whatever the result, these two tend to
produce entertaining encounters. Since
the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the
German rivals have averaged more than
four goals a game in their meetings.
Goal fest…RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich drew

2-2 at the Red Bull Arena back in September
• Athletic Club v Barcelona, March 2

After losing to Barca in late October,
Athletic went on a long unbeaten run
AFC & CAF Champions Leagues that took them into the top four and
South American club action
In its first season with a new-look format, above the Catalans. Champions League
running from September to May like its The CONMEBOL Recopa, South America’s qualification may well be at stake here.
European equivalent, the Asian Champions equivalent of the UEFA Super Cup, takes
League is racing towards crunch time. The place over two legs (February 22 and 29), • Liverpool v Manchester City, March 9
last-16 ties conclude on February 21, with the with Libertadores champions Fluminense An important chapter in the story of this
quarter-finals taking place across the first two facing Sudamericana winners LDU Quito. season’s Premier League title race may
weeks of March. We’ll preview the semi-finals The 2024 Copa Sudamericana then kicks well be written here, as Manchester City
– the last round where the eastern and western off on March 5 in the form of single-leg visit Liverpool just one week after the
zones are divided – in our May issue. Before qualifiers, with 32 teams playing off to Manchester derby at the Etihad.
that, in the April edition of World Soccer, reach the group stage, which begins in
we’ll look ahead to the quarter-finals of April. The Libertadores group stage begins
the African Champions League, after its the same week, with two-legged play-offs
group stage concludes on March 2. taking place on March 5-7 and 12-14.
OFC Champions League qualifying
The qualifiers for the 2024 edition of Oceania’s
CONCACAF Champions Cup top club competition take place from February
After the first round concludes at the end 14 to March 16. The preliminaries consist of
of February and the 27 teams are whittled a group stage comprising Tupapa Maraerenga
down to the last 16, the road to the new- (Cook Islands), Veitongo (Tonga), Vaiala Tongan
look CONCACAF Champions Cup final will be (American Samoa) and Vaivase-Tai (Samoa),
Up for
clearer. Lionel Messi will make his competition grabs…the with the winners progressing to the group
bow when Inter Miami face either Nashville SC CONMEBOL stage proper – which begins in May – along
or Moca of the Dominican Republic, while MLS Recopa with the national play-off winners from Fiji,
trophy
champions Columbus Crew are waiting for the New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New
winners of Houston Dynamo and St Louis City. Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
WORLD SOCCER 95
Club Football
Second Stage Steelers (Kor); Ulsan HD (Kor) v Ventforet
Kofu (Jpn); Shandong Taishan (Chn) v
Feb 20-22: Kawasaki Frontale (Jpn); Bangkok United
Aguilas Doradas (Col) v Red Bull Bragantino (Tha) v Yokohama F. Marinos (Jpn)
(Bra); Always Ready (Bol) v Sporting Cristal Feb 19-21:
Final
EUROPE Jan 22 – Riyadh
(Per); Portuguesa (Ven) v Palestino (Chi);
Aucas (Ecu)/Nacional (Par) v Atletico Nacional
Pohang Steelers (Kor) v Jeonbuk Hyundai
Motors (Kor); Ventforet Kofu (Jpn) v
(Col); Academia Puerto Cabello (Ven)/Defensor Ulsan HD (Kor); Kawasaki Frontale (Jpn)
2023-24 SPANISH SUPER CUP Napoli 0 Sporting (Uru) v Nacional (Uru); Aurora (Bol)/ v Shandong Taishan (Chn); Yokohama
