Tag: football

Top 10 players to watch at the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in Ivory Coast | Football News

The CAF Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Ivory Coast when the hosts face Guinea-Bissau on January 13 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.

Senegal are the defending champions as they beat Egypt on penalties at the last edition in Cameroon.

Here’s a look at our top 10 players whose performances are likely to be decisive if their side is to lift the trophy on February 11:

1. Mohamed Salah: Egypt

The hopes and dreams of a nation rest on one man’s shoulders. If Egypt are to add to their record seven continental titles, then Mohamed Salah will have to bear the brunt of the work for the Pharaohs. Egypt have not won an AFCON title since 2010, and Salah has been left on the losing side in the final in both 2017 and 2021.

This edition of AFCON may not be the 31-year-old’s last, but it will be the last one where Egypt can truly boast that the king is still at the peak of his powers. How many international goals Salah will add to the 53 he has already netted, in only 93 appearances, is likely to be the decisive stat for Egypt’s hopes for erasing the memory of defeat in the final of the last AFCON by Senegal.

2. Sadio Mane: Senegal

Although not set to be as defining a role in the Senegal team as his former Liverpool teammate Salah is to Egypt, Sadio Mane is still the main man for his nation. His loss to the Senegal team at the Qatar 2022 World Cup cannot be overstated. As reigning AFCON champions, the Lions of Teranga were thought to be the African team that could break through to the semifinal stage in the global event for the first time.

Without Mane, the Lions lost their bite and could not repeat their previous best of a quarterfinal appearance as they were well beaten in the group by the Netherlands and in the round of 16 by England. The 31-year-old’s 39 goals in 100 appearances for his country simply could not be replicated. It’s hard to see how Senegal defend their crown if Mane fails to fire.

3. Victor Osimhen: Nigeria

Victor Osimhen became the hottest property in world football last season when he finished as leading scorer in Serie A, helping Napoli to their first league title since 1990. Denied a crack at the 2022 Qatar World Cup by Nigeria’s playoff defeat by Ghana, AFCON 2023 marks Osimhen’s first chance to shine on the international stage.

If Nigeria are to lift their fourth crown, and only their second in 30 years, then it is likely that Osimhen will be very close to securing the tournament’s leading scorer accolade. The 25-year-old already has 20 goals in 27 appearances. There is no shortage of riches for Nigeria in their attacking options, but the 2023 African Player of the Year will need to carry either the goalscoring for his team or the workload to keep the focus of the defences on him and, in doing so, free up space for others.

4. Mohammed Kudus: Ghana

Kudus has taken the Premier League by storm with West Ham this season – something a player transferring to England rarely does in their first year. The midfielder is 12th on the list in the English top flight for goals per minute – not bad for a midfielder in a team where even the strikers are demanded to work back first and foremost. The 23-year-old, who has scored 10 goals in 24 matches in all competitions for the Hammers, first caught the attention of European clubs when Danish side FC Nordsjaelland brought him from Ghana at the age of 17 – a relative latecomer in the modern football world.

His rise from there has known no bounds as, two years later, he was snapped up by Ajax where he impressed greatly in his three seasons in Amsterdam, as well as at the 2022 World Cup.

Ghana will relish the impact he could have in providing extra quality behind a forward line of the Ayew brothers and Inaki Williams.

5. Youssef En-Nesyri: Morocco

On a far different note to that of Salah, Mane and Osimhen, Youssef En-Nesyri’s performance in front of goal is likely to hold the key to Morocco’s ambitions. The historic achievement of reaching the World Cup semifinal in Qatar left their manager Walid Regragui with a clear mission ahead: to win the 2023 AFCON. To do so, Morocco need to find goals.

Their defence is their rock and is securely guarded by Sofyan Amrabat, but their attack needs to find the net more regularly and criticism has been planted at the feet of En-Nesyri. The 26-year-old’s return of 17 goals in 61 matches is not exactly an embarrassment at the international level and Regragui has highlighted the Seville striker’s work rate for the team as a key element of their success. France famously won the 1998 World Cup without a recognised goalscorer, so perhaps Morocco do not need to panic. There are, however, some incredible goal scorers at the tournament who might just pinch a tight game for their side and leave the Atlas Lions licking their wounds.

6. Andre Onana: Cameroon

Onana’s return from international retirement in goal for Cameroon could be as problematic for the coach as it is, no doubt, welcome for the fans and his teammates. His dismissal from the World Cup squad during the tournament and subsequent retirement appeared to spell the end of this international career – at least while Rigobert Song was in charge of the team anyway.

The 27-year-old’s recall to the squad in September for the AFCON qualifiers was a shock. Whether Onana and Son have buried the hatchet or not, the ultimate sweeper keeper’s role will be vital to his team’s chances of success.

7. Riyad Mahrez: Algeria

Mahrez captained Algeria to victory in the 2019 final against Senegal but a repeat in Ivory Coast does not appear on the cards. The winger was a magician in the Premier League winning the title with both Leicester City and Manchester City.

It was with the former where a tightly knit group of players, sprinkled with some star-studded magic, defied all the odds imaginable to secure their first English top-flight crown. They had only ever been runners-up previously and that was in 1928-29. The 32-year-old, now with Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, has an impressive 30 goals in 89 appearances for Algeria.

8. Nicolas Pepe: Ivory Coast

Arsenal’s one-time record signing has yet to achieve his full potential and there would be no better time to do so than at an AFCON hosted in his own country. His 10 goals in 37 international appearances is hardly enough evidence to excite fans before the tournament.

With Wilfred Zaha overlooked for the squad and Sebastien Haller misfiring at Borussia Dortmund, however, Pepe seems the most likely to shine. Indeed, it was Pepe’s goal that sealed the demise of the defending champions, Algeria, at the last edition. Should both Pepe and Haller shine then, with home advantage perhaps a second AFCON, to add to their 1992 triumph, could be in store for the Elephants.

9. Hakim Ziyech: Morocco

Morocco are expected to be the team to beat at AFCON 2023, the strength in all areas is clear but it mainly lies in their defensive set up. As much as En-Nesyri must find the net more regularly, he will need help. The most likely source of goals and assist contributions to aid the striker will come from Ziyech on the flank.

