Three of the biggest talents in the Premier League and Cole Palmer

The 2024-25 Premier League season kicks off tomorrow, with Man United hosting Fulham at Old Trafford at 3 PM ET to get proceedings underway. Here are complete previews for every team headed into the 33rd edition of the greatest sporting competition on the planet (don’t @ me).

The Saints have come marching back to the Premier League after spending just one season in the Championship, but this is not the same Southampton team from years’ past.

James Ward-Prowse spent last season with West Ham, and the team’s second-leading goalscorer in 2034-24, Ché Adams, signed with Torino on a free transfer earlier this summer. To make things worse, three of Southampton’s four regular defensive starters left too; center backs Duje Ćaleta-Car and Lyanco signed with Lyon and Atlético Mineiro, respectively, and left back Romain Perraud is now with Real Betis.

The return of Adam Lallana to his boyhood club will help, but the reality is that there’s not enough talent in the squad for the Premier League’s third-youngest manager to work with. Avoiding relegation will be a miracle in and of itself for Russell Martin’s side. Such is life in the world’s best league. 🪦

The Tractor Boys (yes, that’s really their nickname) are back in the Premier League for the first time since the 2001-02 season after back-to-back promotions from League One and the Championship.

Manager Kieran McKenna led his side to a 96-point, second-place finish last season, and vibes are high as the club storms into the world’s top league as plucky underdogs. Much like Luton last season, Ipswich’s squad might not knock your socks off, but they boast a cohesiveness and fighting spirit that’ll make them a tough out, especially with their supporters behind them. Don’t be shocked if your team drops points at Portman Road.

The 29,673-seat Portman Road has been Ipswich’s home since 1884

That said, avoiding relegation will be an uphill battle for the Blues, who have by far the least valuable squad in the Premier League (for reference, Liga MX’s Club América have a higher market value). Goals shouldn’t be too big of an issue with newcomers Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap leading the lines, but defense is a concern. Even 16th-place Sunderland conceded fewer goals last season, leading Ipswich to break the bank for Hull City center back Jacob Greaves.

Ipswich undoubtedly have some talented players, but a lack of experience likely means a short stint in England’s top flight, even with McKenna’s tactical prowess. 🚜

There is perhaps no player as integral to his team’s success as Ivan Toney is to Brentford’s. The English striker missed the first half of last season due to a gambling suspension, and the Bees suffered as a result. Brentford won just five of their first 20 games to open the campaign and weren’t much better when Toney – who obviously lacked match fitness – returned to the lineup, winning only three more games in which he played.

The seemingly never-ending Toney saga has reached an inflection point this summer, with the 28-year-old making it no secret of his desire to leave the club, and transfer rumors intensifying as a result. Brentford have reportedly placed a £60 million price tag on the striker, although it remains unclear if any clubs are seriously willing to meet that demand.

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It’s a tough situation to be in for Brentford. Lose their star striker, and Thomas Frank’s side will be fighting to stay up this season. Hold onto him, and they risk missing out on a pay-day as Toney would likely leave on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer.

My bet is that Brentford cash in on Toney in the closing days of the transfer window, prioritizing the long-term health of the club over short-term prospects. 🔮

The Foxes beat Ipswich by just one point to return to the Premier League after a season away, but if we learned anything from Burnley last season it’s that Championship success doesn’t always translate to the next level.

Their prospects look even bleaker when you consider that their star man, Kieran Dewsbury-Hall, has left for Chelsea alongside former manager Enzo Maresca. Making matters even worse is that Leicester are staring down the barrel of a points deduction for an alleged breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), making an already difficult task to stay up look downright treacherous.

If anyone’s up for such a challenge, it’s new manager Steve Cooper. The ex-Forest gaffer is Premier League-proven, and Leicester’s revamped squad should favor his love of the counterattack to Maresca’s possession-based style. Factor in the Foxes having several players with experience at the highest level, and I think Leicester are the most likely of the newly-promoted teams to stay up.

Hell, we might know Leicester’s fate just weeks into the season when they face a “gauntlet” of relegation contenders:

Leicester’s matchups in match-weeks 7 through 10 could decide the relegation battle

If you’re not waking up at the crack of dawn to watch Leicester vs. Bournemouth on a random Saturday in October, then do you even know ball? 🤔

After recording their best-ever Premier League points total with 48 last season, Bournemouth are a popular pick as a ‘dark horse’ candidate to finish in the top half. However, I just don’t see it happening with their current crop of players.

The loss of Dominic Solanke to Tottenham is a huge blow to Andoni Iraola’s counterattacking side. Solanke led the Cherries with 19 league goals last season – 11 more than their next-most productive player, Antoine Semenyo. The Ghanian right-winger will act as Bournemouth’s primary creative outlet off the back of a much-improved second season at the club.

Outside of Semenyo, prospects are dire for Bournemouth’s attack. The 24-year-old will be joined by Justin Kluivert, Enes Unal, and Luis Sinisterra, who combined for just ten Premier League goals last season – never a good sign for a team with top-ten ambitions.

While I have no doubts about Iraola’s ability to get the most out of his players, Bournemouth simply lack the difference-makers capable of taking close games by the scruff of the neck, something that is critical in today’s fiercely-contested Premier League. 🍒

After more than a decade of being stuck in the Championship, Nottingham Forest have finally found somewhat of a home in the Premier League, managing to avoid relegation for two consecutive seasons.

Staying up for a third straight season, however, will be the hardest test yet for the Tricky Trees, who narrowly avoided relegation in what was the worst top-flight season in recent memory. Forest’s 32-point total in 2023-24 was the lowest ever accrued by a team that stayed up, with 12 of their points coming against the three relegated clubs – Luton, Burnley, and Sheffield.

After acquiring an astounding 47 players over the past two offseasons, Forest have had a modest summer by their standards. Elliot Anderson, whom Forest acquired from Newcastle for €41 million, is the marquee signing for a group of six players that will provide Nuno Espirito Santo’s side with some much-needed depth in key areas. Unlike in seasons’ past, this group has had the entire offseason to get up to speed, and should contribute immediately when Forest open the season against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Making smart moves in the transfer window and holding on to key players like Morgan Gibbs-White should be enough for Forest to get the job done for a third consecutive season. 🌳

After taking over as manager just four days before the start of the season, Gary O’Neil enjoyed a wildly successful start to the 2023-24 campaign only for it to all come crashing down.

A top-ten finish seemed within reach as Wolves were in 11th place through Christmas, but their hot start was derailed by a disastrous run down the stretch in which they won only one of their final ten games. While the way the season ended is worrying, O’Neil signed a four-year contract with the club this summer, indicating that ownership is pleased with the Englishman’s progress and eager to see what he can do with a full offseason.

It’s a lot of trust to place in a manager whose side had a bigger goals problem than your 32-year-old neighbor who still lives in his parents’ basement. All but four teams outscored Wolves in the Premiership last season, and the loss of Pedro Neto to Chelsea means someone else will have to step up as the team’s primary chance creator in wide areas.

While the newly-acquired Rodrigo Gomes (another Portuguese, shocker) has shown flashes in such a role, it’s still not enough to convince me that goals won’t be hard to come by for Wolves again this season. 🇵🇹

Despite receiving an eight-point deduction for breaches of PSR, Everton finished last season well clear of the relegation zone, ending a topsy-turvy campaign 14 points clear of 18th-placed Luton. The Toffees’ grit and togetherness is a testament to the motivational brilliance of Sean Dyche, who successfully cultivated an us-against-the-world mentality in his squad.

While financial uncertainty will continue to impact the club behind the scenes, things look promising on the pitch for Dyche’s side.

Everton had the best defensive record in the Premier League of any team outside the top three thanks to their underrated center back duo of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite. Holding onto the latter is a huge boost for the Toffees’ defensive prospects.

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The club further bolstered their back-line with the acquisition of 6’6” Jake O’Brien from Lyon this summer. Good luck scoring against Everton from set pieces.

Questions remain at the other end of the pitch, with talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin struggling to find form and fitness during his tenure at Goodison Park. Fortunately for him, the club should make their debut at the new Everton Stadium this season, which is rumored to have plus-sized goals – anything so Calvert-Lewin and co. can actually find the back of the net. 🎯

Fulham were unbothered by the loss of Aleksandr Mitrovic last season, finishing in a respectable 13th place while also reaching the Carabao Cup semi-final for the first time. Their ability to thrive amidst significant change will again be put to the test this season, as Marco Silva’s side enter the campaign without star midfielder João Palhinha, who signed with Bayern Munich last month.

Fulham reinvested £34 million of Palhinha’s transfer fee to make a club-record signing in Emile Smith-Rowe, who will bear the brunt of chance creation from the middle of the park. The 24-year-old attacking-midfielder didn’t get much playing time with Arsenal the past two seasons, but did score ten league goals with the Gunners in the 2021-22 campaign.

He’ll join several players at Craven Cottage who enjoyed breakout seasons of their own in 2023-24. Striker Rodrigo Muniz was stellar from February onward, scoring nine goals in Fulham’s final 16 Premier League games. USMNT star Antonee Robinson also enjoyed a bit of a breakout campaign at left back, earning the club’s Player of the Season honors.

The battle for places 11 through 16 will be more hotly contested than ever, but I think Fulham have what it takes to come out near the top. 📈

Led by the Premier League’s youngest-ever manager in 31-year-old Fabian Hürzeler, the Seagulls are somewhat of an unknown commodity headed into this season. But, if you know anything about Brighton, that’s when they’re at their most dangerous.

Roberto de Zerbi has left for Marseille after a historic Europa League birth distracted from the club’s domestic objectives last season, but Brighton have re-tooled and are primed to push for another top-half finish.

Brazilian forward João Pedro was the big signing from Watford last summer, and he did not disappoint in his first season on the South Coast. Pedro became the first Brighton player in nearly a decade to score 20 goals across all competitions in a single season, despite missing two months with a hamstring injury. Also back to full fitness are winger Kaoru Mitoma and striker Evan Ferguson, giving Hürzeler plenty of firepower on the business end of the pitch.

Highlighted by Pervis Estupiñán, Brighton’s back-line should remain largely unchanged, but they will undoubtedly miss the veteran presence of Pascal Groß in the center of the park. If a young player steps up in the midfield (which they always do), then Brighton should find themselves in the thick of the race for top-half, even pushing for Europe if all goes well. 🔥

If you find yourself at happy hour tonight, please take a second to pour one out for David Moyes.

After six seasons in charge of the Hammers, the club parted ways with the Scot, who will be remembered as the greatest West Ham manager of modern times after guiding the club to European silverware in 2023. New manager Julen Lopetegui has big shoes to fill, but West Ham’s already strong squad have strengthened in the offseason and are poised for another European run.

Striker Niclas Füllkrug, who impressed in Dortmund’s Champions League run and at the Euros with Germany, is the marquee signing for the Hammers, who have already spend €144 million this summer.

Max Kilman, who arrived from Wolves for a near club-record fee of €47.5 million, will be the main man in a defense that was sorely in need of improvement after conceding 74 goals last season – seven more than 17th-place Nottingham Forest. The addition of Aaron Wan-Bissaka should further help on this front.

They may be an unproven entity under Lopetegui, but this team has no shortage of talent and experience at the highest level. Not having European competition to focus on shouldn’t hurt, either. ⚒️

Palace 🤝 Fulham: having a favorable outlook despite their best player getting poached by Bayern Munich.

Michael Olise is gone, but Crystal Palace were among the best teams in the league after Olivier Glasner took over for Roy Hodgson in February. The Eagles won five of their final six games, outscoring opponents by 19 goals to six during that stretch. They’ll look to build on that momentum headed into Glasner’s first full season in charge at Selhurst Park.

It’s not just the collective unit that’s riding high, either. Palace had four players – Eberechi Eze, Marc Guéhi, Dean Henderson, and Adam Wharton called up this summer to represent England at the Euros – more than any other Premier League side. Each of the quartet are really coming into their own, but pay special attention to midfielder Adam Wharton, who is poised for a breakout season after impressing in his first 16 games for the club.

The 20-year-old hit the ground running after joining from Blackburn halfway through last season, making the most out of his move from the no. ten into a deeper role. He might not look like your typical Premier League superstar, but if he continues to build on his solid foundations then there’s no reason the Eagles can’t soar into Europe. 🦅

An unfortunate reality in the world’s best league is that each season, an über-talented team – whether through underperformance or injury – is left on the outside looking in of the race for Europe. Last season it was Newcastle, who were decimated by injuries. Two years ago it was Chelsea, whose new signings lacked cohesion under then-manager Graham Potter.

This season, I think it’ll be Aston Villa, who are coming off the back of a fourth-place finish to secure a spot in the Champions League for the first time in 41 years.

Aston Villa’s Premier League finishes in the past five seasons

Aside from the loss of Moussa Diaby, Unai Emery’s squad – which was largely revamped after the Spainard took over during the 2022-23 campaign – remains largely unchanged and has enough talent to once again challenge for top four. But, as Soulja Boy fans know all too well, last season was a blip on the radar, and I expect the one-hit-wonder Villans to fall back to Earth this campaign. 📉

After $1.3 billion in transfer spending, a dizzying rate of player turnover, and cycling through more managers than a malcontent rapper, Chelsea finally made tangible progress in the Clearlake Capital era under Mauricio Pochettino last season. Then, they sacked him… 🤦

Despite the circus-like state of the club, Chelsea weren’t too bad last season, especially down the stretch. The Blues won nine of their final 15 Premier League games, enough for a surprise sixth-place finish despite winning just one of their first five games to start the campaign.

