There are some figures in football that you simply take for granted as ever-present pillars of the national game, and Bobby Charlton is one of them. A star of Manchester United almost as soon as he made his debut in 1956, there are few fans that can recall English football before Charlton. He left an indelible mark on the game as a player, is rightly considered the finest English footballer of all time, and remained a huge presence in his role as an ambassador for United. The image of his empty seat in the Old Trafford directors’ box, with a scarf draped over the back, was a particularly poignant moment in October’s Manchester derby. Watching old footage of Charlton is like watching a man playing against children. Not in his physical stature, but in the way that he played games entirely at his own pace. Quicker than everyone else, smarter than everyone else, he seemed capable of bending games entirely to his will, while his ability to pass and shoot off either foot from any distance makes for a unique highlights reel. In our first edition since Charlton’s death was announced, Keir Radnedge and Jonathan Wilson pay tribute to the legendary midfielder.

It seems oddly fitting that Charlton should pass away just as another English midfielder with a similar swagger and goalscoring ability begins to make his mark at an elite level. Jude Bellingham has been exceptional since joining Real Madrid, capping his early displays with a match-winning brace against Barcelona in the Clasico. We’ve taken a closer look at his form in our season update section, along with a number of other talking points from Europe’s top five leagues.

Elsewhere, Ajax are suffering their worst-ever start to a season, Fluminense are heading for the upcoming Club World Cup as the champions of South America, and the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup are both inching ever closer. We’ve covered all these stories, and more, in this issue.

Jamie Evans, Assistant Editor