World Cup winner Lloris departs Spurs for LAFC
January 2 – France’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has joined Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC from Tottenham Hotspur.
Performance
Size matters? TSG Hoffenheim top ranking of world’s tallest teams
December 21 – The CIES Football Observatory has revealed the tallest and shortest teams in world football in its latest study, which ranks the clubs in 53 leagues around the world according to the average size of the line-ups fielded in the current or last completed season.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson shows rivals a clean pair of heels
December 14 – The CIES Football Observatory has partnered up with Skillcorner to analyse the strongest ‘Marathon runners’ and ‘Sprinters’ (their definitions) across the top 40 leagues in world football.
Girona stun Barca to take LaLiga lead
December 11 – Are unheralded Girona now genuine La Liga contenders to end the domination of Real Madrid and Barcelona?
Man Utd’s Fernandes tops ranking of most time played in 2023
December 8 – Manchester United Captain Bruno Fernandes is Europe’s most ‘active’ outfield player, according to the latest study conducted by the CIES Football Observatory.
Matic tells youth to steer clear of Red Star and Partizan, the ‘viruses’ of Serbian football
December 8 – Former Serbian Manchester United star Nemanja Matic (pictured) has launched another attack on Serbian football, its president Dragan Džajić, and the country’s biggest clubs – Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade – who he calls the “viruses” of Serbian football.
Kane top of world strikers ranking, Bellingham, Martinez, Haaland and Mbappé in top 10
November 30 – A superb start to life in Munich has seen England captain Harry Kane top a ranking of the best finishers in world football according to data from the CIES Football Observatory.
Jagielka, 41, calls time on pro career after 800 appearances
November 29 – Ex-Everton defender Phil Jagielka has announced his retirement from football at age 41.
Wiegman drafts Mead back into England squad for final Nations League qualifiers
November 11 – Beth Mead has returned to the England squad for the first time since November 2022 after a lengthy spell out due to injury.
Ligue 1 heads ranking of youngest players, Serie A has most foreign players
November 14 – Ligue 1 has topped a ranking of the Big 5 leagues with the youngest players.
UEFA holds first forum for club and national team youth coaches
November 13 – UEFA hosted its inaugural Youth Football Forum last Friday, marking the first event tailored for technical and academy directors and youth coaches of both clubs and national teams.
Spanish managed clubs top ranking of ‘least direct’ teams in world football
November 9 – Manchester City are the least direct team across the top 27 leagues in world football, according to the latest data report by the CIES Football Observatory.
Al-Ittihad sack Espírito Santo after superstar squad fails to deliver
November 8 – Al Ittihad have sacked former Spurs boss Nuno Espírito Santo after an underwhelming start to the season despite an influx of superstar summer signings.
Chelsea’s Emma Hayes quits to take up head coach post of US women’s team
November 6 – Emma Hayes, the longest serving and most successful manager in Women’s Super League history, has agreed to become the United States head coach after a shock decision to leave Chelsea.
Kane breaks scoring records with hat-trick against Dortmund in Der Klassiker
November 6 – Bundesliga new boy Harry Kane netted another hat trick in his debut Der Klassiker this weekend as Bayern Munich ran out 4-0 victors in Germany’s biggest game.