Chelsea’s Premier League finishes in the past five seasons

You would think such a finish would be enough to warrant Pochettino keeping his job, but Todd Boehly and co. decided to test the waters with a fourth manager in their three-year reign at Stamford Bridge: Enzo Maresca. After winning the Championship with Leicester last season, the young Italian faces the biggest test of his short managerial career in London. He’ll need to use every tool at his disposal to succeed with a Chelsea side that’s gone through lots of change in recent years, both on and off the pitch.

One such tool is Cole Palmer, who enjoyed a stellar debut season at Stamford Bridge that earned him Young Player of the Year honors. The 22-year-old scored 22 goals and added 12 assists in the Premier League alone, and the Blues were substantially more effective with him on the pitch; Chelsea’s win percentage, points per game, and average goals per game were significantly higher with Palmer in the starting lineup last season.

The only problem with Palmer’s brilliance is that Pochettino became overly-reliant on him at times. Chelsea have plenty of talent, so if Maresca can find a way to utilize Palmer within his system as opposed to having the right-winger play hero ball, then another top-six finish is a realistic target for the league’s most enigmatic club. 🤷

The league’s next-most enigmatic club are Tottenham, who could finish anywhere from second to tenth and I wouldn’t bat an eye.

Tottenham were damn near unplayable at the start of last campaign, looking like title favorites after going undefeated in their first ten matches. After years of passive and ineffective play under the likes of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Ange Postecoglou’s attacking-minded style was a breath of fresh air for Spurs supporters, who were enjoying life in the post-Harry Kane era.

Angeball, however, ultimately became Spurs’ downfall. Tottenham’s high-stakes, all-in style made them especially susceptible to counterattacks, and Spurs would go on to win only 40 points from 28 matches after their hot start – ninth in the Premier League during that span.

While the long-term efficacy of Angeball remains to be seen, what’s certain is that Tottenham have improved significantly in the offseason. The arrival of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth gives the North London club one of the league’s best pure goalscorers, and other additions have shown promise in preseason. Leeds Academy product Archie Gray has massive potential at just 18 years old, and Swedish midfielder Lucas bossed the midfield in Spurs’ preseason match against Bayern Munich.

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I still think Tottenham have too many holes in defense and lack top quality midfield to truly compete for the title, but they’ll certainly be in the thick of the Champions League race. 🐔

Newcastle did not live up to their lofty expectations last season. The Magpies finished in seventh – missing out on Europe altogether – despite spending a whopping €469 million since the Saudi takeover in October 2021.

Sandro Tonali’s season-long ban due to gambling on matches is partially to blame for Newcastle’s suboptimal transfer ROI, but so are injuries. A schedule packed with domestic and Champions League action caused nine players to miss 20 or more matches, including 11 missing a single match-week – tying a Premier League record. On a positive note, the injuries offered an opportunities for unproven players like Jacob Murphy to step up and make an impression, and most key players have returned to full fitness in the offseason.

With a healthy squad and no Europe, Newcastle can fully focus on returning to top form in the Premier League. As long as they can hold onto Anthony Gordon, they should be among the favorites to finish in the top four. 🫣

United fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic headed into the 2024-25 season. Last season bordered on disastrous at times, but the Red Devils ended on a high note by winning a 13th FA Cup with a 2-1 win over cross-town rivals Man City. The triumph was enough to save Erik ten Hag’s job, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already implemented several changes this summer to realign the club to fully back the Dutchman.

Former Man City exec Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth have taken up new posts as the club’s CEO and Sporting Director, respectively, and Ten Hag appointed club legend Rud van Nistelrooy to join him in the backroom as an assistant. For what feels like the first time in a long time at Old Trafford, the club is headed in a unified direction.

Whether or not that newfound cohesiveness rubs off on the squad remains to be seen, but talented youngsters like Kobbie Mainoo should give United fans cause for optimism. The 19-year-old midfielder was a revelation in his debut season, recording an average match rating of 6.80 in Premier League action per WhoScored?. His press-resistance, ball-winning ability, and industriousness – traits which have already earned him the distinction of the "future of United’s midfield” – will allow Bruno Fernandes more freedom in which to operate farther up the pitch, which bodes well for United’s lackluster attack; the Red Devils scored fewer goals (57) than any team who finished in the top half last season.

The question remains who will play next to Mainoo in the midfield? The club have already splashed some cash on Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee this summer, but defensive midfielder remains an area that has gone unaddressed in the preseason. Casemiro evidently isn’t the answer, so look for the club to make one more big-name signing before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. 💸

Jürgenn Klopp is a more difficult act to follow than Shane Gillis, but if anyone’s up for it it’s Arne Slot.

The Dutchman, who won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord two seasons ago, was brought in as Klopp’s successor just days after the season ended, and faces a massive task in updating Liverpool’s squad without dismantling the legacy left by the legendary German manager. Fortunately for Slot, he has at his disposal the same core squad that finished third last season despite having more injuries than a piñata at a toddler's birthday party.

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Back to full fitness are the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, each of whom are on the last year of their respective deals and will look to go out with a bang before a potential lucrative move to Saudi Arabia if they don’t resign.

After enjoying a full pre-season under Slot, Salah will play an especially crucial role as the Reds’ primary goalscoring threat, and is poised to break the 20-goal barrier for an eighth consecutive season.

If the 32-year-old can find the fountain of youth, then Liverpool will be in the thick of the title race. Otherwise, Slot will need youngsters like Harvey Elliott, Jarrell Quansah, and Conor Bradley to take a massive leap to even content for a Champions League spot.

Liverpool might be in too much of a transitional phase to truly challenge for the title, but they’re certainly talented enough to make things interesting for Arsenal and Man City. 😤

It feels wrong to put the Premier League’s gold standard anywhere but first, but I’m marking them as runners-up until I hear an answer to this simple question: What else is left for this team to achieve?

Pep Guardiola’s side enjoyed yet another historic season in 2023-24, winning the Premier League for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, along with the FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

The Citizens will be hard-pressed to repeat such a feat this season, especially with key players aging and the loss of Julián Álvarez in the transfer market.

New signing Savinho soothes some of the sting of Álvarez’s departure, but after missing the first half of last season with a hamstring injury, Kevin De Bruyne’s long-term fitness is uncertain, not to mention his future with the club; the Belgian said he’s “open” to a transfer to Saudi Arabia earlier this summer, citing the “incredible” financial gain that can result from such a move.

Motivation may be the only barrier between Man City and a fifth consecutive title, but when you have the likes of Rodri, Erling Haaland, and Kyle Walker in your team, anything is possible. 👀

I picked the Gunners to win the Premier League last season, and I’m picking them again this season.

Arsenal have steadily improved since Mikel Arteta took over as manager mid-way through the 2019-20 season, and with many of their core players entering or in their prime, I think this is the season they finally get over the hump to win the league for the first time since 2003-04.

Arsenal’s Premier League finishes since Mikel Arteta took over

Martin Ødegaard (25) and Bukayo Saka (22) will continue as the team’s primary creative outlets, with either Leandro Trossard (29) or Gabriel Martinelli (23) adding goals and providing some much-needed dynamism from the left wing.

Arsenal’s difference-maker might be Kai Havertz (25), who scored 13 league goals last season after a slow start to his career in North London. The German’s impressive performances in the new year have quelled calls for a new striker at the club, and if Havertz – who regularly finds himself in dangerous areas – can find (and keep on) his finishing boots then Premier League defenses are in trouble.

Also headed into his second season with the club, Declan Rice (25) will again be the heart and soul of Arsenal’s midfield, providing cover for the Gunners’ strongest unit: defense. There’s an embarrassment of riches in Arsenal’s back-line, which should once again feature Gabriel (26) and William Saliba (23) as the league’s best center back pairing.

Where things really get interesting is out wide. Arsenal are stacked at full back – a reflection of Arteta’s near-obsession with playing big-bodied, versatile defenders in an inverted role. After a sensational 2023-24 season, Ben White (26) is set to start at right back, but left back is still up in the air with Oleksandr Zinchenko (27), Jurriën Timber (23), and new signing Riccardo Calafiori (22) all vying for playing time.

My bet is that Calafiori gets the nod, but don’t be shocked if Arteta tries some weird shit – anything to keep Man City on their toes. 🏆

The summer transfer window is in full swing, and after a record-low transfer expenditure during last winter’s window, clubs around Europe are scrambling to make up for lost time and strengthen their squads headed into the 2024-25 season.

Euro 2024 and Copa América somewhat delayed transfer market activity, but several big-money moves have already taken place, with many more on the horizon (Calafiori to Arsenal, anyone?). Here are grades for the destination clubs of the top confirmed moves so far this summer. Class is in session. 💯

Getting the best player in the world on a free transfer should be an easy A+, right? Wrong.

Firstly, this wasn’t really a free transfer. Madrid reportedly paid Mbappé a $164 million signing bonus, which is an amount so obscene it makes me question why I ever decided to become a writer. Secondly, Real Madrid were excellent without Mbappé last season, and the World Cup winner joining threatens to upset the balance of the world’s best team. Still, I have a sneaking suspicion Madrid’s new no. 9 will get on just fine at his new home.

It’s still up in the air whether the impetus of this swap deal was Luiz joining his girlfriend in Turin or Aston Villa offloading the Brazilian to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), but either way it’s a damn good move for Juventus.

Luiz’s girlfriend, Alisha Lehmann (AKA the world’s sexiest footballer), also joined Juventus from Aston Villa this summer

Luiz is a do-it-all midfielder that incoming manager Thiago Motta is sure to love. Juve won’t be thrilled to lose promising youngsters Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea as part of the swap deal, but it’s a small price to pay for a player who should instantly become the best at the club. Expect the Bianconeri to be in the thick of the Serie A title race next season with Luiz leading the charge. 😤 

Neymar. Ronaldinho. Ronaldo. Every decade or so, a new generational talent emerges from the streets of Brazil, making a big-money move to Europe in hopes of becoming the soccer-crazed nation’s next great star. This generation’s superstar-in-the-making is Endrick, who by all accounts is the real deal and should be worth every penny for Real Madrid.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a teenager, but Endrick is no ordinary 18-year-old. He’s already made 66 top-level appearances in Brazil, and has ten caps (and three goals) for the national team. Don’t be shocked if €48 million feels like a bargain in five years.

Coming off a breakout campaign in which he registered ten goals and six assists in just 19 Premier League appearances with Crystal Palace, Olise has decided to join the wave of English players taking their talents abroad. The 22-year-old joins his compatriots Harry Kane and Eric Dier in Munich, where he’ll have to fight for playing time in a stacked attacking corps.

It’s a steep fee for a player who likely won’t start week in and week out, but Bayern could use the depth as they challenge for both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Solid move all around.

Man United and defensive stability go together like testicles and Icy Hot, but that’s about to change with Yoro in town. The French center back looked rock-solid in his debut against Rangers, and looks bang-on to start for the Red Devils at just 18 years old. €62 million is a lot to pay for a player who still has some rough edges to his game, but his profile and trajectory is reminiscent of a young William Saliba – if not better. 😮 

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Aston Villa are surely kicking themselves for losing Douglas Luiz. The Villans set out to deepen their squad following their first-ever Champions League qualification, bringing in the 6’6” Onana for a club record fee.

The Belgian international should be a solid tactical fit for Unai Emery’s side, offering a physical, ball-winning presence in a midfield pivot alongside Youri Tielemans. €59 million, however, is a lot for a player who averaged just a 6.71 average match rating in the Premier League last season, and, quite frankly, does not have the game-breaking technical quality required to be a top midfielder in today’s game. Villa would have done better to secure Moussa Diaby. 🤷‍♂️

I love this transfer for Man United. Zirkzee may not have lit the world on fire with Bologna last season (nine non-penalty goals in Serie A), but he offers a lot more than just goalscoring. His link-up play, intelligence, and work-rate make him a modern center forward capable of contributing in all phases of the game, which should be the perfect compliment to the physicality and goalscoring instinct of Rasmus Højlund. United should continue to prioritize sensible transfers like this instead of dropping €95 million on a fancy Brazilian fidget spinner.

The best transfer of the window, hands down. Guirassy was a revelation with Stuttgart last season, scoring 28 league goals in as many appearances for the Bundesliga runners-up. Shoot, there’s a case to be made that the 28-year-old Guinean was even better than Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

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Dortmund made the no-brainer decision to activate Guirassy’s release clause for the relatively small fee of €18 million, making this a low-risk deal with incredibly high upside for the Champions League runners-up. Top of the class. ✅

Dest enjoyed the best season of his career in 2023-24, playing a key role while on loan at a PSV team that took the Eredivisie by storm before tearing his ACL in April. Despite this, the Dutch champions decided to bring on the American right back on full-time, gambling that he’ll make a full recovery in 2025. I guess you get an extra long leash when you’re not spending any money.

Olivier Giroud is gone, but Milan have found another equally under-appreciated journeyman striker to replace him in Morata. It feels like the Euro 2024 champion has been around forever, but he’s only 31 years old and still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Plus, he’s Serie A proven, having won two titles with Juventus, making this an easy ‘A’ for a relatively small fee. 👍

Sorry to our North Dakota-based readers

Euro 2024 and Copa América are finished, the transfer market is abuzz with activity, and Tottenham supporters are in a better mood than usual. This can only mean one thing: the offseason is here.

