Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 103 i Soccer 360 Magazine

ARSENAL After coming so incredibly close to pulling off a most unexpected triumph last term, Arsenal now know they have the ability to win the Premier League title. As they look to bounce back from the pain of losing out, the Gunners have gone all out in the transfer window to add the strength in depth needed to carry them all the way in the top-flight and handle a return to the Champions League after six years away. Declan Rice is the standout arrival and is expected to take the team to the next level, although an early season injury to classy defender Jurrien Timber is a setback. With the outstanding Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka continuing to lead the way in attack, Arsenal could go very close again in…

BORN FEBRUARY 22ND, 2000 Timothy Weah was born in 2000 on February 22nd in Brooklyn, New York. HIS FATHER IS FOOTBALL ROYALTY George Weah. Considered one of the Greatest African football players of all time. He was the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year and also won the Ballon d’Or in the same year. George Weah played for some of the biggest football clubs in Europe. These include; Monaco, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Marseille. Signed His First Professional Contract In 2017 Weah signed his first professional contract with PSG on July 3rd, 2017. He was now a member of his father’s former team. He made his first start in a 0-0 draw with Caen and scored his first goal for PSG in a 4-0 win against Monaco.…

AUGSBURG It seems like a lifetime ago that Augsburg were finishing fifth in the Bundesliga and making their bow in the Europa League. Last season saw them barely avoid the drop by just one point after a miserable campaign that saw them win just nine games, but despite losing their last three consecutive ties, luck was on Augsburg’s side. They have been afloat in the Bundesliga since the 2011-12 season, so it’ll be interesting to see if this 13th successive campaign will prove unlucky. To avoid that, they will hope new €4m signing Mergim Berisha can continue scoring the goals after an impressive loan spell with the club in 2022-23. NICKNAME: Fuggerstädter (named after the famous Fugger family of Augsburg, founders of the Fuggerei) MANAGER: Enrico Maaßen LAST YEAR FINISH: Bundesliga,…

Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands are struggling to get themselves into gear in 2023, but they are not the only major European nation to suffer from a slight qualification stumble, since the start of the campaign. Scotland’s brilliant four wins from four has left Spain trailing behind them in Group A, with Italy also in a somewhat tricky spot in Group C. The Azzurri have also had to contend with the resignation of coach Roberto Mancini as they look to defend their European title in 2024, on the back of missing out on a place at the 2022 World Cup. The teams who competed in the Nations League do still have games in hand to try and boost their status, but there have been some impressive early showings from unfancied sides in…

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in December raised many eyebrows around the footballing world, as many felt the Portuguese superstar would remain in Europe to compete in the Champions League and not disappear into a less high-profile league solely for a final big payday. It became apparent then last winter that the Saudis obviously had high hopes to bring as many big star names to the country as possible and to build a competitive domestic competition that could draw interest from around the globe. Karim Benzema began the exodus of European-based players heading to the Arabian Peninsula this summer, with the likes of Neymar, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Riyad Mahrez, and Marcelo Brozovic joining various clubs. It has not been…

“MESSI TURNED DOWN A REPORTED €1.5 BILLION OVER THREE YEARS TO PLAY WITH AL-HILAL IN SAUDI ARABIA” “MESSI AMAZED DURING HIS FIRST DAYS IN MIAMI, SCORING AN INCREDIBLE EIGHT GOALS FROM HIS FIRST FIVE GAMES” The rumours had been running rampant for years, but did anybody ever really expect to see the greatest player of a generation plying their trade in the United States? The money that had been thrown around by Saudi Arabian clubs in recent months made the idea of Lionel Messi coming to Major League Soccer seem like a pipedream. However, nobody knew how to make the impossible happen in the North American soccer landscape quite like Inter Miami co-owner, David Beckham. After all, the Englishman is the reason why the Designated Player rule even exists in…

In literature, the summer is always a fun time to write about. The main character’s typically go on a wild adventure, meet new friends, and at the end of it typically learn a little bit about themselves. For Lionel Messi, this summer has certainly played out like a great novel with Inter Miami FC’s latest signing tearing up Major League Soccer and putting a stronger spotlight on the game here in the United States. What’s interesting is that while he made an immediate impact it wasn’t necessarily in MLS, but rather the Leagues Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. League action took a break for both contests during Messifest, but it ended up to the benefit of both competitions. In its first year under a new format, the Leagues Cup…