The Chelsea forward, on loan at Galatasaray, has scored 20 goals in 54 international appearances and the Atlas Lions needs him to rediscover his form at FC Twente and Ajax that led to his move to Stamford Bridge in 2020.

10. Yves Bissouma: Mali

Were there to be a real dark horse to emerge as contenders for the AFCON title, then Mali are a team on the move. They are unbeaten in seven matches, winning six of those including a 6-2 drubbing of Guinea-Bissau in their final warm-up match. The centre of midfielder is a particularly powerful area in terms of quality and depth for Mali but Tottenham star Bissouma has the potential to be one of the players of the tournament.

Could an AFCON to remember for the 27-year-old be enough to propel Les Aigles to their first AFCON title? Never say never and, much like the favourites Morocco, their best form of attack may be their defensive set up.



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Which teams are favourites to win the AFC Asian Cup 2023? | AFC Asian Cup News

The AFC Asian Cup 2023, hosted by defending champions Qatar, starts on January 11.

A glittering array of star names are spread across some of the favourite teams vying to be crowned Asia’s best. Here are five of the best squads:

1. Japan

Defeated in the final by Qatar in 2019, Japan are the clear favourites to lift the Asian Cup trophy this time, which would mark a record-extending fifth crown. The resources of the highest ranked FIFA team (17th) at the Asian Cup are so strong that Japan’s coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has been able to leave out Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada.

To make that decision even more controversial is the selection of Kauro Mitoma, who was initially ruled out for six weeks by his club Brighton when he injured his ankle in December. It’s a huge gamble by Moriyasu and one that could backfire spectacularly if Mitoma fails to return to full fitness – and, with it, the form that has seen him backed so vehemently by his coach.

Waturo Endo, who has seamlessly switched from Stuttgart to Liverpool this season, will provide the core stability in Japan’s midfield and is a proven performer.

The player who could ignite not only Japan but also the tournament itself, however, is Takefusa Kubo. If the Real Sociedad midfielder can transfer his La Liga form to the Asian Cup, then this could be the coming-of-age moment for a player who has been courted by Barcelona and Real Madrid through his childhood. If Kubo confirms his potential in Qatar, top clubs all across the world may well line up for his signature in the summer.

Japan have appeared in five of the last eight finals so, at whatever stage they are met, they will be the team to beat.

2. South Korea

From the player with the most potential to the player with the finest track record in Asian football, Son Heung-min is the captain of a Premier League title-chasing team at Tottenham Hotspur, where he has helped to fill the void left by Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich. He is also a three-time Asian Footballer of the Year.

Son will be the main focus of his country’s aspiration’s to close the gap on Japan’s record number of Asian crowns, having lifted the trophy on only two previous occasions – and not since 1960. South Korea, knocked out by Qatar in the quarterfinals in 2019, are balanced at the other end of the pitch by “The Beast” – Kim Min-jae. The Bayern Munich central defender, who helped Napoli end their 33-year wait for a Serie A title last season, will be the rock upon which his team can rely.

The trio of star names for South Korea is completed by Lee Kang-in. The Paris Saint-Germain forward could benefit from a little extra space offered if opposing defences are focused on Son. This, of course, could work in reverse, but either way, the forward pair will be a formidable threat as South Korea aim to end 64 years of hurt and lift the Asian Cup once again.

South Korea’s Son Heung-min cut a lonely figure after the quarterfinal defeat to Qatar in 2019 [File: Suhaib Salem/Reuters]

3. Saudi Arabia

Conquerors of Argentina in the group stage at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Saudi Arabia are the clear challengers to the two favourites from East Asia.

The Saudi Pro League underwent a huge transformation in 2023 with the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Neymar headlining an importation of talent that lifted the competition to a new level. That uplift will, in turn, have had a trickle-down effect on the Saudi players already plying their trade in the league.

The training, tactics and experience that have come with the purchase of the world-class names can only benefit the growth of the Saudi game. Al Hilal’s Salem Al-Dawsari will point to his own development, though, after he rose to prominence with the winning goal against Argentina.

The 32-year-old winger wrote himself into history with the strike from the edge of the box and won the Asian Footballer of the Year for 2022 as a result.

Another player who could have a similar impact at this tournament by grabbing the goals and the headlines for Saudi Arabia is Firas Al-Buraikan. The 23-year-old has 16 goals and assists in 17 games for Al Ahli this season – the most by a Saudi national in the league.

Meanwhile, Nawaf Al-Aqidi will challenge for the accolades, or at least the regard, as the number one goalkeeper in Asia. The Al Nassr keeper is now accustomed to stopping shots in training from Ronaldo and Mane. The three-time winners and six-time finalists have not lifted the trophy since 1996.

4. Qatar

The defending champions will rightly brim with confidence in this edition, for which they have the additional strength of home advantage. That is an edge that many nations across the years will attest to, but it can also come with a heavy weight. The 3-1 win in the 2019 final against Japan upset the odds and handed Qatar their first Asian Cup triumph. 

Akram Afif remains the star Qatari name – etched in history by his penalty to seal the final four years ago. Snapped up by Villareal in Spain in 2016, the 27-year-old returned a hero to Al Sadd, where it all began for him, in 2020. Although Afif netted in the final warm-up match for this tournament, he couldn’t stop his side slipping to a 2-1 defeat to Jordan, which will have had something of an unsettling affect on the squad.

The highest FIFA ranking achieved by The Maroons prior to winning the Asian Cup was in 1993 when they reached 53rd in the world. Their victory against Japan propelled them to 42nd, but they have since slipped back to 58th – two positions below Saudi Arabia.

On the two previous occasions they hosted the Asian Cup, they reached the quarterfinals in 2011 – losing 3-2 in the final minute of the match to eventual winners Japan – and missed out on the semifinals in 1988 by one point in the then five-team group stage.

Qatar’s Hasan Al Haydos lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the Asian Cup in 2019 [File: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters]

5. Iran

Iran were the golden boys of Asian football in the 1960s and 1970s as they claimed three successive titles in 1968, 1972 and 1976. Since then, they have never reached the final.