Internazionale 1 (Martinez 90+1) Melgar (Per) v Botafogo (Bra); Godoy Cruz F. Marinos (Jpn) v Bangkok United (Tha)
Napoli: Gollini –Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, (Arg) v Colo-Colo (Chi); Sportivo Trinidense
Semi-Finals Juan Jesus; Zerbin (Ostigard 58), Lobotka, (Par) v El Nacional (Ecu)
Cajuste (Mario Rui 74), Mazzocchi (Raspadori Feb 27-29: Quarter-Finals
78); Politano (Lindstrom 70), Kvaratskhelia Red Bull Bragantino (Bra) v Aguilas
Jan 10 – Riyadh
(Gaetano 70); Simeone. Doradas (Col); Sporting Cristal (Per) Mar 4-6:
Real Madrid 5 (Rudiger 20, Mendy 29,
Sent off: Simeone 60. v Always Ready (Bol); Palestino (Chi) v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Kor)/Pohang
Carvajal 85, Joselu 116, Diaz 120+2)
Internazionale: Sommer – Pavard, De Vrij Portuguesa (Ven); Atletico Nacional (Col) v Steelers (Kor) v Ulsan HD (Kor)/Ventforet
Atletico Madrid 3 (Hermoso 6, Griezmann 37,
(Carlos Augusto 62), Acerbi; Darmian, Barella Aucas (Ecu)/Nacional (Par); Nacional (Uru) Kofu (Jpn); Shandong Taishan (Chn)/Kawasaki
Rudiger 78 og)
(Frattesi 63), Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco v Academia Puerto Cabello (Ven)/Defensor Frontale (Jpn) v Bangkok United (Tha)/
After Extra-Time
(Arnautovic 81); Thuram (Sanchez 81), Martinez Sporting (Uru); Botafogo (Bra) v Aurora (Bol)/ Yokohama F. Marinos (Jpn)
Real Madrid: Kepa – Carvajal, Rudiger,
(Bisseck 90+3). Melgar (Per); Colo-Colo (Chi) v Godoy Cruz (Arg); Mar 11-13:
Nacho, Mendy (Camavinga 81); Valverde
(Guler 112), Tchouameni (Diaz 82), Modric El Nacional (Ecu) v Sportivo Trinidense (Par) Pohang Steelers (Kor)/Jeonbuk Hyundai
(Kroos 67); Bellingham; Rodrygo (Ceballos Motors (Kor) v Ventforet Kofu (Jpn)/Ulsan
105), Vinicius Junior (Joselu 105). 2023 FRENCH SUPER CUP HD (Kor); Kawasaki Frontale (Jpn)/Shandong
Taishan (Chn) v Yokohama F. Marinos (Jpn)/
Atletico Madrid: Oblak – Savic, Gimenez,
Hermoso; Llorente (Azpilicueta 105), De Jan 3 – Paris CONCACAF Bangkok United (Tha)
Paul (Witsel 90), Koke (Galan 104), Saul Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Lee Kang-in 3,
(Molina 67), Lino (Riquelme 67); Morata Mbappe 44) ARUBA
(Correa 90), Griezmann. Toulouse 0 Regular Season 2023-24 AFC CUP
Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma – P W D L F A Pts
Hakimi, Marquinhos, Skriniar (Beraldo 71), Dakota* 9 7 2 0 26 9 23
Jan 11 – Riyadh Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Lee Kang-in; Britannia* 9 6 3 0 24 3 21 West Zone
Barcelona 2 (Lewandowski 59, Yamal 90+3) Dembele (Asensio 69), Mbappe, Barcola River Plate* 9 4 3 2 21 9 15
Osasuna 0 (Kolo-Muani 66). RCA* 8 4 3 1 16 8 15 Zonal Semi-Finals
Barcelona: Pena – Kounde, Araujo, Toulouse: Restes – Mawissa (Kamanzi 76), Nacional* 8 4 1 3 15 15 13
Christensen, Balde; Sergi Roberto (Pedri 61), Diarra, Nicolaisen, Suazo; Spierings, Casseres; Estrella* 8 4 0 4 20 23 12 Feb 12-13:
Gundogan, De Jong; Raphinha (Yamal 42), Donnum (Magri 66), Gelabert (Skytta 65), Bubali 9 3 1 5 12 25 10 Al Riffa (Bhr) v Al Nahda (Oma);
Lewandowski, Torres (Joao Felix 61). Sierro (Cissoko 76); Dallinga. La Fama 8 2 1 5 10 11 7 Al Ahed (Lbn) v Al Kahrabaa (Irq)
Osasuna: Herrera – Areso, D. Garcia, Catena, Santa Fe 9 1 0 8 7 31 3 Feb 19-20:
Cruz (Barja 85), Pena (Mojica 78); Oroz, Munoz Caiquetio 9 0 2 7 5 22 2 Al Nahda (Oma) v Al Riffa (Bhr);
(Moncayola 70), Gomez (Ruben Garcia 85); *Advance to the Kaya play-offs
2023-24 PORTUGUESE LEAGUE CUP Al Kahrabaa (Irq) v Al Ahed (Lbn)
Budimir, Arnaiz (Raul Garcia 70).
Final Winners advance to the West Asia Zone final