LUIS DIAZ - LIVERPOOL After missing most of last season due to injury, Luis Diaz is looking to make up for lost time. The explosive winger adds an extra dimension to Liverpool’s attack with his lightning pace and dynamism, and will surely have an important part to play if the Reds are to reclaim a place in the top four. JOSKO GVARDIOL - MANCHESTER CITY In many people’s eyes Josko Gvardiol is the best young defender in world football, and he’s arrived at Manchester City to make last season’s treble winners appear even more formidable. During his career to date, the Croat has shown great maturity, confidence on the ball, and a natural reading of the game - all qualities which suggest he should be the perfect fit for Pep…

The 25-Year-old Footballer was born on 14 November 1997 in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France. Zodiac sign is Scorpio. Christopher enrolled in Paris Saint-Germain’s junior system in 2010 at the age of 12. He played for the youth team that finished second in the 2015-16 UEFA Youth League. On 8 December 2015, at 18, he made his first professional appearance against Shakhtar Donetsk in a UEFA Champions League match. ALMOST JOINED ARSENAL - When Christopher Nkunku decided to leave Paris, Arsenal made a swift move to secure his signature. Back in 2019, under the management of Unai Emery, Arsenal showed keen interest in Nkunku, who Emery had previously worked with at PSG. PSG set an asking price of £17 million during negotiations, but Arsenal deemed it too steep. Instead, the Gunners opted to…

The Serie A coaching carousel almost ground to a halt as only four clubs made changes for 2023-24. Apart from defending champions Napoli where Luciano Spalletti stepped down voluntarily, all of Italy’s big guns kept faith with the same tacticians as last year. The Partenopei’s shock appointment of ex-Roma coach Rudi Garcia to replace Spalletti received a lukewarm welcome. Relieved of his duties by Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in April, the Frenchman was not the high-profile appointment Napoli fans anticipated. President Aurelio De Laurentiis is known for his unconventional choices and Garcia’s preference for playing a 4-3-3 formation-which Spalletti used to devastating effect as Napoli sauntered to the title - apparently influenced his decision. Garcia takes on the considerable challenge of following in his predecessor’s footsteps by leading the Gli…

ALAVÉS The newly promoted minnows bounced straight back after just one season away in the most dramatic fashion thanks to a late converted penalty sealing play-off victory over Levante. Head coach Luis García Plaza will be targeting survival as the main priority and the Babazorros cause has been helped with the permanent signing of former Real Madrid defensive midfielder Antonio Blanco after a successful loan spell, and the loan addition of Diego Simeone’s son Giuliano, who netted nine times for Real Zaragoza in Segunda Division last season. One of the favourites for the drop, Garcia will have to hope Simeone can contribute the goals needed to survive. NICKNAME: Babazorros El Glorioso (The glorious one) Los blanquiazules (The Blue and Whites) MANAGER: Luis García Plaza LAST YEAR FINISH: Segunda División, 4th…

“HIS TALLY IS ALL THE MORE IMPRESSIVE WHEN CONSIDERING THAT ONLY 36 OTHER PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF LA LIGA HAVE MANAGED TO REACH THAT FIGURE” Griezmann has played these 500 games for three clubs and in two divisions. With Real Sociedad, he appeared in 180 matches, 39 of them in LA LIGA HYPERMOTION in the 2009/10 season, when he was one of the most outstanding players as Martín Lasarte’s side won promotion, starring alongside Xabi Prieto and Claudio Bravo. After four successful seasons with the Basque club’s first team in LA LIGA EA SPORTS, during which time he netted 46 goals, the forward then headed to Atlético de Madrid. Under Diego Simeone, he has made 246 league outings over two spells, with his time at FC Barcelona briefly pausing…

I Dan Roberts explains why Italian giants and two-time European champions Juventus will not be playing in any of the European competitions this season. For the first time in 12 years there will be no Juventus involvement in any of the continental club competitions this season. The Old Lady has been a regular in the Champions League (and the European Cup before that) but will have to concentrate on purely domestic football during the 2023-24 campaign. But this is not because Juve failed to qualify last season, but because the club was found to have breached Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Having finished fourth in Serie A in the previous two seasons. Maximiliano Allegri faced criticism going into the last campaign but was adamant that his side could compete. The…

İlkay Gündoğan, born on 24 October 1990 in Gelsenkirchen, is a German footballer of Turkish descent. Both his parents are from Turkey. He has represented Germany at the full international level since 2011, participating in two World Cups and two Eropean Championships. Gündoğan made his pro debut with Nürnberg in Bundesliga 2, and helped the Bavarian side to promotion into the top flight. His first Bundesliga Assist came against Bayern Munich, then a year later he netted his first goal again against Bayern Munich. He still claims to primarily be a Nürnberg supporter today. At 32 years old, he played in three Champions League finals. Despite scoring a penalty for Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 final, they lost to Bayern Munich. He also experienced defeat with Manchester City against Chelsea…