That hasn’t stopped them courting success on the global stage, where the World Cup has been a joyful playground. They have made six appearances in the tournament, including the last three editions and their first coming two years after their final Asian Cup win. This has resulted in a climb as high as 15th in the world rankings, but they have never progressed past the group stage at a World Cup. They currently stand at 22nd – two places above South Korea.

Is a return to the final after more than four decades in the offing for Iran? One thing is for sure, with their performances on the global stage and the resulting rankings, Iran cannot be regarded as underdogs or dark horses at any stage of the event.



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German football legend Franz Beckenbauer dies aged 78 | Football News

Beckenbauer captained West Germany to a World Cup victory on home soil in 1974.

Franz Beckenbauer – one of Germany’s greatest football players, who captained the country’s team to World Cup victory in 1974 then won the tournament again as manager in 1990 – has died at the age of 78, his family said.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, surrounded by his family,” his family said in a statement on Monday.

Known in football-obsessed Germany as “the Kaiser” meaning “the Emperor”, Beckenbauer played a central role in some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements.

Born in Munich in 1945, he helped establish Bayern Munich as his country’s strongest club.

He was a classy, dominant presence on the pitch for West Germany and Bayern Munich in the 1960s and 70s, using the calmness on the ball and effortless distribution that marked his midfield performances to virtually invent the central defensive sweeper role where he found most success.

He collected 103 caps for West Germany, winning the 1972 European championship and then the World Cup on home soil.

His Bayern Munich team was the best club side in the world during the mid-1970s, winning three successive European Cups and three successive Bundesliga titles, and Beckenbauer himself was twice named European footballer of the year.

When he was national team manager, his West Germany team lost in the 1986 World Cup final to Argentina but triumphed four years later in Italy as a combined German team.

After coaching, Beckenbauer moved into football administration. But in 2016 he was fined by FIFA’s ethics committee for failing to co-operate with an inquiry into corruption over the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Over the next few years, he was engaged in tending to health issues, and the last time he appeared at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena was in August 2022, when he attended a match of Bayern Munich against Borussia Monchengladbach.

‘We will miss him’

Tributes have poured in from across Germany and global the football community, honouring Beckenbauer’s legacy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz mourned Beckenbauer’s death and said he was one of the greatest footballers in Germany and for many ‘the emperor’  because he “inspired enthusiasm for German football for generations”.

“We will miss him. My thoughts are with his family and friends,” Chancellor Scholz said in X.

“Franz Beckenbauer, one of European football’s greatest sons, has passed away aged 78. ‘Der Kaiser’ was an extraordinary player, successful coach and popular pundit who shaped German football like no other,” the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said in a statement.

Germany’s Bundesliga called Beckenbauer “a true icon, then, now, and always” while the English Premier League said “‘Der Kaiser’ was as elegant as he was dominant. He will forever be remembered.”

Rudi Voller, World Cup winner in 1990 and director of the German national team, said it was “one of the great privileges” of his life to “have known and experienced Franz Beckenbauer”.

“Our time together with the national team was crowned with the 1990 World Cup title in Rome, a title that would never have been possible without his outstanding coaching performance,” he said.

“German football is losing its greatest personality; I am losing a good friend.”



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UEFA set to ‘lose power’ but will football’s Super League take off? | Football

European football’s governing body UEFA is set to “lose a lot of power” in the wake of a recent court ruling on a breakaway league, experts have said, as the continental body’s long-standing monopoly on the running of the sport faces a new challenge.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and global governing body the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) violated European Union laws by preventing the formation of the Super League in 2021, when 12 of Europe’s premier football clubs including Manchester United and Bayern Munich announced they had signed up for the planned league, sending shock waves through the sport.

UEFA and FIFA were deemed to have abused their dominant position by prohibiting clubs from participating in the “closed” league, as per the initial proposal.

Following protests from fans, widespread condemnation and a stark warning from UEFA that clubs and players who took part in it would be barred from competitions like the World Cup, the project crashed.

Within 48 hours, nine of the 12 rebel clubs – including six from England’s Premier League – backed down and the project collapsed. The league’s promoters, A22 Sports Management, launched a legal challenge through Spanish courts, which referred the question to the Luxembourg-based ECJ.

Judgement on UEFA’s ‘abuse of power’

Sports management and economic experts believe the court’s “very strong judgement” proves that UEFA’s long-standing monopoly on the running of the game on the continent can be challenged, but the fate of the breakaway project remains uncertain.

“It’s a judgement on the abuse of power by UEFA,” JD Tena, a senior lecturer in sports business and management at the University of Liverpool, told Al Jazeera.

“It’s difficult to forecast what will happen in the future, but it’s not difficult to figure out that UEFA will lose a lot of power in terms of organising and taking the reigns of competitions.”

UEFA, which has organised pan-European competitions for nearly 70 years, considers the Super League as a threat to its flagship Champions League and has launched a major reform of the competition.

From 2024-25 onwards, the Champions League will include 36 teams instead of 32. The clubs will play in a single league competition, replacing the current group stage and guaranteeing at least eight matches for each team.

UEFA has said ECJ’s ruling does not signify an endorsement or validation of the Super League, but addressed a “pre-existing shortfall” in UEFA’s framework, which it said it had subsequently corrected in June 2022.

“UEFA remains resolute in its commitment to uphold the European football pyramid, ensuring that it continues to serve the broader interests of society,” UEFA said in a statement.

‘Reputational damage’

While Super League organisers were excited about the unexpected reprieve by the ECJ, major leagues and clubs moved to support the status quo.

Premier League club Manchester United were one of the first to say they remained committed to playing in competitions run by UEFA, as did Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said it “unequivocally supports” competitions organised by UEFA, while the European Club Association, which represents nearly 500 clubs across the continent, said the football world had “moved on from the Super League years ago”.

Spanish La Liga’s Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only clubs that have shown strong support for the proposed league, which analysts say suffered considerable “reputational damage” in 2021.

“For the Super League or any other breakaway league to be alive, there needs to be a legal and financial case for it. And I think the financial case is starting to look slightly shaky,” Christina Philippou, who teaches accounting, economics and finance at the University of Portsmouth, told Al Jazeera.

Philippou believes that despite interest from several big clubs, the league’s image has taken a blow.

“Potential partners will need big reassurances and will weigh up the risk,” she said.