Europe’s top teams are beginning to embark on their annual globe-trotting preseason tours, so what better way to spend the dog days of summer than by seeing your favorite team play right here in the United States – ice-water, air conditioning and all?

Here are the top preseason friendlies coming to your city (maybe) this summer:

Chelsea vs. Wrexham

When and where? Wed, July 24 @ Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

Why you should go: Both these clubs have American owners who’ve spent a fuck-ton in recent years, but their investments have yielded very different results. Chelsea’s $1.2 billion squad will be the perfect measuring stick for Wrexham, who’ve earned promotion two years in a row and will compete in EFL League One (third tier) next season. Tickets start at $60.

Man City vs. AC Milan

When and where? Sat, Jul 27 @ Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Why you should go: New York City is damn near inhospitable in the summer, so beat the heat by making your yearly pilgrimage to the Bronx to catch Christian Pulisic take on Man City at their younger brother’s (NYCFC) stomping grounds. This might be the only time you can get tickets behind home plate at Yankee Stadium for only $184. 😬

Arsenal vs. Man United

When and where? Sat, Jul 27 @ SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Why you should go: This classic Premier League matchup might be the only time you can go to Inglewood sporting all red and not get shot. Nose bleeds start at $110.

Louisville City FC vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

When and where? Tues, Jul 30 @ Lynn Family Stadium, Louisville, KY

Why you should go: This is an interesting one. Louisville City are one of the top clubs in the USL Championship (second tier), and their fervent supporters will relish the opportunity to see how they measure up to the 2021-2022 Europa League winners. At the very least, the two fanbases should bond over a shared hatred for Frankfort. Tickets start at just $17, with pitch-side seats fetching a cool $193 each.

Crystal Palace vs. West Ham

When and where? Sat, Aug 3 @ Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

Why you should go: Both teams are coming off the back of relatively strong seasons, finishing ninth (West Ham) and tenth (Palace) in the Premier League, respectively. They’ll be fighting for spots in Europe this upcoming season. I can’t guarantee it’ll be as fun as a shopping plaza strip club, but it should be a good time. Tickets start at $61.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

When and where? Sat, Aug 3 @ MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Why you should go: Do I really need to sell you on the first El Clásico featuring Kylian Mbappé? The only downsides are: A) You’ll have to go to New Jersey and B) MetLife Stadium has less character than Enzo Fernández. Sell your first-born for a seat in the upper bowl starting at $295.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words…

It turns out England’s team bus is the only thing coming home, as Spain beat the Three Lions 2-1 yesterday in the Euro 2024 final to claim their record fourth European title. 🇪🇸 

Goals from Nico Williams (47th minute) and substitute Mikel Oyarzabal (86th minute) were enough to defeat England, who sprang into life after Cole Palmer equalized with 15 minutes remaining. Gareth Southgate’s side were unable to conjure any last-minute magic this time, however, handing the title to a deserving Spanish side that was the best team throughout the tournament.

Shattering records and preconceptions

While this week’s headlines will focus on England’s failure to bring home a first-ever European Championship, the real story of this tournament was Spain’s dominance, which is as unprecedented as it is surprising. In addition to passing Germany to become the country with the most European titles with four, Spain:

• Became the first nation to win three out of five Euros following their titles in 2008 and 2012.

• Finished the Euros with a perfect record, becoming the first men’s team to win all seven of their matches.

• Broke a record for most goals ever scored at the Euros with 15, surpassing the 14 scored by Euro 1984 winners France.

The manner in which Spain set these records makes their triumph all the more impressive. Following a disappointing round-of-16 exit at the 2022 World Cup, new manager Luis de la Fuente cast aside tiki-taka like it was a bad tempranillo, implementing a direct style of play that better suited his squad.

The move payed dividends for La Roja, who took Europe by storm despite starting the tournament as fourth-favorites to win the title behind England, France, and Germany. 17-year-old Lamine Yamal and 22-year-old Nico Williams are at the center of this exciting, multicultural team that exemplify a willingness to adapt and embrace change.

De la Fuenta received a lot of flak for starting then 16-year-old Lamine Yamal in the Group B opener against Croatia, but his decision paid off as the Barça winger was named the Young Player of the Tournament and then some.

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With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Spain’s second golden generation is here, and they’re not accepting tradition for tradition’s sake. The rest of the soccer world is officially on notice. 🏆

📊 Stat: Spanish teams have now won all 23 major tournament finals (Champions League, Europa League, World Cup, and Euros) they’ve played against non-Spanish sides since 2001.

Lionel Messi takes a quick nap on the pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you; something doesn’t look quite right at Copa América matches.

Between brown patches, “turf goblins,” players slipping left and right, and worse spacing than your 5-year-old niece’s team, the pitch conditions have been nothing short of a disaster at this year’s Copa América, sparking controversy among coaches and players, and raising questions about the United States’ ability to host the 2026 World Cup.

Here’s why everyone is so upset.

Smaller than normal fields

This year’s Copa América is being played on the smallest pitch size permitted for an international fixture: 100 meters long by 64 meters wide.

• That’s five meters shorter and four meters narrower than the standard 105m x 68m pitch size.

• The loss in playing area is 40m², which is roughly equivalent to the size of a penalty area.

The reason for the difference is that ten of the 14 stadiums hosting the tournament are home to American football teams, who play on fields that are 110 meters long but only 49 meters wide. CONMEBOL wanted every pitch to be the same size for the tournament, and 100m x 64m were the chosen dimensions in a one-size-fits-all approach – even if some stadiums were wide enough to accompany standard FIFA dimensions.

This size difference might not seem like much to the layperson, but it’s a huge deal to the players. To put it into context, an international tournament featuring some of the world’s top players is being played on the same dimensions used by U13 teams in England to transition from 9-a-side to 11-a-side for the first time. It’s no wonder players have been struggling to adjust.

“There wasn’t a lot of space,” said Rodrygo after Brazil’s pre-tournament friendly against the United States. “I like to find gaps between the lines, but there wasn’t any room; the opposition players were always close. It’s difficult, but we’re getting used to it.”

The reduced pitch size has rather obviously led to a more physical game where its more difficult to maintain control of the ball. This tends to benefit defensive-minded teams, who can more easily sit back and absorb pressure with less space in which the opposition can operate.

This inherent advantage makes it so that attacking-minded teams – like Brazil – must take the smaller pitch into account while preparing for a match.

“We have been talking a lot about it in training – how it will make it easy to get forward swiftly, but also how it will be more difficult to find a way past a deep defense,” said Brazil manager Dorival Junior. “The distance between where you regain possession and the opposition goal is a lot shorter than matches in our country.”

But the reduced size isn’t the only aspect of the pitch that has teams up in arms.

“Less than ideal” playing surfaces

The conditions of the playing surface at many stadiums appear suspect at best. Brown patches have been a common sight on many fields, as has players slipping all over the pitch, which appears uneven or “patchy” in many areas.

This is because the grass at these venues is not naturally occurring and has been brought in from elsewhere, which is not the case in Europe. Take Mercedes-Benz Stadium, for example. The home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons is normally an artificial turf surface, as was the case for Atlanta United’s match on June 15th. The turf was replaced with imported grass the very next day – just five days before the Copa América kicked off with a 2-0 Argentina victory over Canada.

Players and managers on both sides were critical of the playing surface after the match. Canadian defender Kamal Miller said the pitch felt “hollow,” while Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni pointed out that his team struggled to control the speed of their passes on a pitch he called “not apt for these players.”

His players agreed that the pitch was not up to snuff.

“The state of the pitch was a disaster,” said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. “Very bumpy. We must improve in this aspect; otherwise, Copa América will always appear at a lower level than the European Championship.”

This is not the first time Argentine players have criticized Copa América pitches.

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Even American players agree. Weston McKinnie called the conditions of the playing surfaces “frustrating,” pointing out how his European counterparts have it better.

“If you look at the Euros, they’re all playing on great fields, great grass, football-specific stadiums, soccer-specific stadiums, and you see the quality of the football,” the USMNT midfielder said.

“You can play a one-two without wondering if the ball is gonna bounce up before you hit it. You can pass the ball back to the keeper not being afraid that it’s going to bounce over his foot. You see a different type of soccer.”

The Juventus star added that improvements in playing conditions need to be a priority in order for the United States to host the 2026 World Cup.

“I think for these tournaments to even grow here and be a sought-after tournaments to watch and follow, that’s one of the first steps that needs to be corrected for sure,” he said. “At the end of the day we need the best conditions to be able to do what we love and get the best out of us and the best results.”

Zoom out: CONMEBOL has defended pitches from criticism by players and managers alike, pointing out that all venues meet international standards in terms of size and passed all tests with flying colors. Yet, the reality remains that this tournament is very much a dry run for the sport’s biggest stage in two years, and early warning signs should be worrying to tournament organizers. Just think about the potential backlash if pitch conditions prevent Spain from playing tiki-taka at the World Cup. 😬 

Saka celebrates burying his penalty in the shootout that England won 5-3

England reached their third semi-final in four tournaments on Saturday, beating Switzerland 5-3 in a tense penalty shootout after the quarter-final had ended 1-1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold slammed home the final penalty for the Three Lions, but it was Bukayo Saka whose name made the headlines, fully redeeming himself of his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final.

• At just 19 years old, Saka missed the decisive penalty against Italy that cost England the title three years ago.

• He was subject to a flood of racial abuse on social media after the match, along with fellow Black players Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.

Despite the abuse, the Arsenal winger won the hearts of the nation during England’s Euro 2020 run with his incredible skill, maturity, and beaming smile. All three were on full display yet again on Saturday, this time as the 22-year-old was England’s best player in a tense quarter-final match that was desperately begging for a moment of individual brilliance.

Saka first found the equalizer for England in the 81st minute with his trademark low curler from outside the box (look away Man United fans).

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He then made the same long and lonely walk from the center circle to the penalty spot he made three years ago. This time, Saka coolly found the bottom corner of the net, cupping his ears in celebration as he received an enormous applause from traveling England supporters.

He was named Man of the Match for his performance, saying how proud he was to overcome the fallout from Euro 2020 after receiving the award.

"To come back from something like that was really difficult. I used it to make me stronger. Today I took the chance and I'm happy," Saka said after the match. “It was special, special, how we fought back... Last time we took a penalty shootout at the Euros, you all know what happened. I'm so proud of everyone how we got over the line.”

Saka received an outpouring of support from fans, pundits, and Gareth Southgate, but perhaps the most important words of encouragement came from Sancho. ❤️

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Zoom out: While Saka will enjoy the historic win for now, he concedes that England still have “two more games until we can change our lives and make some history.” The Three Lions await a semi-final matchup with the Netherlands on Wednesday, followed by a potential meeting with either France or Spain in Sunday’s final. 🏆

Gregg Berhalter insists he still the right person for the USMNT job despite calls for him to step down

The United States crashed out of the Copa América on Monday, falling 1-0 to Uruguay in a hectic Group D finale at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Mathías Olivera scored the decisive goal for Uruguay in the 66th minute, firing home a deflection that came off the hands off Matt Turner, who saved Ronald Araújo’s initial effort. The goal was subject to an extended VAR check that ultimately ruled the Napoli defender was onside by the finest of margins, much to the dismay of the Stars and Stripes.

Olivera (second from the top) was ruled onside

American fans and Christian Pulisic voiced their displeasure with referee Kevin Ortega, who made several controversial decisions in his first Copa América match. The first came in the 32nd minute, when the Peruvian referee began to pull a yellow card to stop play then allowed a Uruguayan advantage while still holding the card. 🤦‍♂️

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The second came just minutes later when Pulisic started a counter-attack after a handball on Uruguay, but the referee eventually blew his whistle and called the play back for a U.S. free-kick.

The United States’ captain was visibly frustrated with Ortega throughout the evening, and appeared to taunt him after the game by encouraging him to celebrate with Uruguay players. Then, after Pulisic shook an assistant referee's hand, Ortega refused to follow suit. "Yeah, he wouldn't shake my hand," Pulisic confirmed after the match.

Yet, Pulisic maintained that the officiating was not solely to blame for the early exit. "It's not why we lost,” said the 25-year-old Milan forward. "We're not out of this tournament because of officiating."

What’s next for Berhalter?

At this point there are still more questions than answers, but there’s no way around it: this is a hugely disappointing result for the USMNT. The Stars and Stripes boast undoubtedly their most talented collection of players ever, and were favored to progress to the quarter-finals after drawing a relatively weak group that also included Bolivia and Panama.

Questions are mounting over whether Gregg Berhalter, who’s coached the USMNT since 2018, is the right person to lead the Americans into the World Cup on home soil two years from now. After all, the man Berhalter replaced – Jürgen Klinsmann – did far more with less.

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While the ex-Galaxy defender said he wanted to remain as the United States’ manager after the match, the decision isn’t up to him.

"Our tournament performance fell short of our expectations," said Berhalter’s boss and U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker after the match. “We must do better. We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa América and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 World Cup.”

I’m no psychic, but it appears Berhalter’s days on the touch-line for the USMNT are numbered, and it’s probably for the best.

📚 Read: The United States need to move on from Berhalter after their disastrous Copa América.

James assisted twice in Colombia’s 2-1 win over Paraguay in their Copa América opener

A few months ago I was in Colombia, where my friends and I chartered a boat to tour the beautiful Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir just outside of Medellín. There we enjoyed the near-Caribbean sun, deep blue waters, and sight of the stunning vacation homes that graced the reservoir’s banks in every direction – most notably a now destroyed former residence of Pablo Escobar.