Heading into the Nations League finals in June, it was hard to make an overwhelming case for any of the four sides to come out on top. Italy were not in the best of form; hosts Netherlands were struggling to adapt to new coach Ronald Koeman; Croatia were impressive but were yet to win a tournament, while Spain are in a lengthy transitional period after a poor World Cup and a bumpy start to Euro 2024 qualifying. However, there had to be a winner and it was Spain, without a major tournament victory since the peak of their worldwide dominance in 2012 and since reduced to their previous status as also-rans, who rose to the occasion. A predictably tight semi-final against Italy was decided in extra time to set up…

1. Moises Caicedo (Brighton to Chelsea) - $126m plus $18m add-ons 2. Declan Rice (West Ham to Arsenal) - $126m plus $7m add-ons 3. Jude Bellingham (B. Dortmund to Real Madrid) – $110m plus $32m add-ons 4. Harry Kane (Tottenham to Bayern Munich) – $108m plus $18m add-ons 5. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal) - $108m 6. Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Man. City) – $97m 7. Kai Havertz (Chelsea to Arsenal) – $82m 8. Randal Kolo Muani (Ein. Frankfurt to PSG) – $81m plus $15 add-ons 9. Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta to Man. United) – $80m plus $10m add-ons 10. Dominik Szoboszlai (Leipzig to Liverpool) – $75m 11. Jeremy Doku (Rennes to Man. City) – $70m 12. Mason Mount (Chelsea to Man. United) – $69m plus $7m add-ons 13. Romeo…

The 24-year-old, world cup winner was born on December 24, 1998 in Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina Before making his big move to Liverpool, Mac Allister joined Brighton from Argentinian side Argentinos Juniors during the 2019 January transfer window for a fee of £8 Million. He finished the 2019 season on loan back at Argentinos Juniors. Then the following season he spent his time on loan back in Argentina again, but this time with Boca Juniors he excelled so much that brighton decided to bring him back 4 months before his loan was ending to help Brighton stay in the premier league during the 2020/21 season. FAMILY ORIGINS - Liverpool’s new signing, has Irish roots despite his Argentine nationality. The 24-year-old midfielder, generated a lot of curiosity among fans due to…

SABRINA D’ANGELO (ARSENAL/CANADA) D’Angelo is the backup to Manuela Zinsberger at Arsenal but still made six starts last for the Gunners. With Arsenal looking to win multiple trophies this year, D’Angelo will get her time to shine in London. For Canada, she has earned 13 caps and at 30 is primed to be the starter heading into next year’s Olympics. SHELINA ZADORSKY (TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR/CANADA) Spurs struggled last season, winning just five matches in league play last season. One of the primary reasons for their struggles was that they were without their captain Zadorsky for large portions of the season due to COVID-19. She just signed a one year contract to return to London and will be looking to improve upon a defense that allowed 47 goals last season. CATARINA MACARIO…

11 Jürgen Klopp has now overseen 11 consecutive Premier League wins against Eddie Howe – the longest winning run in the competition’s history by one manager against a specific opposing manager. PRIME TIME ERLING Erling Haaland is the latest sporting superstar to join team Prime - and is loving life with Logan Paul and KSI. The Manchester City frontman has signed up with the YouTube sensations to promote their energy drink, joining huge sporting names Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. An announcement was made on Prime’s Instagram page, which showed the trio together and had a caption that read: “The future of hydration meets the future of Football. PRIME x @erling.haaland.” The then posted a string of hilarious videos, one of which showed both teaming up in goal, but still…

While all the talk surrounding Inter Miami recently has been about Lionel Messi’s arrival, he wasn’t the only Barcelona legend to make the move across the pond. Both Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also decided to follow Lionel Messi to Miami. Busquets became one of the most decorated players in recent football history, spending his entire career with the Blaugrana until making his debut in Florida at the same time as Messi. Both icons entered the pitch in the 54th minute on July 21 against Cruz Azul and both had the crowd gasping until the end of the match. Alba, who spent 11 successful years at the Camp Nou, arrived after Busquets, but needed very little time to settle in. “I’m here to compete, to win, to play the best…

10.) CINDERELLA IS MAKING A BAY AREA APPEARANCE This year’s Cinderella may very well be the San Jose Earthquakes, who are looking to make their first playoff appearance since 2020 and just their second since 2016. Cristian Espinoza has led the charge with 12 goals for the ‘Quakes with Jeremy Ebobisse scoring 7 just before the League Cup break. 9.) THE TITLE DEFENSE IS ON There has been no sophomore slump for LAFC after finally winning their first-ever MLS Cup title. Last year’s late signing Denis Bouanga has come into his own in his second season in the City of Angels, scoring 12 goals prior to the Leagues Cup break. His partnership with Carlos Vela has helped LAFC out of countless jams and will prove critical during the playoffs. 8.)…