Sports management expert Tena believes the Super League proposal is “very interesting”, but it is difficult to predict which clubs would be interested in joining it.

“This is like a poker game. You don’t know what is the real feeling about it,” Tena said.

“Many of these clubs that now are against the Super League were involved in the initial process – they suddenly moved out when they were threatened by UEFA. So we don’t know if, in a free environment, they will freely choose to join the Super League.”

Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only clubs that have shown strong support for the proposed league [File: Nacho Doce/Reuters]

New format

After ECJ’s ruling, A22 announced a rebooted version of the Super League, introducing promotion and relegation that was missing in its initial proposal. It also attempted to win over fans by promising free-to-watch matches.

The proposed format for the men’s competition includes 64 teams in three leagues – Star, Gold and Blue. The Star and Gold Leagues will have 16 clubs each while the Blue League has 32 clubs. The women’s competition would have two leagues of 16 clubs each.

However, the revamped structure and lure of free matches may not be enough to enthuse football fans.

“It does feel a bit like flogging a dead horse in terms of pursuing the European Super League idea,” Mark Middling, a senior lecturer in accounting at Northumbria University, said of the new proposals.

“The new format, still, seems too much of a trade-off compromise. If you’re in that Star League at the top, it is still going to be very difficult for that team to be relegated from European football.

“So even though a team might be doing poorly in their domestic league, they could still be at the upper echelons of the European league as far as I can work out. It almost takes away the romanticism of football.”

Tena, on the other hand, believes the Super League could attract fans and sponsors, as the format would include matches involving big clubs from day one.

“People are afraid of new things. When the European Cup, which is now the Champions League, was created, people were afraid that this was going to destroy the domestic leagues. But in the end, it became a great idea,” he said.

“The EuroLeague in basketball, which is semi-closed, is a good experiment and people enjoy it. People also enjoy a lot of American leagues that have closed formats. So it’s just a matter of time before people realise the Super League is not as bad as they expect.”

‘Not going to be accepted by fans’

The ECJ has said its judgement does not necessarily mean the Super League project must be approved and has left it to the Spanish courts to decide.

Should it get a green light from the courts, Philippou expects the breakaway league to face financial challenges, especially in commercial and broadcasting rights.

“Broadcasting rights tend to be built up,” she said. “In a new league, organisers are going to have some issues trying to get broadcasting deals.

“Also, established broadcasters are not going to want to dilute a product they already have. So if they’ve got the Champions League rights, they’re not going to necessarily want to dilute that by bidding for other leagues.

“If you look at all the broadcasting rights, except for the Premier League, they’ve been heading in a sort of flat direction, which isn’t good for new entrants.”

Philippou added that the Super League might have more scope in pushing the women’s competition, but with challenges of its own.

“There’s less of an ingrained market and long-term history of people watching a particular competition in women’s football,” she said. “But that’s where it gets complicated because, in Europe, a lot of women’s teams are affiliated with men’s teams.

“Women’s team might benefit more from joining the Super League but because the men’s team wouldn’t want to be associated with it, the women’s teams won’t get to play [in it].”

While many challenges await the Super League, fans’ resistance could once again be its biggest hurdle.

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have stood firm against the Super League since 2021, and have called for greater protection of the game, while UK-based campaign group Fair Game believes the Super League is not in the wider interests of the sport.

“You can have all the legal contracts that you want, but if fans don’t buy into it, it’s not going to work,” Middling, who is also part of Fair Game, said.

“I think way too much damage was caused in the initial launch, and anything around the European Super League is so tainted that it’s not going to be accepted by fans.”

Fans’ resistance could prove to be a big hurdle for the proposed league [File: Carl Recine/Reuters]



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All you need to know about the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 | Football News

Tournament format, venues, title favourites, groups and prize money for AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast.

The Confederation of African Football’s (CAF’s) highly anticipated African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 is set to kick off on January 13 in the Ivory Coast, where the continent’s biggest stars are expected to shine after an impressive showing for their respective clubs and the Qatar World Cup 2022.

The tournament boasts five teams from the tournament in Qatar, with semifinalists at the global showpiece – Morocco – the red-hot favourites to become the champions of Africa.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming AFCON:

Who are the hosts?

The African Cup of Nations takes place in Ivory Coast for a second time.

Matches will be held at six stadiums across five cities.

The capital, Abidjan, offers two venues – the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium and the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, which will also host the final.

Yamoussoukro, Bouake, Korhogo and San Pedro will host the remaining fixtures.

Which teams have qualified?

  • Group A – Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau
  • Group B – Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique
  • Group C – Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, and The Gambia
  • Group D – Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola
  • Group E – Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, and Namibia
  • Group F – Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania

When are the opening fixtures?

Ivory Coast face Guinea-Bissau in the opening match at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, on January 13 in Group A. The kickoff is at 20:00 GMT.

The host nation will have the focus on the first day, but after that, there will be a minimum of two games per day through the group stage.

On match-day two, Nigeria take on Equatorial Guinea at 14:00 GMT to complete the first round of fixtures in Group A, with the game again being played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

Abidjan remains the focus for the next two games of the day as Egypt meet Mozambique before Ghana open against Cape Verde. Both Group B games will be played at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium that day, with kickoff times of 15:00 GMT and 20:00 GMT, respectively.

The newly built Alassane Ouattara Stadium will host the opening match and the final of the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations [File: Luc Gnago/Reuters]

How does the group stage work?

The top two teams in each group and the four best-ranked third-placed teams will advance to the last 16.

The bottom teams and the two worst-ranked third-placed teams in each group will be eliminated from the tournament.

How does the knockout stage work?

There will be three rest days from January 24 before the last-16 fixtures commence.

This is how the last 16 stage looks:

  • Group D winners vs third place Group B/E/F
  • Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up
  • Group A winners vs third place Group C/D/E
  • Group B second place vs Group F runners-up
  • Group B winners vs third place Group A/C/D
  • Group C winners vs third Place Group A/B/F
  • Group E winners vs Group D runners-up
  • Group F winners vs Group E runners-up
Egypt have won a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, but Mohamed Salah has lost in both the 2017 and 2021 finals [File: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters]

Who are the past winners?

