It’s that time again when I chuck out 30 wishes for the new year. Wishes that, mostly, don’t come true, though sometimes we do get forward progress. Heck, this is my 11th year doing this, and you’ll see it’s more about hope than about predictions.
But hey, we love this sport, right? And hope is a big part of love.
Gab’s wishes from: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
1. That we remember the legacy of past World Cups, not just in the immediate aftermath but over time as well, and ask what makes sense and what doesn’t. My colleague James Olley returned to Doha a year later and did a deep dive into the impact of the 2022 World Cup. It would be great if FIFA and the powers that be did the same for Russia 2018, Brazil 2014 and South Africa 2010, learned lessons and used them as guidelines for future competitions. The World Cup shouldn’t just be a vehicle for PR, soft power and feeding at the trough of public money.
Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).
19. That Kylian Mbappe does what’s right for him and his career, without stringing anybody along. He’s a free agent in June; as of Jan. 1 he can sign with anyone. Whether he stays at Paris Saint-Germain or moves elsewhere, let him be clear this time around. He doesn’t need any more acrimony in his life.
20. That Germany have a dignified Euro 2024 campaign. That’s a tough one for me, as an Italian, to say, because the past two World Cup first-round exits almost made me forget the Azzurri didn’t qualify. But they’re a mess right now, manager Julian Nagelsmann has a mountain to climb and you struggle to think of a host nation going into a tournament lower on confidence. Here’s hoping for some good football, a couple of youngsters and, say, a quarterfinal exit. (Hey, I did say “dignified campaign”… I certainly don’t want them to win it!)
21. That we find the right balance between respect and accountability when talking about referees. At the top level, they’re pros and I have no problem with holding them accountable. But, equally, the constant moaning and whingeing about officials — especially during games — is something that, rightly, they’re trying to stamp out. It is now affecting the grassroots game, with fewer kids wanting to become officials, and it will take more than videos like this one to change.
22. That Xabi Alonso stays at Bayer Leverkusen another season and does something special. It would have been fun to see him at Real Madrid. But it could be even more fun — if Leverkusen hang on to their stars — to see him have a proper go at the BayArena. He’s already shown his worth, the Real Madrid job (and other, equally high-profile gigs, aren’t going anywhere).
2:15
Gab & Juls’ Bundesliga half-season awards
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens make their picks of the German Bundesliga player of the half season, who surprised them and their biggest disappointment.
23. That Mohamed Salah sticks around at Liverpool until the end of his contract. He turns 32 this summer and will probably get a big offer from Saudi Arabia. One which may be significant enough for Liverpool to encourage him to take it. But given the sort of campaign he’s having, I’m not ready to see him go. Seek out a year deal, Mo, and decide in 2025 what you want to do. Please?
24. That Chelsea learn from their mistakes and some folks at the club develop a bit of humility. It’s been 18 months of a laughingstock fare at Stamford Bridge. You know the numbers: four managers, a billion spent, double-figure positions in the league. Nobody is going to have much sympathy given what happened in the Roman Abramovich Era and some might say that it’s karma. Maybe it is. But at some point, even schadenfreude gets old, doesn’t it?
25. That Lionel Messi surrounding himself with friends and ex-teammates in Miami means he’s enjoying himself, not that this is some kind of early retirement. Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and now Luis Suarez have all joined him at Inter Miami, which should make for some fun barbecues in his backyard. You hope, though, that it keeps him hungry and stimulated. Because if you love football, you want to squeeze as much Messi as you can before he hangs up his boots.
1:22
Is Messi reuniting all his friends at Inter Miami?
Gab and Juls react to Marcos Rojo’s link to Inter Miami and wonder what other players could join Lionel Messi at the MLS club.
26. That Cristiano Ronaldo comes home at some point. He has been away now for some twelve months and, because he pops up with Portugal each and every international break and we still see him on social media, he hasn’t disappeared entirely. But I miss him. And I still think it would be really cool if, at some point, he returned to where it all began: Sporting CP.
27. That if Jose Mourinho does leave Roma, he doesn’t slam the door behind him. Here’s the thing about Mourinho. His last four jobs before Roma — Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — ended badly, amidst finger-pointing and blame. He’s in his third season at Roma and — while he hasn’t been a rip-roaring success — he has a genuine connection with the fans who adore him. If he does move on (Roma will take stock at the end of the season, but having Mourinho around is both exhausting and expensive) let it be a friendly breakup.
28. That Kai Havertz finds his place on the pitch. Is it up front? Is it out wide? Is it in attacking midfield in a 4-1-4-1 or is he a No. 8 in a 4-2-3-1? Few players have had as many labels attached to them. Fewer still have his combination of size, strength, quality and athleticism … plus just the right dose of “nasty.” Chelsea couldn’t unlock his potential, and manager Mikel Arteta and Arsenal haven’t quite gotten it right there. And obviously, neither have Germany, despite playing him at left wingback on one occasion. Whoever gets Havertz right will be rewarded. And if it’s Arteta, it could mean a Premier League title this season.
1:34
Why Havertz could be the solution to Arsenal’s centre forward problem
Gab and Juls discuss why they think Kai Havertz can make an impact in the forward line for Arsenal.
29. That Ajax sort themselves out. They were in last place on Halloween and, as I write this, they’re up to fifth, albeit 23 points away from first place. But the very idea that Ajax — one of the most iconic clubs in the world — could be relegated was enough to make your skin crawl. Let it be a reminder that — beyond pedigree and bluster, money and size — you still need to go out and prove yourself every year on the pitch. And that bad decisions have consequences. Ajax fans deserve better.
30. That kids who fall in love with the sport be given the chance, first and foremost, to support their local clubs before jumping on the big-club bandwagon simply because that is what is pumped relentlessly onto screens. Yes, this is copied-and-pasted from previous years, but it’s worth repeating. And it’s the one wish over which we have the most control.