Around the bend, we spotted a beautiful mega-mansion, and asked our captain whose house it was. “James Rodríguez’s,” he replied.

One of the non-soccer fans in our group responded, “Who’s that?”, to which another friend quipped, “some washed up footballer.” Ouch.

James’ house in Guatapé

My friend’s words were harsh, but not far removed from how most of the world views the ex-Real Madrid star, who has faded into obscurity since being proclaimed the next big thing after bursting onto the scene at the 2014 World Cup.

But the thing is: James is only 32 years old, and this Copa América has set out to prove to the doubters just how wrong they all are. 🇨🇴 

Rise to superstardom

Born to an ex-footballer father, James grew up with the ball at his feet in the colonial city of Cúcuta. His talent was evident from an early age, and he made his professional debut at just 14 years old for second division club Envigado. James quickly rose through the ranks in South America, playing in Colombia for two seasons before signing with Argentine side Banfield, where he caught the attention of clubs in Europe.

At just 18 years old, he made the jump to Europe, signing a four-year contract with Porto for a transfer fee of €5.1 million. James’ development predictably continued in Portugal, with his smooth-as-silk left foot catching the attention of Europe’s top clubs.

In 2013, he signed with Monaco for a fee of €45 million, becoming the most expensive transfer in the history of Ligue 1. James enjoyed a stellar debut season with Monaco, being named to the league’s team of the season after leading all players with 13 assists. Yet, he remained relatively unknown outside of French and Portuguese circles – another promising South American talent who had yet to break through as a star on the global stage.

That all changed at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

World Cup breakthrough

Having received his first call-up to the Colombian national team after the 2011 Copa América, James made his first major international tournament debut at the World Cup. To say he was a sensation would be putting it lightly.

Wearing the number ten shirt, James led Colombia to their first-ever World Cup quarterfinals in heroic fashion. He finished as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, received three Man of the Match awards in five matches, and was named the best performing player in the group stage by FIFA.

Oh yeah, he also scored one of the most iconic goals of all time, winning the Puskás award with this stunning effort. 😍 

No longer was Colombia just known for big booties and cocaine. James singlehandedly elevated his country’s status as a regional soccer powerhouse, and Real Madrid took notice.

Los Blancos signed James to a six-year deal just days after Colombia fell to Brazil in the quarterfinals. The €75 million fee he fetched made him the fourth-most expensive transfer of all time and third-most expensive in Madrid’s history.

James had finally made it to the sport’s pinnacle, but it wasn’t all sol y rosas in the Spanish capital.

From Real Madrid to Al-Rayyan

At just 23 years old, James impressed in his debut season at the Bernabéu. While he has played a number of positions across his career, James was perhaps at his best as Madrid’s number ten, where he could pull the strings in the midfield and thread perfectly-weighted through balls through for speedsters like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

He finished his first season with 13 goals and 13 assists in the league, being named to La Liga Team of the Season. Then the injuries started coming.

• James missed seven games with a metatarsal fracture at the tail end of the 2014-15 season, and started the following campaign sidelined with a torn thigh.

• He returned to Madrid’s lineup in November, but failed to have the same impact as the prior season, finishing the campaign with just seven goals and eight assists.

By that point he had fallen out of favor with then-manager Zinidine Zidane, with the rest of his four-year tenure at Madrid plagued by ticky-tack injuries and extended spells on the bench. It was time for a change.

Real Madrid granted the Colombian’s request for a loan ahead of the 2017-18 season, and James was sent to Bayern Munich on a two-year deal. But, the reunion with former Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti did not go according to plan.

The fitness problems continued in Bavaria, and it gradually became apparent that the Spanish-speaking Rodríguez was not a culture fit at the club.

James finished his tenure at Bayern with only 15 goals and 20 assists in 67 appearances across all competitions. It was time for another change, this time reuniting with Ancelotti again at Everton.

His time at Merseyside was – you guessed it – marred by more injuries and inconsistent play, and by the time the COVID pandemic shut down the world in 2020, James had fallen off the face of the soccer world.

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James has been a world traveler of sorts since last playing in Europe’s top leagues. He left Everton in 2021 to sign for Qatari side Al-Rayyan, for whom he made only 13 league appearances in two seasons. A one-season stint with Olympiacos in Greece followed, before the then 31-year-old signed with São Paulo.

You’d think a former Galactico who was heralded as the soccer’s world’s next big thing would play a key role for a “lowly” Brazilian side, but that’s not the case with James. He’s hardly sniffed the pitch in two seasons for the Paulistas, and the shocking thing is he’s only 32 years old.

But, James still plays a key role for Colombia, and is looking to show the doubters that he’s still got game at this summer’s Copa América.

Don’t call it a comeback

James made his 101st appearance for the national team in a 2-1 win over Paraguay in Colombia’s group stage opener last Monday. Many were shocked to see his name on Néstor Lorenzo’s team sheet headed into the tournament, but James’ performance fully justified the Argentine’s decision to name him to the team and include him in the starting XI.

James was back to his old self as Colombia’s number ten, pulling the strings in a masterful display of passing and Valderrama-esque vision to assist both goals.

He continued to impress in Colombia’s next group stage match against Costa Rica, providing another assist en route to a 3-0 win that secures qualification for Los Cafeteros in the quarter-finals. Just look at this through ball. 🔥 

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While Colombia finished third in the 2021 Copa América, their failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup marked for some fans the end of an era for the golden generation that burst onto the scene in 2014. But James is proving – one perfectly-weighted through ball at a time – that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

A matchup against Brazil on Tuesday will decide the fate of Group D. Regardless of the outcome, Colombia have a strong chance of winning their first Copa América since 2001, having already qualified for the knockout stages where they’ll face either Uruguay, Panama, or the United States.

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But this is not just another tournament for Colombia, and it certainly isn’t for Rodríguez. He turns 33 two days before the final, and his time at the top is limited.

This Copa is a chance for him to make a lasting statement – to show the world why he was anointed as the “next big thing” a decade ago, and to find a top club that is willing to take his hand once this is all over.

One side of the bracket is just a tad stronger than the other

Remember how disappointing the overall gameplay was at the 2022 World Cup? That has been anything but the case at these Euros, which have delivered on every level in what is shaping up to be the most exciting international tournament in recent memory.

The group stage wrapped up yesterday, leaving us with 16 teams in the single-elimination stage of the tournament, which starts on Saturday with Switzerland facing Italy.

Here’s everything you might have missed from the group stage and some storylines to keep an eye out for in the round of 16.

Group A: Germany impress on home soil

After hammering Scotland 5-1 in the tournament opener, there was little doubt that Germany would emerge as victors of group A. That’s exactly what the hosts did, following up their drubbing of the Scots with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hungary to secure their place in the next round before rescuing a 1-1 draw with Switzerland late in stoppage time. They’ll face Denmark in the next round.

On the other end of the group is lowly Scotland, who were the first team to exit the tournament after finishing with a -5 goal differential. The worst part about the disappointing performance for Scotland – whose last win at the Euros was in 1996 – is that they actually could have advanced to the round of 16 with a draw against Hungary, who scored a 100th-minute winner to beat the Scots. 😔 

Group B: Spain dominate, heartbreak for Croatia

Spain have surprisingly looked like the best team at the tournament thus far, having won each of their three group stage games while failing to concede a single goal. La Roja’s group stage performances have demonstrated their worthy title credentials, and with a favorable matchup against Georgia in the round of 16 they’re quickly becoming the favorites to win it all.

The other big news out of Group B was Tuesday’s match between Italy and Croatia, where Mattia Zaccagni scored with the last kick of the ball to send the Azzurri through to the round of 16.

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Croatia’s heartbreaking exit also means the likely end to the international career of Luka Modric, who put his country a goal up in the 55th minute after his penalty kick was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who’s having an exceptional tournament. Modric was awarded the saddest Man of the Match award ever for his performance.

Did Modric win MOTM or just witness a murder?

Group C: The Group of Death (for spectators)

Group C was more boring than watching paint dry, and that’s coming from someone who took so many mushrooms last weekend they literally watched paint dry for two hours.

This was the lowest scoring group in Euros history, tallying only seven goals combined – fewer than Germany alone (8).

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England winning this group with only five points says it all. Being an Arsenal supporter and card-carrying member of the Jude Bellingham REAL MADRID 4Ever 🤍 Facebook group, I was super hyped about England’s chances headed into this tournament. That excitement has completely disappeared after watching 270 minutes of Southgate ball.

England looked less clinical than a drunk surgeon against both Denmark and Slovenia, scoring just once from their 24 combined shot attempts in the two games. Fortunately for the Three Lions, a favorable draw awaits against Slovakia in the round of 16. If they win that they’ll face either Italy or Switzerland in the semi-finals.

Group D: Austria win after dramatic last day

The biggest story in this group was Kylian Mbappé breaking his nose in France’s opener against Austria, but that quickly became old news after a dramatic final match-day on Tuesday that featured more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan film.

The live table of the group during the final match-day

The Netherlands headed into the day as group leaders, but were upset by Austria thanks to a late goal from Marcel Sabitzer, who booked Das Team’s place in the round of 16 as group winners. He even hit the Cole Palmer celebration.

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Austria will face Turkey in the round of 16, and the Dutch have a date with Romania after qualifying as one of the top-four third place teams.

France, who looked like they were going to win the group after Mbappé scored his first-ever goal at the Euros in the second half, drew 1-1 with Poland after conceding a late penalty to Robert Lewandowski. The odds are stacked against Les Bleus to make a deep run; Didier Deschamps’ side face Belgium in the round of 16 followed by a likely quarterfinal matchup with Portugal, then a probable semi-final matchup with either Germany or Spain.

Group E: Romania top evenly-matched group

Raise your hand if you had Romania winning this group. 🙋 

Now put your hand down, liar!

The 47th-ranked team in the world clinched first place and punched their ticket to the round of 16 in a cagey 1-1 draw with Slovakia yesterday. The hard-earned point plus a 3-0 win over Ukraine in Romania’s group stage opener was enough for them to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time since 2008. They’ll face the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Second place goes to Belgium, whose progression to the next round is both impressive and worrying based on their failure to capitalize on quality chances (looking at you, Lukaku).

@behindthescenesfootball

#shooting#soccer#belgium#football #footballtiktok #finishing

The Red Devils played Ukraine to a scoreless draw yesterday to secure a spot in the next round.

Speaking of Ukraine, they got the short end of the stick in this group, with all teams finishing on four points with the same exact record. The Blue and Yellow were eliminated from the tournament based on goal differential, despite finishing with more points than round of 16 qualifiers Denmark and Slovenia. This was the first time in tournament history that a team who finished the group stage with four points did not progress to the knockout stage. 🪦 

Group F: Georgia shock the world after Portugal wrap-up early

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal secured an early spot in the next round after winning their first two games, but Georgia’s incredible underdog run is what captured headlines coming out of Group F.

The lowest ranked side at this tournament (74) shocked the world yesterday, beating Portugal 2-0 to qualify for the round of 16. Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia relished the opportunity to play against Portugal’s second-string defense, scoring inside two minutes thanks to an errant back-pass from António Silva.

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Portugal were unlucky to not receive a chance to equalize with a penalty kick when Ronaldo was pulled down in the box. Georgia were on the favorable end a whistle shortly thereafter, with Georges Mikautadze converting from the spot to double the Crusaders’ lead.

It briefly looked like Georgia could finish second in the group, but Turkey scored late to get a 2-1 win over Czechia and score a date with Austria.

Georgia will face Spain in the round of 16 while Portugal will clash with Slovenia.

The definitive ranking of Europe's top ten teams post-international break 📊

This international break has felt longer than a Martin Scorsese firm, but –unlike The Irishman – there’s finally light at the end of the tunnel. Saturday marks the return to action for most of Europe’s top leagues, which are headed into the final stretch of what has already been a season for the ages.

Between the closest Premier League title race in years, a shock changing of the guard in the Bundesliga, and a Champions League quarter-finals as unpredictable as ever, the door is wide open for many of Europe’s top teams to etch their names into the history books. Here’s how they stack up headed into the final quarter of the season.

1️⃣ Bayer Leverkusen: There’s no question who is Europe’s top team. The only undefeated team in Europe’s top five leagues, Xabi Alonso’s historically dominant side have gone 38 straight games without a loss in all competitions and hold a commanding ten-point lead atop the Bundesliga. They are bearing down on Juventus’s record of 43 undefeated games, and are well within sight of spoiling Bayern Munich’s quest to hoist a 12th consecutive Meisterschale with only eight league games remaining. 👏 

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2️⃣ Man City: The treble-winners appear to have lost a slight step since last season, but that’s expected when following up one of the best campaigns ever. Still favorites in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, Pep Guardiola’s side – who have proven time and time again they’re more than capable of going on a tear down the stretch – are poised to add some silverware to their ever-growing collection. 🏆

3️⃣ Real Madrid: The concerns surrounding how Los Blancos would fare without Karim Benzema have long been forgotten thanks to the prolific rise of Jude Bellingham. Few would have expected the 20-year-old leading La Liga in scoring as a midfielder, but his emergence as a world-class goalscorer has fully unlocked Madrid’s attack this season. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have nearly equaled their goalscoring output from last season (64 to 75) with nine games remaining, and hold an eight point lead over defending champions Barcelona. 😎 

4️⃣ Inter Milan: If points per game were the gold standard, then Inter would be Europe’s second-best team.

