In this issue
Home. That’s the theme of this month’s issue of World Soccer, with Brazil superstar Neymar leading the way. It’s probably not quite how he imagined it, it may not even be for very long, but he is back at Santos, the club where it all began. It’s a familiar story. Xherdan Shaqiri, one of 25 stars to watch that we’ve picked as the season’s conclusion approaches, has also returned to his first club, Basel. So too has Roma manager Claudio Ranieri, proving that as long as football is played, variations of the same story will occur. The nostalgia, the romance, is simply too irresistible.
Jamie Evans, Managing Editor
Contents
The World This Month
12 Henry Winter The Jhon Duran-Saudi dilemma
14 Keir Radnedge 2030 World Cup final hosts
16 Jonathan Wilson Creative tension: Haaland and Pep
17 On the radar
18 Obituaries
20 Moves you might have missed
21 In numbers
22 Jim Holden Claudio Ranieri
23 ESM XI
EYEWITNESS
24 Brazil Neymar’s Santos homecoming
30 Spain The cradle of Spanish football
36 Serbia Shifting power struggles in Belgrade
FEATURES
40 Stars to watch 25 players that could define the 2024-25 season
48 6 of the best South American Under-20 stars
50 Spotlight Romania’s revival
68 Coach Profile Anthony Barry
72 Face to Face Asmir Begovic
99 My Biggest Game Michael Essien
WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS UPDATE
56 Oceania
58 South America
60 Africa
62 Asia
64 Europe
66 Groups & fixtures
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
74 UEFA Champions League knockout round
75 SheBelieves Cup & UEFA Nations League
WORLD SERVICE
78 Europe UEFA Nations League quarter-finals & play-offs
80 CONCACAF Nations League & Gold Cup Prelims
82 Asia 2027 Asian Cup third round qualifying
84 Brazil 2025 season preview
86 Asia AFC Champions League update
88 Africa CAF Champions League update
90 Oceania OFC Champions League preview
92 Taiwan A ground-breaking new stadium
94 Samoa Rebuilding with AI and an ambitious coach
95 The Sweeper