Egypt are the record winners in AFCON’s history with seven titles. They were also runners-up most recently, in 2017 and 2021.

Cameroon are the second most successful team with five wins.

Ghana have lifted the trophy on four occasions but not since 1982. That still, however, will irk their West African rivals, Nigeria, who have claimed the title three times.

Hosts Ivory Coast, Algeria (winners in 2019) and DR Congo have two wins each.

Senegal are defending their only Africa Cup of Nations crown, while Morocco, the highest-ranked nation, have also only been crowned winners once, and that was in 1976. Tunisia, Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo have also lifted the title on one occasion.

Who are the favourites?

World Cup semifinalists Morocco are the clear favourites as they look to end a nearly 40-year wait for their second AFCON crown.

The 1976 winners are the highest-ranked team at the tournament.

Reigning champions Senegal and the team they defeated in the last edition, Egypt, are expected to be the teams to push them closest.

Nigeria boast the squad with the most depth.

How much is the prize money?

There will be a 40 percent increase in the prize money for the winners of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The winners of the latest edition in Ivory Coast will receive 5.5 million pounds ($7m).

The runners-up will get 3.165 million pounds ($4m), with each of the two semifinalists receiving 1.979 million pounds ($2.5m) and the four quarterfinalists taking 1.029 million pounds ($1.3m) each.

Where can the matches be watched?

Global listings are available from livesoccertv.com.



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PSG’s Mbappe undecided on club future as contract winds down | Football News

French striker says he’s ‘very motivated’ at PSG but hasn’t made up his mind about where he’s going to play next season.

Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe says he has not made up his mind about where he will play next season as his contract enters its final six months.

Mbappe said last year he would not renew his contract at PSG, which expires at the end of the 2023-24 season when he could leave Paris for free.

The France captain, who has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid, is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a new club.

“First of all, I’m very, very, very motivated for this year. It’s very important,” Mbappe told reporters after PSG’s 2-0 win over Toulouse in the French Super Cup final on Wednesday night.

“As I said, 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.

“But in any case, with the agreement I made with the chairman [Nasser al-Khelaifi] this summer, it doesn’t matter what I decide.

“We managed to protect all parties and preserve the club’s serenity for the challenges ahead, which remains the most important thing. So we’ll say it’s secondary.”

Media reports in September said Mbappe had agreed to forego loyalty bonuses worth up to 100 million euros ($109.17m) if he left PSG on a free transfer.

In 2022, Mbappe waited until May to announce a contract extension at PSG, just weeks before the transfer window opened. The 25-year-old said he may not leave it so late this time around.

“I think it was the end of May in 2022 because I didn’t know until May,” he added.

“If I know what I want to do, why drag it out? It just doesn’t make sense.”

Mbappe’s goal in the 2-0 victory over Toulouse took his overall tally to 22 in 23 matches this season and extended his PSG scoring record to 234 since joining in the summer of 2017.

But he failed to score or make an impression when PSG lost 4-1 at Newcastle and 2-1 at AC Milan in the Champions League, scraping into the last 16 in second place in the final round of games.

Still, Mbappe is enjoying playing under new coach Luis Enrique.

“He arrived with clear ideas. It takes time but I think we’re starting to see some interesting things,” Mbappe said.

“It’s more structured, you can see it in the way we attack.”

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Mohamed Salah’s AFCON 2023 quest reignites club vs country debate | Football News

A few minutes after joining the elite 150-goal club for Liverpool and helping his team climb to the top of a closely contested Premier League table, Mohamed Salah laid bare his ambition to “win this competition”.

The player of the match in Monday’s 4-2 win over Fulham had already shifted his focus to winning a trophy that has eluded him after two finals – the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Egypt’s captain Salah would soon depart the United Kingdom to link up with his teammates for the continental championship being held in the Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11.

The tournament was originally scheduled for the summer of 2023, but was postponed due to the rainy season in the West African host nation.

Following his two goals against Newcastle at Anfield, which also sent him to the joint top of the scoring charts alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Salah was pressed about his priorities by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.

“It means a lot to play in the national team,” Salah replied. “It’s a great feeling every time you step on the field with the national team jersey.”

“It’s something I cannot take for granted. I am just happy to be there, happy to play in the tournament.

“I want to win this competition [AFCON]. I would love to win it,” he reaffirmed.

Salah has been at the losing end of two AFCON finals – in 2017 as a young striker and in 2021 as the captain who tearfully saw his side lose to Senegal in a penalty shootout.

Now a talismanic leader of the Pharaohs, Salah would be determined to ensure his team walks away as champions for a record-extending eighth time.

A pyramid-sized hole for Liverpool

Despite its popularity in the football-mad African continent and beyond, AFCON has been somewhat of a controversial competition in the past given its historical placing midway through the league seasons in Europe.

It has even led to clubs suggesting they would not sign African internationals given their absence from club duties as they participate in the event, which is staged every two years.

Salah is arguably the biggest departure from the European stage for this edition of Africa’s showpiece tournament.

The 31-year-old has helped Liverpool, which finished fifth last season and failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, to a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League as it enters its second half.

A shot at a second league title in 34 years is within touching distance for the Reds, but their record-breaking forward, who also leads the charts for assists in the Premier League in 2023, is going to leave a pyramid-sized hole behind him.

When AFCON’s move from the summer of 2023 to the beginning of 2024 was confirmed, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp termed it a “catastrophe”.

“If we have to make a decision about bringing in a player [to the club] – it’s massive because, before the season, you know you don’t have him for at least four weeks,” Klopp added, referring to players missing club matches in order to participate in AFCON.

With Klopp’s team leading the league by a slim margin of three points, Salah’s availability – or lack thereof – has made Liverpool fans uncomfortable.

As the Premier League top-four race heats up, Dan Plumley – a sport finance expert – believes it will be interesting to watch how Salah’s absence affects Liverpool’s title push.

“There may not be a big difference in prize money for each place in the Premier League, but winning the title itself is huge – much like winning AFCON would be for Salah,” Plumley told Al Jazeera.

“The UEFA Champions League is the biggest [financial] issue and assuming Liverpool drop off [in the Premier League] and go outside the top four spots, that’s worth around 50 million pounds ($63m).”