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Why the Nerazzurri continue to fly under the radar I’ll never know, but their performances this season certainly warrant them being considered among Europe’s elite. 😤 

5️⃣ Arsenal: After sputtering to a halt in December, the Gunners look nearly unplayable in 2024. Mikel Arteta’s side are on a run of historic form in the Premier League, winning all eight games this year with a mind-boggling goal differential of +29 (33 GF, 4 GA) to emerge as narrow leaders with ten games to play. Their relative inexperience and struggles with Porto in the Champions League keep them from being higher on this list. 🫤 

6️⃣ Liverpool: While the Reds are still more likely than Arsenal to win the Premier League (35% to 20%), I’ve got them just behind Arsenal after losing head-to-head last month. Make no mistake about it though, Liverpool have thrived amidst a severe injury crisis in recent months. Youngsters like Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradley have stepped up big time in the absence of key players – a testament to the player development abilities of Jürgen Klopp in his last season with the Reds. 📈

7️⃣ Bayern Munich: You’d think Bayern were wavering in the relegation zone for all the shit they’ve gotten this season. That’s far from the case for Die Roten, who have actually equaled their point total through 26 Bundesliga games compared to last season and boast the best attack in Europe’s top five leagues with 78 goals. You can’t help but wonder if Thomas Tuchel would still have a job after this season if Leverkusen didn’t exist. 🤷‍♂️

8️⃣ Paris Saint-Germain: The farmers jokes seem warranted this season. PSG have cakewalked through a Ligue 1 that’s weaker than ever, with a 12 point lead despite having only 59 points through 26 games. Yet, something feels different about this PSG team, who are second-favorites to get over the hump and win the Champions League for the first time ever.

Perhaps Kylian Mbappé is destined for a fairytale ending to his hometown career. 🧚‍♂️

9️⃣ Barcelona: While the defending La Liga champions have taken a step back from last season, they’re starting to put it together down the stretch. Barça are undefeated in their last ten games across all competitions thanks to Robert Lewandowski seemingly having found the fountain of youth (7G, 3A during that span). Still alive in both La Liga and the Champions League, the window for Xavi to hoist some silverware in his last season with the club is not as narrow as it once seemed. 👀 

🔟 PSV Eindhoven: Largely thanks to their American trio of Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman, and Ricardo Pepi, PSV are quietly having a dominant season in the Netherlands. They join Leverkusen as the only other team in all of Europe’s top flight to remain undefeated domestically (23W, 3D, 0L), and have the second-most points of any team in Europe’s eight leagues with 72 through 26 games. And PSV aren’t just winning; They’re blowing teams out of the water. Their goal differential of +68 (81 GF, 13 GA) means they outscore Eredivisie opponents by an average of 2.6 goals per game. 🤯 

Christian Pulisic and the USMNT sit at number five after getting spanked by Colombia

In case the Euros weren’t enough soccer for you, the 2024 Copa América started last week, pitting the best teams in South America against each-other for the sport’s oldest continental prize. North American teams join the fold this year too, with the United States, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama joining their CONMEBOL neighbors to the south.

Hosted in the good ol’ U-S-of-A, the tournament kicked off on Thursday, with Argentina beating Canada 2-0 in Atlanta. The defending Copa América and World Cup champions are tournament favorites, and top our power rankings as the best team in this year’s tournament.

Here’s how the rest of the top ten teams at this year’s Copa América stack up:

Canada reached soaring heights in 2022 when they qualified for the World Cup for just the second time ever under ex-manager John Hardman. Les Rougues will look to build on their momentum on their first major international tournament since Qatar, this time with Jesse Marsch at the helm. The American favors an intense, high-pressing style that is well-suited for this athletic Canada team, highlighted by Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David. The “Golden Generation That Isn’t” will be playing with a maple leaf-sized chip on their shoulder and could escape Group A with a positive result against Chile. 🇨🇦

With players like like Miguel Almirón, Julio Enciso, and Ramón Sosa leading the lines, you’d think this Paraguay team should have no problem scoring goals. That hasn’t been the case, however, as the Albirroja have scored only one goal in their six World Cup qualifying matches headed into this tournament. One. While Paraguay’s defense, to their credit, only conceded thrice during in these games, the overall lack of goalscoring (one goal every 540 minutes) does not bode well for their odds of making it out of a tough Group D. It’s worth noting that Paraguay made the 2011 Copa América final with three draws in the group stage and scoreless draws in both the quarterfinals and the semifinals, so they do have a precedent for tournament success even when the goals aren’t coming. 🇵🇾 

This Chile team is nowhere near the golden generation that won the 2015 Copa América followed by the 2016 Copa América Centenario, but they’re still capable of making some noise coming out of Group A. With more caps (163) and goals (51) for Chile than any other player, Alexis Sánchez is still La Roja’s main man, despite playing sparingly with Inter last season. The 35-year-old proved he can thrive in his redefined role as a number ten, playing a crucial role in Chile’s close loss to France and comfortable wins over Paraguay and Albania in the build-up to the tournament. 🇨🇱 

Mexico seem to have the opposite problem as Paraguay: Goals are plentiful when they play, both for El Tri and their opposition. Conceding seven goals in two games headed into this tournament isn’t a great sign for Jaime Lozano’s back-line, whose average age is only 24.5 years old - highlighting just how inexperienced this Mexico team are. Gone from the side are mainstays Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving Lozano, and Raul Jimenez, having been replaced by the likes of 23-year-old Santiago Giménez and 26-year-old Edson Álvarez, who’ll need to step up to the occasion to emerge from what is one of the lowest points in El Tri’s history. 🇲🇽 

They aren’t sexy but any means, but Ecuador have a clear path to making a deep tournament run with their stout defense and favorable draw. With $147 million-man Moisés Caicedo pulling the strings in the midfield, Ecuador are seeking redemption after failing to progress to the knockout rounds in Qatar and are favorites to emerge from a relatively weak Group B. La Tricolor’s recent World Cup qualifying results – beating Uruguay 2-1, drawing with Colombia 0-0, and losing to Argentina 1-0 – show their defensive solidity, but questions remain about where goals will come from. Their likelihood of making a deep run lies on the shoulders of 34-year-old Enner Valencia. 🇪🇨 

Despite suffering their worst loss to Colombia since the War on Drugs, the United States bounced back in a big way with a credible 1-1 draw against Brazil in their last pre-tournament tune-up. The hosts will be led by Christian Pulisic, who shone at Milan last season and is back at the tournament where he made his debut for the Stars and Stripes in 2016. Captain America is far from the only big-time player in this squad, however. All 11 starters against Colombia play in Europe’s top five leagues. 21-year-old Gio Reyna has shown flashes of brilliance in an attacking midfield role, and will need to shoulder some of the playmaking burden from Pulisic for the USMNT to make it out of a deep Group C. 🇺🇸 

The last time Colombia lost a game Donald Trump could still vote. After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Los Cafeteros have thrived under new manager Néstor Lorenzo, going undefeated in 23 consecutive games dating back to February 1, 2022. Colombia have taken out Spain, Brazil, and the United States during this run, and are poised to make another deep run after finishing third in 2021. Luis Díaz will be Colombia’s primary goalscoring threat, and James Rodríguez remains a very capable central creator even at 32. Colombia fans shouldn’t get too excited, however; Colombia went into the 1984 World Cup on a similar 33-game undefeated run and failed to make it out of the group. 🇨🇴 

Uruguay boast a solid squad with the depth to challenge anyone in the tournament, and they’re peaking at the right time too. Marcelo Bielsa has put an end to the slow and dull brand of soccer Uruguay played in Qatar, transforming his team into high tempo and high energy pressing machine. The Argentine’s tactics appear to be working, as La Celeste currently sit second in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying despite facing a gauntlet of a schedule. If Uruguay’s energetic midfield – highlighted by Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Manuel Ugarte – can keep up the intensity throughout the tournament then they have as good a shot as any team to bring home the bacon…err…picanha. 🇺🇾 

Neymar’s absence from the tournament with a torn ACL is a huge blow. He was Brazil’s best player in their Copa América final loss to Argentina in 2021, and is the Seleção’s heartbeat in addition to being their primary creative threat. That said, Brazil have no shortage of attacking options, with Vini Jr., Rodrygo, Gabriel Martinelli, Raphinha, and Endrick all capable of winning the tournament’s Golden Boot. Dorival Júnior’s squad might lack the balance of Argentina or the midfield depth of Uruguay, but Brazil are still among the favorites with perhaps the best player in the world at their disposal in Vini Jr. 🇧🇷 

Was this ever going to be anyone else? Argentina are not only reigning world champions, but won the 2021 Copa América as well. Manager Lionel Scaloni is doing a great job at balancing young talent with experienced players, and Lionel Messi – despite being 35 and playing outside of Europe for a year now – is still among the best players on the planet. In a Group A that features Canada, Chile, and Peru, this is Argentina’s tournament to lose. 🇦🇷 

Mbappé was shown a yellow card for sitting down on the pitch after coming back on following treatment

Kylian Mbappé’s Euros got off to a rough start on Monday when he left the pitch in the closing moments of France’s 1-0 win over Austria after suffering a broken nose.

Searching for his first European Championship goal in his 80th appearance for Les Bleus, Mbappé rose for a header in Austria’s box in the game’s closing moments, only to collide with the shoulder of Austria’s Kevin Danso. The 25-year-old immediately went down to the turf bloody and bruised, with television cameras making it instantly apparent that his nose did not look like it was supposed to.

Twitter tweet

The Real Madrid forward returned to action only minutes later, but was shown a yellow card for sitting down on the pitch shortly after coming back on following treatment. His night ended when he was replaced by Olivier Giroud in the 90th minute.

“Any ideas for a mask?”

The French Football Federation confirmed on Tuesday that Mbappé’s nose was in fact broken (you don’t say?), but he will not require immediate surgery, which would rule him out for the competition. He will instead miss only France’s clash with the Netherlands tomorrow, despite reports indicating that the World Cup winner initially hoping he would be able to play.

“Even if there is not surgery immediately, he will have to do it after the tournament,” France coach Didier Deschamps said yesterday. “The medical staff have done what they needed to reduce it as much as possible. This morning he was a bit better, so we will see that and we will follow it closely each day."

Mbappé, who trained with the team yesterday, hinted on social media that he will don a mask when he returns to action.

Twitter tweet

Fans responded with plenty of options, urging Mbappé – who was jokingly referred to as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle “Donatello” when he initially joined PSG on loan in 2017, with Thiago Silva even buying him a mask – to pull off what could perhaps be the most iconic brand partnership of all time. 🐢 

Zoom out: France are tied with Netherlands at the top of Group D with three points, so there’s no rush in bringing Mbappé back. Pending the outcome of tomorrow’s match in Leipzig (France are still favored at +130), Mbappé is expected to make his return in the last group stage match against Poland on Tuesday.

Last week, Jude Bellingham pulled a page out of Kim Kardashian’s book, breaking the internet with a scantily-clad photo posted to social media of him modeling Kim K’s underwear range, SKIMS.

Instagram post

For some, it was an opportunity to stop and admire. For others (me), it was a reminder that I’ll never look like a footballer no matter how hard I try. But for Bellingham, the near-nude photoshoot was a proclamation that he is the soccer world’s next endorsement sweetheart, the likes of whom hasn’t been seen since the days of David Beckham. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

Not just underwear deals

Few would have predicted Bellingham would have such a prolific debut season with Real Madrid since arriving at the Spanish capital last summer. The 20-year-old led Los Blancos to a La Liga crown and 15th Champions League title, scoring an astounding 23 goals as a midfielder in all competitions.

It only took Bellingham a year to reach hero status at the Bernabéu, and now companies from London to Los Angeles are taking note.

In addition to SKIMS, Bellingham has recently inked endorsement deals with Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and energy drink brand Lucozade. His partnership with Adidas, which stretches back a few years, reached new heights last week when the German sportswear giant featured him in their flagship advertisement for the European Championship.

This advertisement is remarkable for two reasons:

• Adidas must have splashed some serious cash to license “Hey Jude,” as rights to The Beatles’ songs are notoriously expensive.

• Bellingham is Adidas’ first flagship European player in years. He is not sharing the headline billing with anyone, and doing so at just 20 years old.

Adidas are clearly placing a ton of stock in Bellingham’s marketability. Only Lionel Messi has received such treatment from the Three Stripes at recent international tournaments. Several players – like Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Mesut Özil, and Gareth Bale – have shared the spotlight in the brand’s video advertisements for the past two European Championships.

But not this time. These Euros are all about Bellingham. 👑 

A “commercial machine”

It’s easy to see why the midfielder is so marketable. On the pitch, he’s a force. Bellingham’s athleticism, versatility, and technical ability naturally make him stand head and shoulders above the competition (literally), and his composure and intelligence are unparalleled for such a young talent. There’s an aura of calmness – a feeling that good things are bound to happen – when the ball’s at his feet.

While his signature celebration – facing the crowd, looking to the sky with arms stretched wide – shows he clearly won’t shy away from the spotlight, the Birmingham City product isn’t all flash, either.

Instagram post

Bellingham is equally as industrious and hard-working as he is talented – a breath of fresh air in a sport where so many highly-touted prospects are afraid to stick in a boot. It’s no surprise that managers love his hard-working nature.