Final TURKS & CAICOS
Apertura
Jan 27 – Leiria Zonal Final
P W D L F A Pts
Jan 14 – Riyadh Braga 1 (Horta 20)
Academy Eagles* 8 8 0 0 25 6 24
Real Madrid 4 (Vinicius Junior 7, 10, 39 pen, Estoril 1 (Cassiano 6 pen)
SWA Sharks 8 6 0 2 24 11 18 Apr 16 & 23:
Rodrygo 64) Braga win 5-4 on penalties Al Riffa (Bhr)/Al Nahda (Oma) v
Teachers 8 2 0 6 8 15 6
Barcelona 1 (Lewandowski 33) Braga: Matheus – Gomez (Mendes 76), Fonte Al Ahed (Lbn)/Al Kahrabaa (Irq)
Flamingo 8 2 0 6 12 22 6
Real Madrid: Lunin – Carvajal, Rudiger, (Saatci 77), Oliveira, Borja; Moutinho, Carvalho
Cheshire Hall 8 2 0 6 5 20 6
Nacho, Mendy; Valverde (Ceballos 86), (Al Musrati 68); Djalo (Roger 56), Zalazar (Pizzi
*Advance to the championship play-off Winners of the two-legged West Asia Zone final
Tchouameni, Kroos (Modric 81); Bellingham 67), Horta; Ruiz.
Estoril: Figueira – Pina, Alvaro (Feltes 63), Vital, advance to the 2023-24 AFC Cup final against
(Joselu 86); Rodrygo (Diaz 77), Vinicius the inter-zone play-off final winners
Junior (Camavinga 82). Mangala, Araujo; Guitane (Tavares 85), Koindredi
Barcelona: Pena – Araujo, Kounde,
Christensen, Balde; Gundogan, De Jong;
(Holsgrove 59), Fernandes, J. Marques; Cassiano
(A. Marques 60). ASIA
Torres (Joao Felix 61), Pedri (Yamal 61), 2023-24 AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ASEAN Zone
Sergi Roberto (Lopez 61); Lewandowski.
Sent off: Araujo 71.
West Zone
SOUTH AMERICA Zonal Semi-Finals
Last 16 Feb 13:

