🖐 things to look forward to in 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ | OneFootball

It has been a whirlwind year in the footballing world over the past 12 months.

Here is what we have to look forward to in 2023.

Last of the current Champions League

As of 2024, the Champions League format as we currently know it is in for a drastic change.

That will see the so-called Swiss model introduced to the competition with all clubs being placed into one 36-team table.

Teams will take part in 10 fixtures (five at home and five away) and overall points will decide the ranking, with the top eight teams qualifying automatically for the last 16, with teams ranked ninth to 24th fighting to join them in two-legged play-offs.

The changes will also be made to the Europa League and Conference League too.

That means the 2023/24 edition of those competitions will be the last for fans to enjoy in their present guise.

Make the most of it.

Women’s World Cup

We’re just getting over the excitement served up by the men’s World Cup in Qatar and luckily we don’t have long to wait for more action from that competition.

The world’s top women’s sides will descend on Australia and New Zealand next summer and attempt to dethrone the United States and take home the game’s most prestigious honour.

That will be easier said than done for the pretenders to the crown, given the form of attacking stars such as ageless NWSL Golden Boot winner Alex Morgan and NWSL MVP and the game’s rising star Sophia Smith.

For their challengers, ACL injuries have hit the star players of England (Beth Mead), Spain (Alexia Putellas) and the Netherlands (Vivianne Miedema), putting all of their participation at the tournament in serious doubt.

With France and Euro 2022 runners-up Germany also looking dangerous and hosts Australia capable of causing plenty of problems, this may just be the most wide open Women’s World Cup ever.

LaLiga title race

Spain currently plays host to the tightest title race of any of Europe’s top five leagues.

While things are exciting and close in the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 (less so in Serie A where Napoli are runaway leaders), LaLiga’s summit sees the picture poised on a knife edge.

The conclusion to the season could see a classic in the bid for glory as champions Real Madrid aim to overhaul current table-toppers and eternal rivals Barcelona.

The clubs are level on points after 15 games, and despite losing in the Clásico in the capital, Xavi’s men are in formidable form domestically: winning all but three matches and conceding just six goals.

But Real will be tough to overhaul. They are a battle-hardened group who will not give up their crown without an almighty effort – which is good news for all interested neutrals.

New paths for Messi and Ronaldo?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the game for the past 15 years.

But both are now undoubtedly in the twilight of those glittering careers and both are in line for further professional changes in 2023.

Ronaldo’s lucrative move to Al-Nassr seems to have signalled the end of his career at the very top level, but perhaps Saudi Arabia won’t be the 37-year-old’s final resting place, and he hasn’t yet called time on his international career.

Messi’s predicament is a little more unpredictable. His contract with PSG is expiring next summer and there has been serious speculation that he’ll move to Inter Miami in MLS but one more year at the Parc des Princes is by no means off the table.

We know one of these legends is set for a change of scenery. Will the other follow?

Records beckon for Erling Haaland

The Norwegian goalscoring phenomenon appears to have been put on this planet for one reason only – to shatter records and rip up the history books.

He did plenty of that over the past 12 months between Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Norway and more is set to come from him.

Chief among the major records he may break next year is the big one of most goals scored in a Premier League season. He is on 21 from 15 games and is chasing Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole, who share top spot with 34 (albeit in an increased 42-game campaign).

In the current 38-game format, the record belongs to Mo Salah with 32 and at his current pace, the Norwegian isn’t likely to have too much difficulty with that one.

Another he has his sights set on is Tommy Johnson’s 93-year-old high of the most goals in a single season for City with 38. Haaland is currently on 27 and with deep runs expected in cup competitions too, he’s set to smash through that mark with ease.

While unlikelier, there is also Dixie Dean’s 60-goal league season record for Everton in 1927/28 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s 17-goal Champions League campaign from 2013/14 to watch out for.

And with this man, nothing can be ruled out.