Of the 20 coaches who began the 2022-23 Premier League season, less than half are still in charge of their respective clubs, just to illustrate how treacherous the landscape has become. There are those whose positions are untouchable, such as Pep Guardiola - long regarded as the world’s greatest coach and fresh from a remarkable treble success - and wily Brentford boss Thomas Frank who has taken the London side to unprecedented heights, but other clubs have presided over a revolving door of managerial appointments. Mauricio Pochettino has taken on the considerable challenge of picking up the bones of last season’s chaotic failure at Chelsea, and his record suggests he’s the perfect man for the job. The Argentine has already reshaped what was a severely unbalanced squad, and with his…

ATALANTA Atalanta continue to upset the established order in Serie A despite frequently having to sell key players, and the theme shows few signs of stopping as the Bergamo club held out for a record £72m fee from Manchester United for young Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund and reinvested a chunk of the money on a brand-new front pairing. Italy international Gianluca Scamacca arrived after a disappointing year at West Ham United and La Dea splashed out a record $33 million on Mali forward El Bilal Toure from Almeria. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini led the perennial underdogs to fifth last year and they will rely heavily on star midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and explosive winger Ademola Lookman to achieve a similar finish this season. NICKNAME: La Dea (The Goddess) Gli Orobici I Nerazzurri…

Taking a look at the various coaches in the Bundesliga this season, Bayern Munich’s Thomas Tuchel is surely the one under the most pressure. The German tactician took over following Julian Naglesmann’s shock sacking last season, and had a rocky few months as Bayern were dumped out of both the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. However, he was able to guide Bayern to their 11th consecutive league title, albeit by the slimmest of margins following Dortmund dropping points in a draw with Mainz on the final matchday. After Bayern splashed a record-breaking €100 million on Harry Kane, Tuchel’s goal is quite simple: Bayern will need to win titles this season, or he will find himself on the chopping block. Also under pressure, but for different reasons, is one of Tuchel’s…

I Manchester City and West Ham United claimed two of the three European club competitions last season. Dan Roberts investigates whether it is the beginning of an English renaissance. The English Premier League is the wealthiest in Europe, so there should perhaps be an expectation that its clubs will dominate the continental competitions. But after a period of great success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, titles returning to the so-called home of football have been more sporadic than commonplace. There have been a number of all-England Champions League finals over the years but the two other competitions have routinely been dismissed as unimportant by Premier League clubs and fans. But now that West Ham have won their second-ever major European title - in the same year that Manchester…

“RONALD KOEMAN HAS HAD A DIFFICULT START TO HIS SECOND STINT IN CHARGE OF THE NETHERLANDS” JUNE 14 - JULY 14 The compacted Euro 2024 qualifying schedule means the majority of teams looking to book a place in Germany next summer will learn their fate before the end of 2023. This is all part of the knock-on impact of holding the 2022 World Cup within the domestic European calendar, meaning UEFA have squeezed all qualifying matches into a reduced format with the 20 automatic qualifier spots set to be all wrapped up by late November. Should they fail to progress via the normal route of finishing in the top two places in their respective qualifying groups, the only remaining option for sides looking to keep themselves on course will be…

“WINNING A WORLD CUP IS AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT” 9.) CARPENTER SET THE TONE FOR THE KIWIS AND THE TOURNAMENT One of the biggest questions heading into the 2023 World Cup was how Zealand would fare under the pressure of hosting a World Cup. In the tournament opener, they answered that question quite clearly with Hannah Wilkinson scoring the go-ahead goal for the Kiwis in their 1-0 win over Norway. After five tournament appearances, the Kiwis had earned their first-ever win in front of a packed home crowd in front of 42,137. 8.) REGGAE GIRLZ SHOCK GROUP A good defense can overcome almost all challenges in tournament soccer, even when it comes to facing tournament favorites. Against Brazil and France, Jamaica more than proved their mettle earning two clean sheets and…

Christian Pulisic (Sept. 18, AC Milan, USA) Dubbed Captain America, Christian Pulisic is celebrated for his dribbling skills and speed. The winger joined Chelsea in January 2019 for $73M, becoming the priciest North American player ever. Aged 21, he became Chelsea’s youngest hat-trick scorer. In 2020, he became the first American to net in an FA Cup Final. He equaled Messi’s fouls record in a 2021 Champions League match and won the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League, being the youngest Chelsea player in semis and the first American in a final. He secured the 2021 UEFA Super Cup and the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea. Katie McCabe (Sept. 21, Arsenal, Northern Ireland) As a teenager, Katie McCabe won the Irish Women’s National League title twice and the FAI Women’s…