2023 ITALIAN SUPER CUP 2023 ARGENTINE Macarthur (Aus) v Sabah (Mas);
CHAMPIONS TROPHY Feb 12-14: Central Coast Mariners (Aus) v
Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb) v Al Ain (UAE); Phnom Penh Crown (Cam)
Semi-Finals Dec 22 – Santiago del Estero Al Fayha (KSA) v Al Nassr (KSA);
Rosario Central 0 Sepahan (Irn) v Al Hilal (KSA); Winners advance to the ASEAN Zone final
Jan 18 – Riyadh River Plate 2 (Colidio 40, Fernandez 75) Navbahor (Uzb) v Al Ittihad (KSA)
Napoli 3 (Simeone 22, Zerbin 84, 86) Rosario Central: Broun – Komar, Mallo, Feb 19-21: Zonal Final
Fiorentina 0 Quintana, Sandez; Ortiz, Toledo (O’Connor 46); Al Ain (UAE) v Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb);
Napoli: Gollini – Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Lovera (Giaccone 75), Malcorra, Campaz; Al Nassr (KSA) v Al Fayha (KSA);
Martinez Dupuy (Bianchi 75). Al Hilal (KSA) v Sepahan (Irn); Feb 22:
Juan Jesus; Mazzocchi (Zerbin 81), Cajuste
Sent off: Campaz 60. Al Ittihad (KSA) v Navbahor (Uzb) Macarthur (Aus)/Sabah (Mas) v Central Coast
(Gaetano 77), Lobotka, Mario Rui (Ostigard
River Plate: Armani – Boselli, P. Diaz Mariners (Aus)/Phnom Penh Crown (Cam)
72); Politano (Lindstrom 72), Kvaratskhelia
(Zielinski 72); Simeone. (Lanzini 84), Funes Mori (Gonzalez 67), Quarter-Finals
Fiorentina: Terracciano – Kayode, Milenkovic, E. Diaz; De la Cruz, Perez (Maidana 85), Winners of the ASEAN Zone final advance
Martinez Quarta (Barak 88), Biraghi (Parisi 67); Barco; Echeverri (Fernandez 62); Solari Mar 4-6: to the inter-zone play-off semi-finals
Arthur, Duncan; Ikone (Nzola 57), Bonaventura (Borja 62), Colidio. Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb)/Al Ain (UAE)
(Faraoni 88), Brekalo (Sottil 57); Beltran. v Al Fayha (KSA)/Al Nassr (KSA);
Sepahan (Irn)/Al Hilal (KSA) v Inter-Zone
2024 COPA LIBERTADORES Navbahor (Uzb)/Al Ittihad (KSA)
Jan 19 – Riyadh
Internazionale 3 (Thuram 17, Mar 11-13:
Play-Off Semi-Finals
Calhanoglu 50 pen, Frattesi 87) Qualifying Rounds Al Ain (UAE)/Nasaf Qarshi (Uzb)
Lazio 0 v Al Nassr (KSA)/Al Fayha (KSA);
Internazionale: Sommer – Pavard, Acerbi, First Stage Al Hilal (KSA)/Sepahan (Irn) v Mar 6:
Al Ittihad (KSA)/Navbahor (Uzb) Abdysh-Ata Kant (Kgz) v Taichung Futuro (Tpe)
Bastoni (De Vrij 66); Darmian, Barella
Mar 13:
(Frattesi 66), Calhanoglu (Asllani 81), Feb 6-8:
Taichung Futuro (Tpe) v Abdysh-Ata Kant (Kgz)
Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram (Sanchez Academia Puerto Cabello (Ven) v
74), Martinez (Arnautovic 74). Defensor Sporting (Uru); Aurora (Bol) v East Zone
Lazio: Provedel – Lazzari (Hysaj 83), Mario Melgar (Per); Aucas (Ecu) v Nacional (Par) Winners of the Central Asia Zone-East Asia Zone
Gila, Romagnoli, Marusic (Pellegrini 66); Feb 13-15: Last 16 semi-final advance to the inter-zone play-off final
Guendouzi (Luis Alberto 50), Rovella Defensor Sporting (Uru) v Academia Puerto
(Cataldi 50), Vecino; Felipe Anderson, Cabello (Ven); Melgar (Per) v Aurora (Bol); Feb 12-14: Mar 7:
Immobile, Pedro (Isaksen 66). Nacional (Par) v Aucas (Ecu) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Kor) v Pohang ASEAN Zone Winners v Odisha (Ind)
96 WORLD SOCCER
Mar 14:
Odisha (Ind) v ASEAN Zone Winners
Winners of the ASEAN Zone-South Asia Zone