Bellingham’s cool-as-a-cucumber presence extends off the pitch too. His infectious smile, perfectly-cut hair, impeccable fashion sense, and model girlfriend (you’re welcome) are straight out of the David Beckham School of Superstardom, but – rather unlike Beckham – Bellingham is somehow able to maintain all of these with an aura of relatability. His dad was a policeman after being a prolific goalscorer in non-League soccer.

Like Beckham, he isn’t afraid to inject his personality into press conferences, simultaneously speaking with the polish of a 35-year-old veteran and the coolness of a California teen who was the first in their friend group to get their learner’s permit.

Throw in a healthy dose of “I don’t give a shit” with a thick Brummie accent and you get interviews like this:

While at Real Madrid, Beckham won good faith with Madridistas by regularly speaking Spanish at press conferences. Bellingham has done the same, addressing fans in Spanish while celebrating the club’s La Liga triumph. He even sang in Spanish at Real Madrid’s Champions League parade, revealing that tone deafness is the only weakness in his game.

Zoom out: Even England boss Gareth Southgate has compared Beckham to England’s new number ten, but only five seasons into his professional career, Bellingham has a long way to go before he reaches Beckham’s iconic status. Leading Three Lions to their first major silverware since 1966 with a European title would send him well on his way. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

The European Championship trophy on display after the qualifying draw

Euro 2024 – the 17th edition of the tournament to decide the best international team in Europe – starts tomorrow, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland to kick off what is sure to be an exciting month of soccer with the sport’s second-most prestigious trophy on the line.

From Italy attempting to defend their crown, to England’s best team in recent memory looking to “bring it home,” to war-afflicted Ukraine proudly representing their nation on the pitch, this year’s Euros are ripe with storylines, and promise to captivate audiences around the world as Europe’s top teams converge on the global stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament.

When is it?

Euro 2024 starts tomorrow, with the group stage running until June 26. The knockout rounds start on June 29, and culminate with the final on July 14 in Berlin.

• June 14: Opening game

• June 29: Round of 16

• July 5-6: Quarterfinals

• July 9-10: Semifinals

• July 14: Final

Where is it?

The tournament will be held in Germany, with ten cities hosting matches at the following venues:

• Berlin: Olympiastadion Berlin (71,000 capacity)

• Cologne: Cologne Stadium (43,000)

• Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (62,000)

• Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf Arena (47,000)

• Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (47,000)

• Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000)

• Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (49,000)

• Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (40,000)

• Munich: Munich Football Arena (66,000)

• Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (51,000)

How to watch on TV

The full tournament will be broadcast on the FOX family of networks in the United States, with tomorrow’s opener airing on FOX at 3 PM ET. Click here for the complete programming schedule.

Who is playing?

A total of 24 teams will be competing (detailed below), with Poland, Ukraine and Georgia being the last teams to punch their spots via playoff wins. Wales and Norway were the top-ranked teams to not make the cut.

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams from each of the six groups of four will qualify for the round of 16, along with the four best third-place teams. The tournament will then be a single-leg knockout format.

Who are the favorites to win?

England are the favorites to win their first major European trophy since 1966 according to the good folks at Draft Kings. A $100 bet on the Three Lions could win you $300.

Euro 2024 ball

The official match ball is the Fussballliebe, which is German for “the love of soccer.”

The official match version of the Fussballliebe retails for $170

Manufactured by Adidas, the ball “balances abstract simplicity with black wing shapes and solid colors,” representing each flag of UEFA’s 55 member associations. The Fussballliebe is made from more sustainable bio-based materials than any previous Adidas official match ball, and even features “Connected Ball Technology,” which sends data to officials in real time to help them make faster offside and handball decisions.

Euro 2024 song

Italian producers Meduza, American pop-rock group OneRepublic, and German singer-songwriter Leony have teamed up to create the tournament’s official song, “FIRE.” According to tournament organizers, the track merges several distinct sounds “into a track that embodies the fervor and spirit of football and music fans alike.”

It’s no Shakira, but it’ll do.

Euro 2024 mascot

The tournament’s official mascot is a teddy bear named Albärt (“bär” is “bear” in German), who bears an uncanny resemblance to the demons I see in my nightmares.

Albärt was chosen as the mascot’s name following a vote among schoolchildren in Europe, 32% of whom favored the name to other equally face palm-worthy ursine appelations. 🤦‍♂️

That’s enough housekeeping for now; let’s get into some team previews.

Group A

Between generations, the hosts are in an interesting place for this tournament, equally capable of winning it all as they are of crashing out of the round of 16. 38-year-old Manuel Neuer, and 34-year-olds Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller are mainstays for Die Manschaft, whose attacking load will be carried primarily by Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, both 21 years old. Look for them to create plenty of chances for the resurgent Kai Havertz and Niclas Füllkrug, who’ll likely split time up top. 🇩🇪 

With an average age of 28.4 years, Scotland are the oldest team at the tournament, but just because they’re nearly half their nation’s average life expectancy don’t count out the Tartan Army. Manager Steve Clarke has recently tinkered with his side’s formation, placing Scott McTominay in a deeper midfield role. The Man United star leads a midfield trio that also includes John McGinn and Billy Gilmour – as industrious an energetic as they come. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 

Hungary will fare as does their captain, Dominik Szoboszlai, who had a less than stellar first season at Liverpool after making a big-money move last summer. The 23-year-old will be the Magyars’ primary creative outlet, and if he finds his top form then Hungary could make a quarterfinal run with their experienced back-line led by Willi Orbán and goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. 🇭🇺 

Side note: Do Leipzig exclusively scout in Budapest or something?

With Granit Xhaka pulling the strings in the midfield, a pair of top-tier keepers in Yann Sommer and Gregor Kobel, and a trio of center backs that would make even Pep Guardiola jealous in Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, and Fabian Schär, Switzerland’s spine is as good as any team’s in the tournament. The problem lies with their inability to create chances. Zeki Amdouni – whose name hardly strikes fear into the minds of opponents – led the Swiss with six goals in qualifying, so expect the Burnley striker to lead the lines. 🇨🇭 

Group B

The 2008 and 2012 champions have bounced back from their poor World Cup under new head coach Luis de la Fuente, and one man deserves all the credit: Rodri. The Man City midfielder cemented his status as the most influential and perhaps the best player in the world last season, and will lead a Spain side that are just as capable as any of winning it all. Look for him to create plenty of chances for Nico Williams and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal on the wings, who De la Fuente favors over more experienced players for their direct, relentless nature. 🇪🇸 

Luka Modric is both the Croats’ greatest strength and perhaps their biggest weakness. The 38-year-old has certainly lost or step or two, but showed at Real Madrid last season that he’s still capable of creating a game-changing moment out of thin air – whether that be with a perfectly-weighted outside-of-the-boot pass or a savvy, driven finish that catches the keeper wrong-footed. Still boasting the same core squad that was on the brink of winning the past two World Cups, don’t be shocked if Croatia make a similar run in what is likely their best-ever player’s last hurrah. 🇭🇷 

No champion should be ruled out, but Italy will be hard pressed to defend their Euro 2020 title. The veteran presence of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonnucci will be sorely missed, and for what feels like the first time in ages the Azzurri lack a true superstar in their ranks. Nicolò Barella and Jorginho will form a tidy midfield partnership, and Federico Chiesa will lead the lines in attack, but Italy – who have the second-fewest total caps of any team in the tournament – will need other players to step up big time in order to even escape the Group of Death, let alone contend for the title. 🇮🇹 

Albania conceded just four goals through ten games to qualify for their second-ever Euros, but don’t let the numbers fool you. The second-lowest ranked team in this tournament have a better chance of finishing with no points than they do escaping this group. Tough draw, but such is life when you hang with Europe’s top dogs. 🇦🇱 

Group C

All eyes will be on Benjamin Sesko, who has been linked with seemingly every top club in Europe, especially Arsenal. While latest reports indicate the 21-year-old striker will stay with Leipzig for another season, this is a great opportunity for Gooners (and other fans) to get some enjoyment out of an otherwise underwhelming Slovenia team. Sesko, who scored five goals in qualifying, will need to play out of his mind should the Slovenians have any shot of making it out of the group stage for the first time ever. 🇸🇮 

The Danes are seemingly everyone’s dark horse come every major tournament, and Euro 2024 is no exception. Their defense is loaded with stout veterans like Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjær, and Joachim Andersen, and their midfield – highlighted by Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – ain’t too shabby either. It’ll all fall on the shoulders of Rasmus Højlund, who’ll be starting up top at just 21-years-old. The Man United striker showed he’s a big-game player with a string of impressive performances in the Champions League last season, so he should be in contention for the Golden Boot if Denmark make it out of the group. 🇩🇰 

Speaking of the Golden Boot, Al-Hilal striker Aleksandar Mitrović will be in contention himself, having scored 39 goals in 43 matches for club and country this season. Should Mitrović struggle to find the back of the net, then Dragan Stojković will have no shortage of options to turn to in attack, with Dusan Vlahovic, Luka Jović, Dušan Tadić, and Filip Kostić all making Serbia’s 26-man roster. There may only be one ball, but if there were two nets then striker-rich Serbia would be my pick. 🇷🇸 

England are tournament favorites and for good reason: they’re utterly stacked with talent. Between Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Kyle Walker, and Declan Rice (I could go on), the Three Lions have world-class players in damn near every position, many of whom are in or entering their prime. Harry Maguire, who has shed his error-prone Man United skin while playing for England, is a big miss for the defense, but I think there’s enough talent and stability elsewhere to cover up for a few defensive mishaps. This is soccer…err..football’s best shot at coming home since 1966, and Gareth Southgate is the only man on planet Earth capable of fucking this up. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

Group D

At 35 years old, Robert Lewandowski is past his peak, and will miss at least Poland’s opener against Netherlands with a thigh injury. Given their star talisman’s fitness and the fact that they just squeaked by Wales in the playoffs to qualify, Poland should count themselves lucky and simply enjoy the time they have in Germany. It’ll take a near miracle for them to make it out of this group. 🇵🇱 

Like Germany, the Dutch are another country in between generations whose tournament could go either one of two ways. Attacking talent is somewhat limited, with breakout Milan star Tijjani Reijnders and 21-year-old Xavi Simons expected to be the Oranje’s primary creative outlets in the midfield. The Netherlands’ defense, however, is like many tourists visiting Amsterdam: loaded. Between Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Aké, Daley Blind, Denzel Dumfries, Jeremie Frimpong, Matthijs de Ligt, and Micky van de Ven, manager Ronald Koeman has his work cut out for him picking a starting back-line for his preferred 4-2-3-1. 🇳🇱 

Icon David Alaba will make the trip to Germany, but only in spirit. The do-it-all center back, whom Das Team have heavily relied upon during the past decade, will be joining the team as a “non-playing captain” after suffering an ACL tear in December. In other words, Austria have little-to-no shot of making a deep run at this tournament, but have a chance to advance to the knockout stages if Marcel Sabitzer and co. take care of business against Poland. 🇦🇹 

Les Bleus enter the tournament as second-favorites following a strong runner-up performance at the World Cup in Qatar. If France win their first European Championship since 2000, then Kylian Mbappé will be the reason. At 25, he is the best player in the world in the moment, Real Madrid’s newest Galactico, and a big-game player who has shown time and time again that he’s at his best when the moment is brightest. He’ll need to be at his best to get past England, who’ll await France should both teams make it out at the top of their respective groups. 🇫🇷 

Group E

Perhaps the best-dressed side in the tournament, Belgium will give it one last go with their golden generation. Despite missing half the season with a hamstring injury at 32 years old, Kevin De Bruyne is as potent as ever, boasting a passing range and goal-scoring ability that still make him the Red Devils’ main man. His club teammate Jérémy Doku has the pace and trickery that make him a breakout candidate, but an aging back-line is a concern for manager Domenico Tedesco. Belgium should benefit from being on the “easy” side of the draw. 🇧🇪 

PSG center back Milan Škriniar is the captain and best player for this Slovakia team, which is all about the collective. Their defensive solidity makes a second-place finish probable in what is perhaps the tournament’s weakest group. A lack of attacking firepower, however, will likely inhibit them from progressing further than the round of 16. The Falcons are a hard-working unit, but simply lack the X-factor(s) in their team to make much of an impact. 🇸🇰 

The fact that Ukraine, who beat Iceland 2-1 in a qualifying playoff final, made it to the tournament is a victory in itself, especially given the situation at home. Don’t count them out though; the Blue and Yellow boast a spine of players from Europe’s top leagues. The heart of the team, Oleksandr Zinchenko, will pull the strings from the midfield, while Real Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin and Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi will anchor the back-line. Mykhailo Mudryk will provide an attacking threat from the wing, and goals will come from Artem Dovbyk, who scored 24 goals in 36 appearances for Girona last season. No matter the outcome, expect passionate play, fervent support, and lots of media attention for the tournament’s feel-good story. 🇺🇦 

The tournament’s best player that you’ve never heard of, Nicolae Stanciu, is the one to watch for the Tricolorii, who haven’t won a major tournament game since beating England 3-2 at Euro 2000. The 31-year-old Damac midfielder will have to be at his best for Romania to escape the group, and will look for help from Ianis Hagi – the son of legendary midfielder Gheorghe Hagi. The 25-year-old impressed on loan at Alavés last season, and will have a golden opportunity to break out of his father’s shadow on the international stage. If Hagi plays well, then Romania have a great shot at making it out of a weak group. 🇷🇴 

Group F

Despite having who manager Vincenzo Montella calls “the number one midfielder in the world” in Hakan Çalhanoğlu, the Crescent Stars are a bit of an unknown entity at this level. Montella only took up his post this past September, and youngsters like Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız – while undoubtedly talented – have little pedigree on the international stage. They’re far from glamorous, but did beat both Germany and Croatia in qualification, so expect them to at least progress to the knockout stages. 🇹🇷 

Georgia are the lowest-ranked side in the competition and haven’t beaten another team in the tournament in a competitive match since 2015, so their chances of making it out of the group are slim. Don’t expect them to roll over easily, though. They’ll be playing for pride in what is their first-ever European Championship, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is capable of producing moments of sheer brilliance to swipe a few points from their Group F rivals. 🇬🇪 

The 2016 champions will once again be led by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, who’ll be competing in perhaps his last major tournament at 39 years old. No player has more Euro appearances (six), has played in more games (25), or scored more goals (14) than Portugal’s legendary forward, who’ll be surrounded by attacking firepower second to only the United States’ military. Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leão and co. led the Seleção to a perfect record in qualifying (10W 0D 0L), scoring the most goals (36) and conceding the fewest (2). Group F should be a cakewalk, leaving Portugal with a deliciously easy path to the final in the weaker side of the draw. 🇵🇹 

Czechia are the least experienced team at the tournament, with an average of only 16 caps per player. Tomáš Souček is their most experienced player on only 68 caps, and will play a pivotal role as both the team’s captain and midfield engine. Striker Patrick Schick – who was joint-top scorer at Euro 2020 with five goals (matching Cristiano Ronaldo – can be lethal on the counterattack, but there are plenty of question marks otherwise. With Portugal as strong favorites and Georgia just happy to get an invite to the party, second place in Group F will likely come down to Czechia and Turkey going head-to-head in the last group game on June 26. 🇨🇿 

City were purchased by the Abu Dhabi-based United Group in 2008

Just weeks removed from winning their fourth consecutive Premier League title, Man City are suing the Premier League.

