As we reach the halfway mark of 2024, it’s only right that we reflect on the previous year and all that it brought us, and in the world of soccer, there’s no shortage of highlights. With so many legendary tournaments and rivalries, and such a vast pool of professional players both past and present, it’s no wonder that every year provides us with some incredible milestones and results.
So, that being said, we’re going to give you an overview of 2023’s highlights and key moments that’ll be etched in the history books forever, setting the stage for an exciting 2024 season. From the momentous 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that garnered more global attention than ever before to Manchester City winning their first-ever Champion’s League title, we’ve got it all.
Whether you’re an avid soccer fan wanting to relive a bygone season or a sporting novice looking to learn a thing or two about soccer, stick around while we tell you about the most important and exciting moments in the world of soccer in 2023.
1. 2023 FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup
While everybody around the world is familiar with the primary FIFA World Cup – that is, the men’s World Cup – the women’s tournament has never attracted nearly as much attention, which, as we know, is a pattern that holds true across most sports.
However, today, many people see 2023 as a turning point in that regard, with the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, having become a monumental event that showcased female sporting excellence and the growth and popularity of women’s soccer.
The tournament featured 32 different teams for the first time ever – a significant increase from the previous tournament’s 24 teams – and delivered high-quality matches alongside some truly dramatic moments.
Here are some key moments from the 2024 Women’s FIFA World Cup:
– Team USA’s Early Exit: Despite being four-time champions and competition favourites, the Americans were unexpectedly and disappointingly knocked out in the early stages by Sweden, indicating a pretty significant shift in the landscape of women’s soccer.
– Breakout Stars: The tournament saw the rise of several new stars, including Australia’s Sam Kerr, a goal-scoring dynamo, and Spanish Alexia Putellas, who played an important part in her team’s overall success.
– Spain’s Triumph: In the end, the Spanish claimed their first-ever Women’s World Cup title when they defeated England with a 1-0 win in a tense final. Spain’s win reflected not only the rise in success of the country’s soccer, but the success of their national youth soccer program.
2. The UEFA Champions League
The Champions League is always full of action and drama, and the 2022-2023 season was no different, culminating in an historic final.
Let’s look at the key highlights from the competition:
– Manchester City Wins Their First Title: It may seem unbelievable, but this was the first time Manchester City won the Champions League title, beating Bayern Munch 2-1 in a thrilling final.
– Underdogs: For some people, the most exciting part of the Champions League is always the incredible underdog stories, and this year is no different. Teams like Benfica and Napoli absolutely exceeded expectations by reaching the semifinals, showcasing the incredible depth of talent and competition in European soccer and making the entire tournament significantly more exciting than anticipated.
3. Lionel Messi Reaches Multiple Career Milestones
Whether you’re a big soccer fan or not, you’ve almost definitely heard of the legend that is Lionel Messi, and in 2023, he managed to reach several career milestones, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
Indeed, Messi is no spring chicken, but that certainly didn’t stop him from competing at the highest level in international soccer.
Here are the highlights from Messi’s year in soccer for 2023:
– 800th Career Goal: Messi scored his 800th career goal in February of 2023, marking an incredible achievement not only for him – highlighting his longevity and consistent excellence – but for the sport as a whole.
– Ballon d’Or Win: Messi was part of the team that won Ballon d’Or, and personality, it was his eighth Ballon d’Or win, extending his personal record and underscoring, once again, his enduring influence on professional soccer.
– Move to Inter Miami: Lionel Messi shocked the world by announcing his move to Inter Miami, joining Major League Soccer (MLS) in the summer of 2023. His arrival in the United States attracted unprecedented attention to the league and really helped elevate it to the global stage.
4. Other Major Transfers and Market Moves
Soccer is always about which players are signed with which teams because the sums of money paid out are like the jackpots at Bella Vegas casino. In 2023, the transfer window was marked by several high-profile moves that reshaped the landscape of club soccer.
These were some of the most significant events:
– Cristiano Ronaldo’s Return to Europe: Ronaldo returned to European soccer, joining Bayern Munich after a fairly short stint with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. It’s believed that his move was almost completely driven by his desire to return to competing at the highest level and add to his Champions League Legacy.
– Jude Bellingham Moves to Real Madrid: 2023 saw English midfielder Jude Bellingham make a big-money move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid. His transfer was one of the most expensive in the history of the sport, and it wasn’t long before he became a key player for the Spanish team.
– Kylian Mbappe Stays at PSG: Considered one of the world’s most exciting young players, Kylian Mbappe ended up staying at Paris Saint-Germain after much speculation that he’d be moving to Real Madrid. Indeed, by signing his new contract, he became the highest-paid soccer player in the world.
5. Other Record-Breaking Events in Soccer in 2023
– Youngest Debutant: 16-year-old Lamine Yamal became the world’s youngest soccer player to debut for Barcelona in La Liga.
– Robert Lewandowski’s Goal Scoring Prowess: Robert Lewandowski broke the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year in Bundesliga history with a whopping 43 goals.
– Sam Kerr’s Goal-Scoring Streak: Kerr set a new record in the Women’s Super League (WSL) by scoring goals in 11 consecutive matches, showcasing not only her talent but her consistency too.
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Explanation: player statistics (a/b c)
a - games played this season
b - goals scored
c - team position (d - defender, m - midfielder, f - forward, g - goalkeeper).