semi-final advance to the inter-zone play-off final
Internationals
FRIENDLIES
Jan 8 – Doha
Play-Off Final Syria 2 (Sabbag 70, Hesar 74)
Malaysia 2 (Arif 39, Josue 78) March 2024 Vol. 64 No.7
Apr 17 & 24: Jan 1 – Tokyo
Central Asia Zone/East Asia Zone winners Japan 5 (Tanaka 50, Nakamura 72, Jan 8 – Diamniadio GROUP EDITOR
v ASEAN Zone/South Asia Zone winners Dolah 74 og, Kawamura 82, Minamino 90+1) Senegal 1 (F. Mendy 90+9) Stephen Fishlock
Thailand 0 Niger 0 MANAGING EDITOR
Winners of the inter-zone play-off final advance Jamie Evans
to the 2023-24 AFC Cup final against the West Jan 1 – Abu Dhabi Jan 8 – Kumasi
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR
Asia Zone final winners China 1 (Tan Long 9) Ghana 0 Jared Tinslay
Hong Kong 2 (Liu Yang 51 og, Poon Pui Hin 59) Namibia 0
DESIGN
Jan 2 – Antalya Jan 9 – Doha Sean Phillips, atg-media.com
AFRICA Indonesia 0
Libya 4 (Ekrawa 25, Al Khoja 58, Al Qulaib 89,
Japan 6 (Itakura 14, Nakamura 17, own goal 29,
Minamino 43, Asano 71, Maeda 81)
PICTURES
Pictures copyright: Getty Images
BENIN Al Qajdar 90+2) Jordan 1 (Rateb 87)
SPECIAL THANKS THIS ISSUE TO:
Regular Season Group A Steve Menary & Rich Laverty
Jan 9 –Jeddah
P W D L F A Pts Jan 4 – Al Wakrah Zambia 1 (Daka 11) EDITORIAL
Damissa 16 9 5 2 25 8 32 Saudi Arabia 1 (Al Buraikan 48) Cameroon 1 (Yongwa 20) Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court,
Bani Ganse 16 8 6 2 22 10 30 Lebanon 0 Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL
Cavaliers 16 6 6 4 15 8 24 Jan 9 – Doha ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP
Takunnin 16 6 6 4 16 16 24 Jan 4 – Abu Dhabi Kyrgyzstan 2 (Kojo 31, Akmatov 75) Talk Media Ltd: Russell Bedford
Buffles 16 5 7 4 14 10 22 Hong Kong 1 (Everton 33) Vietnam 1 (Truong Tien Anh 63) Tel. 01732 445328
Dynamique Djougou 16 3 7 6 8 15 16 Tajikistan 2 (Soirov 25, Samiev 51) Email: [email protected]
Pantheres 16 3 6 7 9 17 15 Jan 9 –Jeddah AD PRODUCTION MANAGER
Dynamo Parakou 16 1 10 5 7 20 13 Jan 5 – Antalya Indonesia 0 Talk Media Ltd: Nick Bond
Beke Bembereke 16 2 5 9 13 25 11 Syria 1 (Hesar 71) Iran 5 (Ghoddos 3, Cheshmi 24, Moghanlou 40,
Tel. 01732 445325
Email: [email protected]
Kyrgyzstan 1 (Akmatov 48) Ghayedi 72, 88)
Regular Season Group B PUBLISHER Steve Brown
P W D L F A Pts Jan 5 – Antalya Jan 9 – Lome CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Phil Weeden
Dadje 16 11 2 3 29 15 35 MANAGING DIRECTOR Kevin McCormick
Indonesia 1 (Sayuri 6) Burundi 0 MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CONSUMER
Loto Popo 16 9 4 3 28 16 31 Libya 2 (Al Shremi 9, Ekrawa 20) Algeria 4 (Bounedjah 1, Mahrez 39, Slimani 87, ADVERTISING Oswin Grady
Dynamo Abomey 16 9 3 4 17 14 30 Amoura 90+3) OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Gill Lambert
Espoir Savalou 16 8 2 6 15 11 26 HEAD OF DIRECT CONSUMER REVENUE
Jan 5 – Kish
Tonnerre 16 6 4 6 15 18 22 Jan 9 – Al Wakrah Nicholas McIntosh
Iran 2 (Taremi 42, Ebrahimi 71) PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER
Abeilles 16 5 6 5 16 17 21 Saudi Arabia 0
Burkina Faso 1 (M. Konate 17) Georgina Harris
Soleil 16 3 5 8 13 22 14 Palestine 0 PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLERS
Hodio 16 2 5 9 10 19 11 Hayley Brown & Kelly Orriss
16 1 5 10 8 19 8
Jan 5 – Doha
Real Sport
Qatar 1 (Afif 11 pen) Jan 9 – Malabo
DISTRIBUTION
Jordan 2 (Al Naimat 51, Olwan 58 pen) Equatorial Guinea 1 (Akapo 23) Great Britain: Seymour Distribution Ltd
Regular Season Group C Djibouti 1 (Akinbinu 71) 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT
P W D L F A Pts www.seymour.co.uk
Coton Sport Ouidah 16 10 3 3 26 12 33 Jan 6 – Dubai Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland:
Jan 10 – Tunis
AS Cotonou 16 8 6 2 17 10 30 DR Congo 0 Newspread Tel: +353 23 886 3850
Tunisia 2 (Achouri 12, Msakni 53)
ASPAC 16 9 3 4 20 15 30 Angola 0
Cape Verde 0
Requins 16 8 5 3 18 10 29
Adjidja 16 7 0 9 18 16 21 Jan 6 –Johannesburg Jan 10 – Dubai
Etoile Filante 16 5 3 8 11 19 18 Mozambique 2 (Mandava 27, Lau King 81 pen) DR Congo 1 (Mbemba 57)
