After a long hiatus, I’m back! Kevin wasn’t paying me enough so I went on strike from writing blogs until I was fairly compensated. I’ve said this before but I mean it this time when I say I’ll try to get in a better habit of writing blogs more consistently. Ironically, I chose to write my first blog in months as the season comes to an end.
I wanted to highlight some of the biggest or most memorable stories from the past season. It’s honestly remarkable we reached this point given the season started late and many teams had to postpone/reschedule games due to Covid outbreaks. With that, here are 5 notable storylines from the past year in world football.
1. Games, Games, and More Games
I would like to think that anyone reading this is aware that soccer players run a lot. I get a solid chuckle out of people bagging on the sport when some of them would struggle to run a mile. With the season starting a month later due to last season ending later (Covid delays), that just meant that everyone’s schedule would be compressed while still playing the same amount of matches as any other season. It is extraordinary that these athletes were able to play so much and consistently perform without showing noticeable signs of exhaustion or a decrease in the quality of play.
It is stunning that domestic seasons were able to finish on a normal schedule and that Covid is no longer affecting when games are played. Beyond wrapping up seasons on-time, Europe and South America will be able to host their international tournaments this summer without affecting domestic schedules next season. Huge props to all the players around the globe that grinded through the adversity they faced.
2. New League Champions
Ignoring the continuous dominance of Bayern Munich and Manchester City, France, Spain, and Italy all saw champions crowned that hadn’t lifted the trophy in quite some time. For the first time in a decade, Inter Milan (Italy) and Lille (France) hoisted their league trophies, knocking off powerhouses Juventus and PSG. Atletico Madrid led virtually the entire season and were able to cling onto their title aspirations by winning the final match of their season. Even Portugal saw Sporting Lisbon win their first league title in 19 years. These teams featured some great redemption stories like Luis Suarez leading the way for Atletico after being dumped by Barcelona, and Romelu Lukaku having the best season of his career after a tumultuous spell at Manchester United.
3. The Rise of Americans
Football seemed doomed in America following our embarrassing inability to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Since then, we’ve seen a gradual rise in young Americans taking their talents to Europe. This past season saw an unprecedented wave of American talent start alongside some of the world’s best players and compete in the world’s top leagues. There were two Americans that hoisted trophies in Europe in 2017 - that number increased to 15 this year, culminating with our most talented player Christian Pulisic earning a Champions League medal after making meaningful contributions throughout Chelsea’s campaign to winning the tournament. This season has the potential to redefine soccer in America, both with the current set of players and inspiring young children throughout the country.
4. Young Team of the Year: Sporting Lisbon
The past 5 years or so, we’ve seen fairytale-like teams come onto the scene and expose the world to a plethora of young talent. The first two notable teams that come to mind are Monaco in 2016-2017 and Ajax in 2018-2019. For better or worse, these teams are short-lived as many of the players are sold for large sums to play for some of the world’s biggest clubs.
With the exception of not playing in the Champions League, Sporting Lisbon were phenomenal this season, led by a group of young players that will soon be household names across the globe. Pedro Gonçalves, Nuno Mendes (he will be the best left back in the world), Eduardo Quaresma, & João Palhinha all have the potential to be world class, also sparking loads of promise for the Portuguese and Brazilian national teams.
5: Season of the Striker
Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane, and Romelu Lukaku each had the best seasons of their already superb careers. Luis Suarez was also exceptional in leading Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title. Lionel Messi continued to do Messi things, while his amazing seasons are so commonplace they almost go unnoticed at this point. Harry Kane led the Premier League in goals AND assists while Lewandowski broke the Bundesliga record for most goals in a season by netting 41 in just 29 league appearances. Lukaku had 24 goals (second in Serie A behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also performed at such a fantastic level for so long that it’s almost forgotten about) and 11 assists en route to becoming an Italian champion. Erling Haaland also scored the most goals in the Champions League at the stunning age of 20. There is a 16-year age gap between the oldest and youngest players mentioned in this paragraph - the various talents and skill sets of these players are sensational.
Bonus: An Upcoming Summer of Exciting International Tournaments
Covid prevented Europe and South America from hosting their tournaments last summer, but fortunately, they’ve been able to fit them into this summer, along with North America hosting the Gold Cup. These tournaments will feature most of the world’s top players and should be nothing short of breathtaking.
As a bonus, I have tickets to the CONCACAF Nations League final this Sunday, so for the love of God, please don’t lose to Honduras in the semi-final @USMNT.