2024 is maybe the primary 12 months of soccer in a very long time the place it is onerous to select one singular standout second of the 12 months. 2023 noticed Manchester City carry the treble, 2022 was Lionel Messi’s ascent to immortality, 2021 was Italy’s Euro triumph, and earlier than that, we didn’t should look previous Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to discover a standout. But in 2024 – for the primary time in years – the standout factor was that there wasn’t a standout second.
And maybe the easiest way to sign the truth that there wasn’t a standout was the truth that neither Messi nor Ronaldo made it into the Top 30 of the Ballon d’Or nominees. The award they could not cease profitable at one level had lastly moved on for good.
Football in 2024 noticed surprises. Perhaps greater than we’re used to. Bayern Munich now not received the Bundesliga, darkish horses Spain received the Euros, and a defensive midfielder received the Ballon d’Or. For good heavens, Ivory Coast received the Africa Cup of Nations after sacking their supervisor mid-tournament!
And what a journey that was. Ivory Coast barely scraped by means of to the knockouts in an AFCON on house soil. Their supervisor was sacked halfway and the collapse could not look extra calamitous. Neither may the comeback look extra wonderful than it ended up being. ‘The Elephants’ beat everybody within the knockouts, together with then-defending champions Senegal, to say a historic AFCON in their very own territory.
What about Bayer Leverkusen? Not solely did they dethrone the seemingly undethronable, they went invincible. Zero losses in 34 Bundesliga video games. Zero losses within the German Cup. And had been it not for a freak Europa League last defeat, it would be zero losses all season. Xabi Alonso on the wheel, Florian Wirtz within the gap, Leverkusen had been the crew of the 12 months.
Let’s come to Spain. Before Euro 2024, England had been heavyweights. People fancied Germany on house soil. France are all the time favourites. But one crew beat all of them. Spain. They did not boast the most effective crew, however undeniably performed the most effective soccer.
Rodri was a metronome. His hype took away the shine from midfield accomplice Fabian Ruiz who was arguably higher. Nico Williams was a tear on the flanks, and his wing accomplice? Phew. Superlatives fall quick when one tries to explain what Lamine Yamal is doing at 17.
It’s onerous to reside as much as the phrases ‘The Next Messi’. But Lamine Yamal might very properly simply do it.
He completed eighth within the Ballon d’Or. At 17!
Perhaps the Ballon d’Or, and the fickle nature of particular person awards, doesn’t deserve the talk it will get. But it should actually be mentioned to have a good time the most effective particular person gamers. The sweetest cream of the crop. And in 2024, there have been three. Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Rodri.
Bellingham flew at Real Madrid, and was decisive every time the event demanded it. El Clasico winner? Check. Champions League in your first season at Real Madrid? Check. Bicycle-kick ninety fifth minute equaliser on the Euros? Check.
His teammate Vinicius was stratospheric. If footballers had been superheroes, nobody could be feared greater than Vinicius within the present situation. Without a shadow of doubt, the participant in world soccer most able to turning a sport on its head with the press of a finger.
But the golden ball went to Rodri. In a sport that sometimes wants you to have a purpose tally to problem for the large honours, Rodri was topped for being the ticking heartbeat of Manchester City and Spain. Just take a look at how worse off his membership is, now that he is injured. Rodri was so good {that a} individuals wanted to take a seat up and understand {that a} defensive midfielder could be crucial participant on the earth.
Football in 2024 was unsure. It was various. It had no singular standout. It noticed Pep Guardiola lose eight out of 11 video games. It noticed Kylian Mbappe lastly be a part of Real Madrid. It was a name again to the pre-Messi and Ronaldo period. And it is time we embrace it.