Police 16 4 3 9 15 24 15 Lesotho 0 Burkina Faso 2 (Toure 36, Konate 41)
Ainonvi 16 2 7 7 8 17 13 SUBSCRIPTIONS
Aziza 16 2 4 10 11 21 10 Jan 6 – Bamako
Mali 6 (Y. Niakate 6, L. Coulibaly 15,
Jan 10 – Pretoria ORDER HOTLINE
South Africa 0
Regular Season Group D K. Doumbia 40, Dorgeles 68, 85, Sacko 75) Lesotho 0 +44 (0)1959 543 747
P W D L F A Pts Guinea-Bissau 2 (Mam. Balde 37. C. Mane 42) Lines open Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm
Ayema 16 9 5 2 14 7 32 Jan 10 – Al Wakrah or visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSC
Sobemap 16 8 4 4 17 11 28 Jan 6 – Abu Dhabi Saudi Arabia 2 (Ghareeb 21 pen, Al Sqoor 86)
Dragons 16 7 6 3 21 9 27 United Arab Emirates 0 Hong Kong 0 SUBSCRIPTIONS RATES
JSP 16 8 3 5 19 14 27 Oman 1 (Fawaz 5) Full annual subscription rate (13 issues)
ASVO 16 5 7 4 13 12 22 Jan 11 – San-Pedro UK: £77.87, USA & EU: £91, RoW: £98.
JAK 16 5 6 5 21 25 21 Jan 6 – Abu Dhabi Morocco 3 (En-Nesyri 30, 55, Boufal 35) CONTACT US
JSO 16 3 7 6 14 16 16 Iraq 0 Sierra Leone 1 (Komeh 10) Editorial: [email protected]
Avrankou Omnisport 16 3 5 8 15 22 14 South Korea 1 (Lee Jae-sung 40) UK subscription & back issue orderline:
Djeffa 16 1 3 12 10 28 6 Jan 12 – Paphos 01959 543 747
Jan 6 – Abu Dhabi Sweden 2 (Nanasi 30, Thelin 53) Overseas subscription orderline:
The top four teams from each group advance to 0044 (0) 1959 543 747
Bahrain 0 Estonia 1 (Palumets 19) Toll free USA subscription orderline:
the championship round, the bottom five teams Australia 2 (Benaddi 35 og, Duke 61) 1-888-777-0275
from each group enter the relegation round Jan 12 – Cairo Customer service website:
Jan 6 – San-Pedro Kuwait 1 (Zayid 78) help.kelsey.co.uk/support/home
Ivory Coast 5 (Diomande 18, Kessie 36, Libya 3 (Al Khouja 20, 30, A. Saleh 90) Customer service & subscription
Bamba 38, Boga 48, Amani 84) postal address:
OCEANIA Sierra Leone 1 (Michael 86) Jan 13 – Fort Lauderdale
Guatemala 0
World Soccer Customer Service Team
Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary,
Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding,
TAHITI Jan 6 – Rades Iceland 1 (Thorvaldsson 79) Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL
P W D L F A Pts Tunisia 0
Tefana 11 9 1 1 56 9 39 Mauritania 0 Jan 17 – Fort Lauderdale
Pirae 11 8 1 2 43 10 36 Honduras 0
Venus 11 7 3 1 46 14 35 Jan 7 – Doha Iceland 2 (Gudjohnsen 48 pen, Willumsson 58)
Central 11 6 3 2 49 18 32 Palestine 0
Dragon* 11 6 2 3 46 24 30 Uzbekistan 1 (Abdikholikov 79) Jan 19 – Cairo
Punaruu 11 6 1 4 25 17 30 Kuwait 0
Pueu 11 5 0 6 31 32 26 Jan 7 – Cairo Uganda 2 (Ssekiganda 10, Kitata 85)
Taiarapu 11 4 1 6 25 31 24 Egypt 2 (Trezeguet 32, Manula 73 og)
● La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy)
Temanava 11 4 1 6 26 36 24 Tanzania 0 Jan 20 – San Antonio ● Kicker (Germany) ● Marca (Spain)
Jeunes Tahitiens 11 3 0 8 28 48 20 United States 0 ● Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany)
Papenoo 11 0 2 9 11 90 13 Jan 8 –Johannesburg Slovenia 1 (Gradisar 26) ● ELF Voetbal (Netherlands) ● Fanatik (Turkey)
● A Bola (Portugal) ● De Telegraaf (Netherlands)
Olympic Mahina* 11 0 1 10 7 64 11 Botswana 1 (Seakanyeng 39 pen) ● Nemzeti Sport (Hungary) ● Sport/Voetbal (Belgium)
Win = 4 points, Draw = 2 points, Loss = 1 point Mozambique 1 (Amade 90+5) The full standings and results from the 2023 ● Tipsbladet (Denmark) ● World Soccer (UK)
*Deducted 1 point Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup tournaments
Jan 8 – Abu Dhabi will be included in World Soccer’s April edition of
The top six teams enter the championship round, Guinea 2 (Ag. Camara 15, F. Conte 65) Results, Tables, Fixtures, alongside our reviews
the bottom six teams enter the relegation round Nigeria 0 of the tournaments and the final squad lists.
WORLD SOCCER 97
MY BIGGEST
GAME
Hannes Halldorssson
Iceland 1 Argentina 1
2018 World Cup group stage, Moscow
The former Iceland goalkeeper looks back
on his proudest moment in football
After making my debut for the