The Times reported late last week that the club are challenging the Premier League's Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, which determine whether sponsorship deals are financially “fair” in the eyes of the league. An arbitration tribunal will hear the case today, and its decision – which is expected to be made within the next two weeks – could change the fabric of English soccer forever. Here’s how:

What are APT rules, anyways?

The Premier League's ATP rules were originally introduced in 2021 following the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United. The rules are designed to prevent “associated parties” from agreeing to sponsorship deals that exceed fair market value.

Let’s say that I strike it rich with this newsletter and am able to purchase my favorite club, Arsenal. I’m fucking sick and tired of City winning the league, so I’m obviously going to pour tons of money into the club to purchase the best players possible. But, under the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), I’m limited in how much I can contribute as a percentage of the club’s revenue.

Fortunately for me, sponsorship deals are part of revenue, and as the owner of both Stoppage Time and Arsenal, I facilitate a $200 million-a-year sponsorship in which the Stoppage Time logo prominently displays on the club’s kits.

Let me dream, alright

I could then in turn spend this additional revenue on big-name players (Victor Osimhen, anyone?), and return the Premier League title to North London for the first time since 2003-04.

But there’s one problem here, and it’s not that I don’t have $200 million. As a single person who exercises “significant control” over both Stoppage Time and Arsenal, I’d be considered an “associated party,” and thus banned from making the transaction under the APT rules. Since this would be considered an “associated party transaction,” it would be subject to “fair market value,” the nebulousness of which is at the heart of this lawsuit.

Who decides what is “fair market value”?

Not Man City supporters, apparently. There are companies that specialize in determining if a transfer is “fair” by benchmarking the value of the deal against comparable deals at similar clubs. The Premier League board has approve every transaction, so they leverage these independent auditors to assess each deal’s “fairness.”

City are, evidently, not fans of this. The club submitted a 165-page document to the league which argued that even sponsors with ties to their owners should be free to decide for themselves how much their sponsorship should be worth. City are contending this on the basis of the APT rules violating UK competition law.

This is of grave interest to City, who are owned by the Abu Dhabi-based United Group and have a number of sponsorship deals companies tied to their owners, most notably Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways unveiled a Man City-branded plane in 2019

The lawsuit, which is in response to the league’s tightening of the ATP rules in February, is not just seeking to repeal these rules. City are also seeking damages for lost revenue, which further underscores just how influential the outcome of this case will be on the future of the sport – both in the Premier League and beyond.

What does this mean for the sport’s future?

Should the arbitration tribunal side with City, its impact will be far-reaching. Firstly, owners will be free to inject as much money as they wish into their club via sponsorship deals, effectively enabling associated party transactions to bankroll a club to whatever extent the owner can stomach the losses.

This means that City could theoretically sign any number of uncapped sponsorship deals that tap into just a sliver of the $159 billion in assets owned by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, who own Etihad Airways. This would make it even easier for City to snatch up all the world’s top players, significantly altering the talent disparity in the Premier League.

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Such a ruling could also upend the European order, as many clubs operate as nonprofit entities (e.g. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich) or are publicly owned (e.g. Man United). These clubs would not be able to artificially inflate their revenues through associated party transactions like City.

Cooking the books is, of course, nothing new in soccer. City were hit with 115 charges of breaching Premier League financial regulations during a nine-year period last February, and Chelsea came under scrutiny last week for a £76.3 million deal by their owners to sell two hotels at Stamford Bridge to another company they own, enabling them to avoid PSR breaches.

Yet, this time things feel different. 🤔 

Setting a dangerous precedent

This current Man City team are perhaps the best in English history, with six titles in seven seasons, a European treble, and more top players than any team in Europe outside of perhaps only Real Madrid. They have spent €1.94 billion in player transactions over the past ten years – more than any other team but Chelsea.

And this still isn’t enough!?

The Premier League, which is an association of the 20 member clubs, has historically settled things in-house, with any disputes resolved via majority vote. By circumventing this process, City are potentially setting a dangerous precedent: don’t like something? Just sue!

I guess the Americanization of the Premier League is further along than we all thought. 🇺🇸 

With 43 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this season, Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres is Europe’s most wanted striker

In 1893, Jack Southworth was transferred from Blackburn Rovers to Everton for the eye-watering fee of for £400. It is widely agreed upon that this deal was the first time that money had exchanged hands between clubs for a professional player, effectively making it the first transfer.

Since then, transfers have become just as big a part of soccer as the game itself. With that has come the rise of transfer rumors, typically wildly unrealistic, overly simplified, and more delusional than your friend who swears Drake won the rap beef.

Julian Draxler to Arsenal? Should happen any day now.

Wesley Sneijder to Man United? Paperwork’s almost done.

Diego Maradona to Sheffield United? Just waiting on the ACH payment.

For every €150 million transfer that would “totally transform our club, dude,” there’s a Leandro Trossard: an affordable option that flies under the radar, and, although might not move the needle like a Mykhailo Mudryk, represents a tidy piece of business that lays the foundation for any successful club.

Here are ten such sensible transfers for some of Europe’s top teams this offseason:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Arsenal: Marcus Rashford (Man United, €60m market value) If Mikel Arteta did it with Kai Havertz, then why can’t he with Rashford? The 26-year-old is coming off of the worst season of his professional career, having provided only seven goals and five assists in 33 Premier League appearances for the eighth-place Red Devils. Capable of playing anywhere across the front three, Rashford would provide Arteta with a versatile rotational option for a fraction of an Alexander Isak or Victor Osimhen.

🇪🇸 Barcelona: Martín Zubimendi (Real Sociedad, €50m) The 25 year-old defensive midfielder has been linked with Barça for years now, and with Frenkie de Jong already having one foot out the door it’s time for the Blaugrana to snatch him up. The Sergio Busquets-regen would thrive in new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s attack-minded system, where he would sweep up everything in the midfield and ping passes far up the pitch to more skilled players. A match made in heaven, as long as Barça can get their finances in order.

🇩🇪 Bayer Leverkusen: Aleix García (Girona, €25m) Xabi Alonso has identified the Spanish midfielder as one of his key targets this summer and for good reason. The Bundesliga champions are likely to get plundered by wealthier clubs over the next few years, and will need stability in the midfield to achieve Alonso’s goal of “sustainable success.” At 26 years old, the “best right foot in Spanish soccer” could be Leverkusen’s starting no. 6 for the next five years, and is expected to go for just around €20 million – highway robbery, if you ask me. 🤷‍♂️

🇩🇪 Bayern Munich: Ben Chilwell (Chelsea, €28m) It appears Chilwell’s time at Chelsea is coming to an end. Plagued by injuries during his tenure at Stamford Bridge, the 27-year-old made only 13 league appearances last season, playing second fiddle to Marc Cucurella and even CB Levi Colwill at times. With Alphonso Davies likely to leave for Real Madrid, Bayern need another left-back to rotate with Raphaël Guerreiro, who is going on 31 years old and is oft-injured himself. Chilwell would be a perfect stop-gap for Die Roten, and would likely jump at the opportunity to join his compatriots Harry Kane and Eric Dier in Bavaria.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Man City: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, €120m) Sensible has a different meaning for the four-time reigning Premier League champions. Musiala is one of (if not the) best U21 players in the world, and would be a suitable understudy in the attacking midfield to Kevin De Bruyne, who is 32 years old, missed the first half of last season with a hamstring injury, and has expressed interest in a move to Saudi Arabia. Especially precocious for 21 years old, Musiala could become an instant starter for the club and a central figure to build around for the next decade alongside Phil Foden, who is already a big fan of the German international:

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Man United: Adrien Rabiot (Juventus, €40m) Casemiro was rubbish last season and is almost certainly bound for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia. Rabiot, on the other hand, is quietly coming off of the best season of his roller-coaster career, averaging a club best 7.07 match rating per WhoScored? across 31 Serie A appearances. The French international thinks very highly of himself, so would likely jump at the opportunity to move to Old Trafford, even if it’s just for a couple of seasons.

🇮🇹 Milan: Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP, €55m) While the Swede’s €100m release clause could be a bit much for Milan, this move makes sense on so many levels. Olivier Giroud has left the club for LAFC, but Gyökeres – who boasts similar physicality and aerial ability – would be a like-for-like upgrade to the Frenchman, who finished 17 of Milan’s attacks last season.

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Then there’s the Zlatan Ibrahimović connection. The legendary Swedish striker is Gyökeres’ idol and has become a senior advisor to Milan following his retirement last year. Lastly, the 26-year-old has already thanked Sportinguistas for their support, all but confirming last season was his final with the club.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Liverpool: Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna, €40m) Darwin Núñez does not appear to be the long-term solution at striker for the Reds. Zirkzee, who recorded 11 goals and five assists in 34 league appearances for fifth-place Bologna last season, ticks the box on so many levels for new manager Arne Slot: Fast ✅. Entering his prime at 23 years old ✅. Affordable ✅. Dutch ✅. Enough hair for the both of them ✅.

🇫🇷 PSG: Désiré Doué (Stade Rennais, €30m) PSG and sensible transfers go together like khakis and urinals, but it’s time that the club got smarter in the post Kylian Mbappé era. The club did not make a dime on the World Cup winner’s transfer to Real Madrid, so will not be able to pursue a like-for-like replacement – oil money be damned. Doué, who recorded ten goal contributions across all competitions last season at just 19 years old, is a highly regarded prospect in France capable of playing anywhere across the front three and even dropping deeper in the midfield.

His versatility, Ligue 1 experience, and price tag should make his transfer a no-brainer for France’s biggest club.

🇪🇸 Real Madrid: Rodrygo (Real Madrid, €100m) How on Earth do you improve this team?

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While adding Rodri or William Saliba come to mind, Los Blancos’ biggest offseason priority should now be to hold onto Rodrygo, who has been heavily linked with Man City and Liverpool. Why? Real Madrid are loaded in attack, but the 23-year-old Brazilian is really the only player comfortable playing from the right; else their lineup might look like this:

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United are now just one FA Cup title short of Arsenal, who hold the record with 14 titles

Man United lifted their second piece of silverware in as many seasons on Saturday, upsetting their cross-town rivals Man City 2-1 in the FA Cup final. The win is the sole bright spot in what has been a miserable season by the club’s standards, with the Red Devils finishing eighth in the Premier League with a club record 14 losses. 😬 

United’s FA Cup triumph would normally be cause for celebration – a sign of things to come for the talented core of young players who stepped up in a squad ravaged by injuries. But things aren’t so straightforward for United these days, and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has a crucial decision to make that will dictate the club’s future for the next decade.

To sack or not to sack, that is the question

On Thursday, United announced they were parting ways with Erik Ten Hag after two seasons with the club. The decision was made with indifference to Saturday’s final, with reports indicating that the club was ready to move on from the Dutchman regardless of the game’s outcome.

Had United lost as expected, the club would have swiftly carried through with their decision and kicked Ten Hag to the curb. But Ten Hag is still with the club, suggesting that Ratcliffe and co. are reconsidering their decision amidst pressure from supporters.

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Even the media has labeled the club’s decision as “ruthless,” pointing to how United’s decision to sack Louis van Gal despite winning the FA Cup in 2016 backfired tremendously.

Players have publicly backed their manager too. “I think, on a personal level, he’s been amazing for me. I can only thank him for that. I have a good relationship with him,” said defender Johnny Evans when asked how the squad would feel if Ten Hag left. “I hope he stays.”

This is not the reaction of a player who feels their manager is holding the club back.

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Make no mistake: Ten Hag’s position is is still in serious doubt, but the fact that he wasn’t immediately fired after Saturday’s match suggests that club ownership is reconsidering their decision, or at the very least tempering expectations with players.