Club duty put on hold

Salah is slated to miss seven games for Liverpool should he lead his side to the final on February 11. This includes Chelsea’s visit to Anfield on January 31 and Liverpool’s trip to title rivals Arsenal four days later.

In England, Arsenal and Tottenham will also be hit hard by AFCON in terms of absentees.

Spurs and Liverpool will also have to do without South Korea’s Son Heung-min and Japan’s Wataru Endo respectively as the pair depart for the Asian Cup, which is running simultaneously to AFCON.

Manchester United are set to lose their first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The Cameroonian stopper retired from international football following his expulsion from the national team during the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

After Onana was sent home following a fallout with manager Rigobert Song, it appeared his future with Cameroon was over. However, Onana reversed his decision last September, barely two months after Onana’s debut for United.

Would United have signed him had they known he may return for Cameroon?

Plumley, who teaches sport finance at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, agreed that player availability can affect signings.

“Scheduling is likely to influence player signing decision-making,” he said.

The Confederation of African Football proposed in 2017 for AFCON to be held during European summer months from 2019 onwards. While the 2019 edition in Egypt was held in June and July, the 2021 tournament in Cameroon was pushed to January and February 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to avoid adverse weather conditions.

Plumley believes scheduling poses a problem for the wider football calendar.

“The revamped FIFA Club World Cup will likely move to the summer and there are also the Euros and Copa America, so it’s a crowded schedule,” he said.

“Ultimately, you have to protect AFCON, so clubs will have to put up with it wherever it falls, but it if stays in winter it will continue to cause issues between clubs and country.

“Clubs will be factoring things like this into the signings, especially when the [player signing] fees are so high.”

Which clubs will miss players to AFCON and the Asian Cup?

Joining the list of club absentees, the recently crowned men’s African footballer of the year Victor Osimhen will also turn up for Nigeria after taking his leave from Italy’s defending champions Napoli, whom he helped clinch their first Serie A title since 1990.

French champions Paris Saint-Germain will lose Achraf Hakimi to one of the pre-tournament favourites Morocco.

In the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr will have to do without defending champions Senegal’s Sadio Mane, and Al-Ahli will lose Riyad Mahrez to Algeria.

Here are some of the big-name players replacing their club colours with that of their country during AFCON and the Asian Cup 2023:

Premier League

  • Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan)
  • Aston Villa: Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
  • Chelsea: Nicolas Jackson (Senegal)
  • Fulham: Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
  • Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Wataru Endo (Japan)
  • Manchester United: Andre Onana (Cameroon), Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco)
  • Tottenham Hotspur: Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal), Yves Bissouma (Mali), Son Heung-min (South Korea)
  • West Ham: Mohammed Kudus (Ghana), Said Benrahma (Algeria), Nayef Aguerd (Morocco) and Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)

Ligue 1

  • Paris Saint-Germain: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Lee Kang-in (South Korea)
  • Lille: Nabil Bentaleb and Adam Ounas (both Algeria)
  • Nice: Hicham Boudaoui (Algeria)
  • Le Havre: Andre Ayew (Ghana)
  • Marseille: Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr (both Senegal)
  • Monaco: Takumi Minamino (Japan)

Serie A

  • AC Milan: Ismael Bennacer (Algeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria)
  • Napoli: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)
  • Roma: Houssem Aouar (Algeria)

Saudi Pro League

  • Al-Ahli: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Edouard Mendy (Senegal), Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast)
  • Al Ahly: Ali Maaloul (Tunisia) 
  • Al Ittihad: Ahmed Hegazy (Egypt) 
  • Al Nassr: Seko Fofana (Ivory Coast)
  • Al-Hilal: Yassine Bounou (Morocco), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)

Bundesliga

  • Bayer Leverkusen: Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Victor Boniface (Nigeria)
  • Stuttgart: Silas (DR Congo)
  • Borussia Dortmund: Sebastien Haller (Ivory Coast)
  • Bayern Munich: Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Kim Min-jae (South Korea)



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Rubiales kiss not consensual, Spain’s Jenni Hermoso tells court | Football News

Hermoso appeared at a court in Madrid to give her version of the kiss by Luis Rubiales, which sparked a crisis in Spanish football.

Spanish World Cup-winning star Jenni Hermoso has told a judge that the kiss forced on her by disgraced former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales was “at no point consensual” and that she had come under pressure to defend his actions.

Hermoso was at the Madrid court on Tuesday to give her version of the kiss following Spain’s victory over England in the final in Sydney in August.

The 33-year-old went to testify before Judge Francisco de Jorge, who is investigating Rubiales on allegations of sexual assault and coercion.

“Now, everything is in the hands of the justice system and that’s all I can say,” she told reporters on leaving court several hours later.

“The judicial process will continue its course, and thanks for the support that many of you had given to me.”

During the incident on August 20, the then-head of Spain’s RFEF football federation held her head in both hands and forcibly kissed her on the lips after Spain won the World Cup in Australia.

He has said the act was “a consensual peck” but Hermoso has insisted it was not.

The incident sparked outrage across the football world and ignited one of the worst crises in the history of the sport in Spain. It also led to a boycott of the national team by the World Cup-winning players, and Rubiales‘s eventual resignation despite his denial of wrongdoing and his assertion that the kiss was consensual.

Hermoso was expected to reiterate in court her allegations that the kiss was unwanted and Rubiales and his staff tried to pressure her and her family to downplay the incident that tarnished Spain’s first Women’s World Cup title.

The testimony was behind closed doors. Spanish media said Hermoso asked the judge to keep her court appearance as private as possible.

She arrived wearing a grey coat and waved to journalists before entering the court through one of its main entrances along with her lawyers.

The judge is also hearing testimony from other World Cup-winning players, coaches and federation officials, before deciding whether to start a trial.

Rubiales previously denied wrongdoing to the judge who imposed a restraining order on him not to contact Hermoso.

The 33-year-old Hermoso, the record scorer for Spain’s women’s team, said last year she received threats in the fallout from the kiss, though she did not elaborate.

Based on a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty, according to the prosecutors’ office in Madrid. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any unconsented sexual act.

Under Spanish law, a non-consensual kiss can be considered sexual assault – a criminal category that groups all types of sexual violence.