national team, I set myself a targeet
of reaching 50 caps and, incredibly, I go ot
there by playing in the biggest game inn
Iceland’s history.
We’d never been to the World Cup
before and we were the smallest country
to ever qualify. Facing a giant like Argenntina
made the experience even more speciaal.
The World Cup is the biggest stage for any
footballer and this game changed my lifee.
Equaliser…
It’s defined me, and my career, ever since.. Halldorsson
Regardless of everything else I’ve done, celebrates Iceland’s
I’ll always be known as the guy who goal against
Argentina
saved a penalty from Lionel Messi!
We wanted to make ourselves, and the
people of Iceland, proud. We had a really
good team and knew that we could give penalty. Seeing Messi put the ball down
anybody a game after reaching the quarter- on the spot, step back and face me was
finals of the Euros two years earlier. But we surreal. I knew the eyes of the world were
also knew that, if we weren’t at our best, watching us. This had the potential to be
we could get crushed. Argentina’s front line one of the most significant mom ments of
was terrifying, so that risk of humiliation my life and I was determined d to grab it.
was always in the back of our minds. I didn’t feel any nerves.
In one of the pre-match meetings, we I’d analysed Messsi’s penalties leading up
were shown a montage of Messi and the to the gamee, so I was quite confident in my
unbelievable pressure on his shoulders. choice. He’d put his last one in that same
Constantly being compared to Diego i spot. I don’t know if it made any difference,
Maradona and expected to win Argentina but I tried to distract him by clapping my
the World Cup. It reminded us that he hands and shouting just before he kicked
was nervous too and needed to deliver. the ball. I dived, full stretch, to my right
:
That gave us some clarity. to push his shot away.
We had really good coaches who I couldn’t believe it. After the ball
gave us the right tactics and preparation. We managed to equalise quickly was cleared, I said to myself out loud,
It played out almost perfectly. We kept through Alfred Finnbogason, which ‘Did that just happen?’ I’d saved a penalty
Argentina in front of us as much as we gave us hope and made Argentina feel from perhaps the greatest player of all
could. Our players worked so hard and uneasy. Like against England at the Euros, time in the biggest game of my career
communicated well. They were doubling their relief at getting the first goal was – an amazing, magical moment. I was
up on Messi, which left someone else free. short-lived. We hit back to remind them determined to finish the job and make
It helped that the warm weather had dried that it wasn’t going to be an easy day. sure it counted for something. Late on, I
up the pitch and slowed the ball down. In the second half, Argentina got a reacted well to keep out a low cross that
Sergio Aguero gave them the lead after curled all the way through to the far post.
19 minutes, smashing the ball into the top I felt euphoric when the final whistle
corner with a really good finish. It needed went, like we’d won a major trophy. I was
to be; this was one of the best games I named man of the match and I had so
played for the national team. Our defence many messages that my phone almost
was great, especially our centre-backs Kari melted! It took me a few days to come
Arnason and Ragnar Sigurdsson. They were back down to earth. That save was written
like twins with a special bond, both big, Iceland’s hero… and talked about all over the world
Messi watches as
strong, crazy guys with such fighting spirit. his penalty is saved and still remains a source of pride.
But if Argentina got past them, I was there. by Halldorsson Interview by Sean Cole
NEXT ISSUE ON SALE MARCH 15