Ten Hag speaks

The Dutchman said he is still in the dark about whether he will manage Man United next season, but insists he will continue to win trophies – whether at Man United or elsewhere.

"Two trophies in two years is not bad, three finals in two years is not bad," Ten Hag said in a press conference after Saturday’s match. "If they don't want me, then I’ll go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I do."

While it remains unclear where exactly club execs stand on the matter, Ten Hag made it abundantly clear how he feels about his tenure with the club.

"I am in a project and we are exactly where we want to be, we are constructing a team for the future. When I took over we were in a mess. The team is developing, the team is winning and the team plays to an identity, but you need the players to be available and a strong squad, especially when you play in England and Europe.”

The Dutchman has, after all, been at the helm for only two seasons, and building an elite squad takes time. Just ask Sir Alex Ferguson, who took seven seasons to win the Prem at Old Trafford.

As an Arsenal fan, I’ll be the last person to wish Man United a sliver of success, but I can’t help but feel like the club would be making a mistake to part ways with ten Hag. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were the United teams from the 1990s and 2000s that Ratcliffe and co. are trying so desperately to replicate.

📚 Coaches’ corner: The ingenious tactics Ten Hag used to outclass Pep Guardiola.

Mauricio Pochettino has left his post as Chelsea manager by “mutual consent” after just one season in charge, the club confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

The news broke just days after Chelsea secured a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, and comes as a surprise given Pochettino’s role in reviving the club’s fortunes following a 12th-place finish last season. The Argentine had signed a two-year contract with the club ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, but agreed to part ways with the club after meeting with new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital earlier this week.

While it remains unclear exactly what transpired at these meetings, the decision to cut ties with Pochettino is undoubtedly a huge step in the wrong direction for Chelsea.

What’s the big deal?

For one, Pochettino’s performance this season is not worthy of a sacking.

After a tough start to the season, Chelsea have been one of the best teams in the Premier League in 2024. The injury-plagued Blues were in 11th place as late as February, but went on a tear to close out the season, losing only one of their final 15 league games to secure a spot in Europe against all odds.

The Blues secured a spot in next season’s UEFA Conference League, and could compete in the Europa League if Man City beat Man United in Saturday’s FA Cup final. Tell that to any Chelsea fan back in January and you’d have been admitted to an insane asylum.

What’s stability, anyways?

The second reason Pochettino’s sacking comes a such a shock is it undermines the club’s long-term plans for stability. Since taking over the club two years ago, Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali have spent billions on recruiting young talent to Stamford Bridge.

Their plan is obvious – sign young players bursting with potential to lengthy contracts, hoping that they’ll grow together as a team and prosper in the long run. The problem is that they have lacked patience. Boehly and Eghbali have seemingly overlooked that you need to wait several years for youngsters to reach their peak; Cole Palmer is the exception not the rule.

Secondly, success in the Premier League requires cohesion and teamwork. Familiarity between players is just as important as their individual ability, and that is only going to come with time under one system.

By discarding managers like they’re non-rare Pokémon cards, Chelsea’s ownership is depriving their young players of the chance to collectively learn under one system, and have effectively forced them to restart four times within just two years.

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Boehly and Eghbali have reacted unreasonably after a single season that doesn’t even constitute a failure. That is not a winning recipe in the long-term.

What’s next? Pochettino isn’t the perfect coach. Many fans point to his in-game management as a weakness and question his ability to instill an elite mentality in his players. That said, there’s no obvious candidate(s) who can perform equally well in such a difficult job, and Boehly and Eghbali would do well to find an improvement over the Argentine, no matter how attractive the job may seem on paper.

Just like that, it’s done.

The 2023-24 Premier League season will go down as one of the greatest-ever in the history of England’s top flight, and Championship Sunday – although predictable in its outcome – did not disappoint. Between the title race going down to the wire, underachievers making a late push for Europe, and bidding farewell to a legendary manager, yesterday’s action reminded us to take the good with the bad and soak in the wide range of emotions that the Beautiful Game can conjure.

And since I’m feeling like I don’t ever want this season to end, let’s hold onto it just a bit longer with some end-of-season awards. First up is who I think was the best XI in the Premier League this past season:

🧤 GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton) Second to only Golden Glove winner David Raya in clean sheets (13), the England international played a crucial role in keeping the Toffees afloat in the top flight this season. He finished second in the league in save percentage (74.4%), with Everton conceding the fourth-fewest goals in the league despite lacking the defensive talent of top sides like Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool

🏝️ RB: Ben White (Arsenal) Speaking of top defensive talent, White announced himself as perhaps the best right back in the league this season, significantly elevating his play on both sides of the ball. The “Love Island Maldini” was perhaps the Gunners’ most consistent player, rarely putting a foot wrong in his ~3,000 minutes of Premier League action – the fourth-highest in Arsenal’s squad.

No meme has ever aged as poorly as this:

🚘 CB: William Saliba (Arsenal) If White wasn’t Arsenal’s most consistent player than it was probably Saliba, who played every single minute as the linchpin of the league’s best defense. The 23-year-old Frenchman has developed a formidable partnership with Gabriel (who almost made the cut), perfectly balancing the Brazilian’s psychotic energy with his cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor, both on the ball and while marking attackers. Saliba’s stats won’t jump off the page, but watch any Arsenal game and it’s instantly apparent why the “Rolls Royce defender” deserves a spot not only in this team, but in any team in Europe. He’s that good.

💪 CB: Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) The 32-year-old had his best season since tearing his ACL in 2020, with the highest average match rating of any defender in the league at 7.14.

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The Dutchman was a remarkably consistent presence in a Liverpool back-line that was decimated by injuries this season. Whether staring alongside 21-year-old Jaarrell Quansah or the error-prone Ibrahima Konaté, Van Dijk’s world-class positioning, aerial prowess, and composure under pressure were instrumental in the Reds finishing the season with the league’s third-best defense.

📈 LB: Destiny Udogie (Tottenham) Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list, the 21-year-old Italian thrived in his first season in England. Tottenham’s decision to loan Udogie back to Udinese (à la Arsenal with Saliba) after signing him for only €18 million in the summer of 2022 was a rare stroke of genius from the club, as he hit the ground running after an extra season to develop in Italy. Udogie boasts all the physical traits of an elite defender, and impressed with his ability to drive forward into space and even occupy an inverted role in the midfield. He’ll be a pillar of Spurs’ back line for years to come.

⚙️ CM: Rodri (Man City) The best way to understand Rodri’s influence is to see how Man City fared without him. The champions’ only three defeats on the season came without the Spainard in the lineup, and they have gone undefeated in the last 74 games across all competitions in which he’s played.

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Rodri leads the league in touches (4,116), passes (3,632), progressive passes (362), and passes into final third (363), and is second in average match rating per WhoScored? with a 7.62. His influence is unmatched in the modern game, making him the first name on Pep Guardiola’s team sheet and an even easier inclusion into this team.

🪄 CM: Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) The only player who can hold a candle to Rodri in terms of influence, Ødegaard has excelled doing a little bit lot of everything for the runners-up. From dropping deep in build up, to finding a defense-splitting pass in the final third, to pressing like a banshee for 90 minutes, the Norwegian fully justified Mikel Arteta’s decision to name him captain two seasons ago. Don’t let his numbers (8G, 10A) fool you – Ødegaard is a worthy candidate for the PFA Player of the Year award and has fully lived up to the hype since he burst onto the scene at just 15 years old.

🍚 CM: Declan Rice (Arsenal) The signing of the season and it ain’t even close. Rice is, simply put, the difference between last season’s Arsenal and this season’s Arsenal. While the result was still the same, Arsenal looked noticeably more mature, composed, and clinical this season – and that’s almost entirely because of their £100 million man. Worth every penny.

🧊 RW: Cole Palmer (Chelsea) Let’s take a look at FIFA… err… EA Sports FC to better understand the 22-year-old’s meteoric rise.

After warming City’s bench for a few seasons, Palmer headed into the 2023-24 season with a 66 rating. After a season in which he recorded 22 goals and 11 assists for sixth-place (!) Chelsea, he earned a special edition “Team of the Season” card with a 94 rating. Never has the Young Player of the Season award been such an obvious choice. 📈

⚡️ LW: Phil Foden (Man City) My Premier League player of the season, Foden took his game to undeniably world-class levels in 2023-24. The 23-year-old stepped up big time when Kevin De Bruyne was sidelined with a hamstring injury in the first half of the season, dazzling with his electrifying pace, technique, and a first touch smoother than his blush cheeks.

His two-goal outing in City’s 3-1 win over Man United was in my eyes (and ESPN’s) the best single-game performance of the season, and I’m still not entirely convinced he was born in Stockport and not São Paulo.

Foden finished the season with 19 goals and 8 assists, recording an average match rating of 7.50 per WhoScored? – the third-highest in the league.

🎯 ST: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) Speaking of numbers, no player had more goal involvements in the Premier League this season than Watkins, who burst onto the scene as the main man for an overachieving Aston Villa side. The 28-year-old recorded a career-best 19 goals and 13 assists this season, which surely caught the attention of Gareth Southgate as he contemplate’s England’s squad selection for this summer’s Euros.

Victor Osimhen has just 15 Serie A goals this season compared to 26 last season

Napoli’s title defense is going from bad to worse.

Last season’s Scudetto winners suffered their 11th league defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 2-0 to Bologna in a performance that encapsulated their woes since last May’s triumph.

Bologna scored two headers within the opening 12 minutes thanks to calamitous defending from Napoli players, who stood bewildered after each goal, scratching their heads and pointing fingers at teammates. The Azzurri were handed a golden opportunity to claw back Bologna’s lead after Victor Osimhen was fouled in the box, but Matteo Politano directed his penalty-kick straight into the arms of Federico Ravaglia – almost as if the universe had condemned Neapolitans to another 30 years of suffering.

The loss effectively puts an end to Napoli’s dreadful domestic campaign, eliminating them from Europe with just 51 points through 36 games. They had reached the same point total in only 19 games last season, and should they fail to win their last two games would set the record for the worst title defense of all time, with a -39 point differential in the season following their title win. 😬 

So how exactly did Napoli go from runaway Serie A champions to a mid-table team in under a year? Where did it all go wrong?

It all started with an email

Things were all going well for Napoli last April. The club had made their deepest-ever Champions League run, were running away with Serie A, and had blossoming superstars in damn near every position on the pitch.

Then-manager Luciano Spalletti’s contract was set to expire at the end of June, but the club had a a unilateral option to extend it for a season on the same salary, which club president Aurelio De Laurentiis exercised after conferring with other club execs.

The problem is, he did this without first consulting Spalletti, who only found out that his future had been made for him when he opened his inbox one day. That’s right, De Laurentiis informed Spalletti of his extension via email – the soccer world’s equivalent of your boyfriend proposing to you via text while you’re out buying groceries.

De Laurentiis likely intended to send the email as a negotiating tactic, but Spalletti was understandably pissed, and resigned at the end of the season before accepting the Italy job. Director of football Cristiano Giuntoli left too, leaving De Laurentiis scrambling for replacements.

The coaching carousel

In June, De Laurentiis appointed French manager Rudi Garcia, whose last job was coaching Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. 12 games into the season and Garcia’s Napoli were fourth in Serie A, but tensions were rising in the background between him and De Laurentiis.

The Frenchman wasn’t popular with many players, and once told De Laurentiis to “let him do his job” when he approached Garcia with a friendly suggestion following a 1-0 defeat to Empoli in November.

De Laurentiis fired Garcia two days later, and called on Walter Mazzarri as his replacement. Things went from bad to worse under Mazzarri, who had gotten canned in each of his last four jobs prior to his second stint at the club. Napoli went from fourth to tenth in his three months as manager, finding themselves 27 points off league-leaders Inter when he was fired on February 19th. 📉

De Laurentiis then turned to Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona as interim manager just two days before their first-leg clash with Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16. Take a guess at how that game played out…

Prior to his appointment – which should see him at the club through the end of the season – Calzona had not coached a single minute at the professional club level. The Italian even retained his post as Slovakia’s manager, meaning he’s performing double duties until De Laurentiis inevitably sacks him for “failing to meet expectations.”

Calzona is clearly not the long-term answer at Napoli, but after the way De Laurentiis has treated managers lately, can the club really find anyone better?

Yard sale: everything must go!

Napoli’s future doesn’t just look bleak from a managerial perspective. Sans the departure of Kim Min-jae to Bayern, the club retained their talented core that won the league last season, but those same players are likely now thinking that the grass is greener elsewhere (and they’re probably right).

Star talisman Victor Osimhen has been at the forefront of transfer rumors for years now, but they intensified in September after the club posted (then deleted) two TikToks trolling the Nigerian. After four seasons in Italy, Osimhen seems like he’s had enough, and is likely to make a big-money move to a club like PSG or Chelsea this summer.

Looking like a Champions League quarter-final exit

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who was named Serie A’s player of the season last year, seems sick of the club’s bullshit too. Latest reports indicate the Georgian winger is “unsettled” at Napoli, and likely to make a move to another top club, with PSG, Barcelona, and Arsenal having expressed interest.

What’s next? De Laurentiis still needs to identify a long-term manager, having already met with preferred candidate Antonio Conte last Saturday. Should the Italian return to Serie A, he’ll have plenty of funds to build the squad from the ground up with the transfer profits fetched from the likely sale of Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia, which could exceed €200 million. Not a bad way to start the rebuild, if you ask me. 🤷‍♂️