In October, the judge questioned three others over allegations they also pressured Hermoso – former women’s coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team director Albert Luque and RFEF marketing boss Ruben Rivera.

Numerous other witnesses have testified in court over the pressure faced by Hermoso, among them two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and two other Spanish teammates.

FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men’s 2026 World Cup. His ban will expire before the next women’s tournament in 2027.

He resigned as the federation president and as a UEFA vice president on September 10 amid mounting pressure in Spain from lawmakers and players. One day later, UEFA thanked Rubiales for his service.

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Arkadag FC all-conquering in a bizarre football season in Turkmenistan | Football

There is a new power in Central Asian football and, a year ago, it did not even exist.

Turkmenistan’s Arkadag FC kicked their first-ever ball in a competitive game just in April with a 2-1 win over Merw in the country’s top division. They then strolled to the league title by winning every match in the 24-game league season.

By the end, the champions of the nine-team league scored 83 goals and conceded only 17.

It is perhaps not that surprising that this completely new club has immediately become dominant at home.

They are one of the projects started by former president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who was known to the nation of six million as “Arkadag” – a nickname which translates to “Hero Protector”. The ruler, who took power in 2006, handed the reins of state to his son Serdar Berdymukhamedov in 2022 but is still very much on the political scene.

One of his biggest legacies is the construction of a smart city, which cost about $5bn, also called Arkadag, based in the south of the country near the capital, Ashgabat. It was quickly decided that the 70,000 or so residents of this modern metropolis needed a new club.

Berdymukhamedov senior was not just involved in the naming of the team but also designed the logo, which is that of a horse, a recurring image in the president’s tenure during which he was often portrayed on horseback.

‘It’s basically the national team’

Ahead of the 2023 season, this new club moved into the transfer market and signed most of the country’s top players such as national team captain Arslanmyrat Amanov and star striker Altymyrat Annadurdyyew. In a recent squad named for World Cup qualification, 14 of the 26 selected were Arkadag players.

“At a certain point the president decided to have his own club and they now have the best players,” Alisher Nikimbaev, former manager of the Uzbekistan national team and an Asian Football Confederation official, told Al Jazeera.

“This is now basically the national team of Turkmenistan playing in a local competition. They are winning everything. It is no surprise as they have the administration behind them but this is a normal situation in Turkmenistan.”

Turkmenistan has been compared with North Korea in terms of the personality cults that surround its leaders and also as it is one of the most secretive, isolated and authoritarian countries in the world.

According to Al Jazeera sources, there have been rumblings of discontent from fans of other clubs at the fact that the transfer window was extended so Arkadag could complete all the player signings it wanted. There has also been grumbling over perceived favourable decisions from referees, such as a controversial decision given in the final seconds against Sagadam in November that ensured a 3-2 victory.

“Publicly there is no objection as people here are used to living under a dictatorship and are used to not saying whatever they think,” said Nikimbaev.

It is also hard to genuinely say what kind of enthusiasm exists in the new city for the new team. The 10,000 capacity Arkadag Stadium is full on match days but Nikimbaev pointed out that the stands look regimented.

“There are not many fans, it is all organised and they are groups who all come in the same uniform.”

Central Asia

Arkadag’s story is not unique in the region. In 2013, Astana FC was incorporated into the Astana Presidential Sports Club, a project of then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev which received financial backing from Samruk-Kazyna, a sovereign wealth fund created by Nazarbayev in 2008.

The club then won the next six league titles in the country and has played in the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in the world.

In 2008, Uzbekistan made headlines around the world as Bunyodkor FC signed Brazilian superstar Rivaldo and then played a friendly game against Barcelona. The Tashkent-based club, which then went on to win five of the next six league titles and reached the last four of the Asian Champions League in 2009, was closely linked to Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of President Islam Karimov.

“It’s part of a campaign by the president to win popularity for his daughter,” former British ambassador to the country Craig Murray said in 2009. “I hear that she will eventually replace him as president. The regime is trying to win popularity by the old-fashioned bread and circuses method.”

It didn’t work as she was jailed after her father died in 2016.

Over in Dushanbe, Istiklol have dominated the Tajikistan league since 2007. It was co-founded by the son of President Emomali Rahmon. Rustam Emomali also went on to play for the team, only stopping in 2012 when he became president of the country’s football association.

Istiklol even made the Asian Champions League, the continent’s premier club competition, famously defeating Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in 2021.

Mubin Ergashev was the coach at the time.

“Arkadag have a project and a plan and like Istiklol, what they need is time and to develop understanding between their players,” Ergashev, who also coached the Tajikistan national team, told Al Jazeera, adding that they may need to improve their squad with foreign players to challenge for trophies in Asia.

With domestic domination complete, that is the next step. Arkadag will participate in the AFC Cup, the continent’s second-tier competition.

“They have the best players so in the short term, maybe the club can achieve something in Asia,” said Nikimbaev. “In the long term, it won’t be successful as the dominance of Arkadag will bring down the level of competition in Turkmenistan.”

Istiklol reached the final of the AFC Cup in 2015 and 2017 but Ergashev is unsure as to whether there will be any international glory for Arkadag – both club and former president – to bask in.

“We will have to wait and see what happens when they play next year,” said Ergashev.

The coach is also concerned about the standard of the league in Turkmenistan if it stays too easy for Arkadag FC.

“It isn’t good if the best team in a country does not have a rival.”

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Top 10 men’s football moments of 2023 | Football News

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar may have fallen in 2022, but 2023 went a long way towards matching last year for stories and events.

Here are Al Jazeera’s top 10 football moments from the men’s game for this calendar year:

1. Manchester City win the Champions League

Manchester City were finally crowned champions of Europe in June when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final.

It was the trophy that had eluded City and their esteemed manager, Pep Guardiola, in his time with the club.

For the Spaniard, it was his third Champions League triumph after the two he claimed with Barcelona, but the wait to lead City to continental glory was becoming the elephant in the room.

The win secured the domestic treble for City as they won the Premier League for a third consecutive year. It also opened the door for City to challenge in two more competitions – the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

2. Osimhen leads Napoli to Serie A glory

Victor Osimhen finished top scorer in Serie A to help Napoli to their first Serie A title since Diego Maradona graced the Italian top flight.