Global football intelligence
SERIOUS EXPERT
OPINION ANALYSIS
Football’s burning
Hard-hitting opinions
issues analysed by
from the game’s most
expert figures in
respected writers.
the game.
TALENT
COMPETITION SCOUT
GUIDES Spotlight on the
Essential previews talented youngsters
of football’s biggest tipped for the top.
tournaments.
EYEWITNESS EXCLUSIVE
REPORTS INTERVIEWS
News and features from Face-to-face with
our global network of football’s biggest
correspondents. names.
Subscribe now to World Soccer – shop.kelsey.co.uk/world-soccer-magazine

Or buy individual issues – shop.kelsey.co.uk/single-issue/world-soccer-magazine
facebook.com/WorldSoccerMagazine @worldsoccermag www.worldsoccer.com

blishing
PitchPu
titles fo r
N ew e a r
h e ne w y
t t
reat
all ou rg
Check o u
m a zon now
A
offers at
tter to
E and reg
ister fo r o ur newsle
s and aw
ards. TRY
BEFORE
YOU
s F RE e v iew
ds of top
sports tit
le
hcoming .releases
co.uk
, r
BUY
rs from h un d re
mation o n fort
lishing
Read sample chapte
receive all th e la test infor
w w.pitchpub
w

World Soccer 03 2024

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

World Soccer 03 2024

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

World Soccer 03 2024

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

BECKENBAUER ★ ZAGALLO ★ RIVA

Special tributes: remembering three true football icons

JOSE MOURINHO VENTFORET KOFU

Simply visit... shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSP

Follow World Soccer online

FOOTBALL 24-7 SAVE

86 Asian Champions League

Exclusive reports from our worldwide St Helena

P L U S 95 Global diary 96 Results, tables, ﬁxtures

The global game caught on camera

England…Spain and Barcelona

Saudi Arabia…Vinicius Junior

Brazil…a football fan pays

Qatar…Jordan’s players celebrate

Ivory Coast…Mauritania skipper Bodda

3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE:

“I will sleep better…they have been our biggest rival

Opponents then friends: Beckenbauer and Cruyff

World Cup game-changers: Beckenbauer and Zagallo

REPORTS WE COULDN’T MAKE UP

proposal – then made their dislike

on the shape than the sense of the Dortmund supporters interrupted

“We have lost one of the great symbols of Italian

“Jorge Griffa was the guru of football development in

Mel BLYTH Keith LAMB

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

WINDOW 2024 to recruit players from South

One of the greatest

World Cup winner

“As a boy, I started in attack and was always

Beckenbauer’s first crack at

‘The concept of the

good old days. For me, the game is not better

Which players of the past 50

Mario Zagallo, the Brazilian “Professor”

World Cup hero…

J. League ready for kick-off

URAWA RED DIAMONDS

‘Hey, Palestine is here’

“Free Palestine”…fans unfurl a

Yet 14 out of the 26 players selected Susan Shalabi, vice-president

When Saddam Hussein was hotel booking. It

irona’s Central to Girona’s heady La Liga’s influence, too. Viktor Tsygankov is a

Turn over now for Nick Bidwell’s

For only the third time in the current

The Danish Superliga champions are

certainly seem to have lost a degree of

Misfiring…PSG failed to impress in the group stage

pudding; for the most part, the Parisians

No one would have been surprised to see

This time last year, much of the

With Antoine Griezmann and

Back in the knockout stage of the

Speaking in terms of economic

and Jules Kounde all missing for

Uncertain future…Napoli striker Victor Osimhen

one-dimensional approach. So far

100 Hot streak…Kylian Mbappe

Duringg the gro p t e, Robert