The Nigerian striker netted 26 goals in a stellar season that alerted all of Europe’s top clubs.

Napoli had to wait 33 years to lift La Scudetta once again, but thanks to Osimhen’s goals, they did it at a canter – finishing 16 points clear of Lazio.

Napoli’s 2023 story was far from simple, though, as we’ll explore in a moment.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen was Serie A’s leading scorer as Napoli won the title [File: Alberto Lingria/Reuters]

3. Messi wins eighth Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi was also on the move in 2023 as the former Barcelona star swapped Paris for Miami.

The Argentinean’s time at Paris St Germain didn’t quite go to plan, but a glamorous move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami is expected to help sprinkle some glitz on Major League Soccer in the United States.

It has hardly been a barren couple of years for Messi. After Argentina’s World Cup win at Qatar in 2022, the forward was handed his eighth Ballon d’Or.

He claimed his first in 2009 as his incredible club career began. The latest, though, must have been the sweetest award for Messi, who was rewarded for finally joining some of the game’s greats in holding aloft the World Cup.

4. Ronaldo moves to Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his European love affair when he switched Manchester for Saudi Arabia.

From Sporting Lisbon to United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Old Trafford again, Ronaldo decided to take up the challenge of the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr.

The Portuguese had been linked to a host of Europe’s top clubs when his exit from United became apparent after his 2022 reveal-all TV interview with Piers Morgan.

The transfer was made on the first day of the year, and it opened the door for a number of top names to follow suit. You can read all about Ronaldo’s move and more in our Top 10 transfers of 2023 review.

5. Napoli’s smile is turned upside down

Having claimed the Serie A title, manager Luciano Spalletti immediately left Napoli to take time out of the game.

The 64-year-old, who said he was tired, was replaced by Rudi Garcia – but he lasted only 16 games before being sacked.

Walter Mazzarri took charge with the title defence in tatters, both on and off the field, given rumours of unrest – most especially for their prized-asset Osimhen, who deleted a series of social media posts venting his frustration at the club.

Matters weren’t helped by a controversial post by the club themselves seemingly mocking a penalty miss by Osimhen.

Although it was quickly removed, the player’s agent was quick to express his disappointment at what he described as disrespect for his client, and legal action was even threatened.

Perhaps Spalletti saw a storm brewing on the horizon.

6. Manchester City win the Club World Cup

A quadruple already in the bag, Manchester City headed to Saudi Arabia last week as heavy favourites for the FIFA Club World Cup.

A 2-0 semifinal win against Japan’s Uwara Reds appeared a stroll in the park, but that was nothing compared with the final.

Guardiola’s side secured a fifth trophy in 2023 with a 4-0 hammering of Brazil’s Fluminense.

The scoreline didn’t flatter City in any way whatsoever in what was a complete mismatch.

The Premier League and FA Cup in England were followed by the Champions League and the Super Cup in Europe. Now the Club World Cup.

Not only Manchester, England and Europe are blue – the world is now too.

Manchester City’s Kyle Walker celebrates with the trophy after winning the Club World Cup final on December 22, 2023 [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]

7. Europe’s elite face twofold threat to dominance

Europe’s top clubs were pushed into reverse in 2021 when fan outrage forced nine of the 12 founding clubs to pull out of a proposed European Super League.

It appeared to kill off any threat to the dominance that Europe’s governing body, UEFA, held over club competitions on the continent.

The Super Cup and the Champions League seemed safe.

But this past year, a threat came from outside the continent with so many of the world’s top stars following Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League, which has established itself as a serious rival to the elite level that Europe’s top leagues monopolised for so long.

A further threat to UEFA emerged late in the year when in December the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA and FIFA are “abusing a dominant position” by banning clubs from joining a European Super League, which it deemed unlawful.

8. The tightest Premier League title race in history

Manchester City stormed to the treble in the first half of 2023, but the second half of the year seems to promise a much tighter Premier League title race.

City slipped out of the top four as Tottenham Hotspur leaped into the Champions League qualification spots.

Spurs had enjoyed top spot after a fine start – as did Newcastle United. Both are now challenging for the top four after a top three pulled clear.

The most unlikely of the trio of contenders to City’s crown has been Aston Villa. Under former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, the Villans have stormed the usual suspects’ party.

Manchester United have slipped away again as their troubles mount on and off the field, and they look set to scrap with Newcastle, Spurs and now West Ham for the nearly ran positions – which at the turn of the year doesn’t include a mid-table Chelsea side in yet another transition.

Liverpool and Arsenal seem to have recovered their houses, though, and Guardiola’s world champions will have to use all their experience from winning five trophies in 2023 if they’re to catch the pace setters in the first half of 2024.

There has never been such a wide open Premier League – it’s usually a two-horse race – and there are plenty of twists and turns still to come.

Ineos Chairman Jim Ratcliffe is pictured at Old Trafford in Manchester [File: Phil Noble/Reuters]

9. Manchester United’s sale saga

A story that has rumbled all year is the sale of Manchester United. Would they or wouldn’t they? The Glaziers put the club up for sale in November 2022, but then there were rumours that they had removed the “for sale” sign.

English businessman and United fan Jim Ratcliffe ended the year with his purchase of a 25 percent stake in the club and the assumption of control of footballing operations from the Glazers.

The main rival bid by Qatari businessman Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani was withdrawn, leaving the path clear Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group.

Al Jazeera has explored where and how the purchase will take the club from here.

10. Europa glory for the underdogs

Sevilla and West Ham made a case for the smaller clubs on the continental stage as the pair lifted the two Europa cups.

Sevilla beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Europa League final.

The Spanish club beat both Manchester United and Juventus on their way to the final.

West Ham lifted the Europa Conference League title after a 2-1 win against Fiorentina in the final.

The Italians boasted the competition’s leading scorer, Arthur Cabral, who netted seven goals, but the Brazilian couldn’t come up with the goods to stop the Hammers.

Mohamed Said Benrahma opened the scoring from the penalty spot, but Giacomo Bonaventua levelled before Jarrod Bowen won it in injury time for the East Londoners.

It ended a 44-year wait for the Hammers to lift silverware while Declan Rice was named player of the tournament – which set about the biggest transfer scramble of the summer window.



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