World Soccer – January 2024

Summary

Erling Haaland takes the Men's World Player of the Year crown as World Soccer January 2024 closes the books on a year dominated by Manchester City's treble and sets the stage for Germany's Euro 2024. Inside: 48-team tournament guides for both AFCON and the Asian Cup, plus the Columbus Crew's MLS Cup triumph.

The Awards & People of the Year section runs from page 28 to 34, naming winners across six categories — men's and women's world player, manager, and team of the year. Jonathan Wilson examines Jude Bellingham's rise at Real Madrid, while Keir Radnedge pays tribute to the late Terry Venables. A dedicated Euro 2024 qualifying review covers the teams that booked their tickets to Germany, and the "6 of the Best" feature scouts ten Under-17 World Cup talents on the rise.

On the tactical side, group-by-group previews for AFCON 2023 and the Asian Cup 2023 run 14 pages combined, each with a face-to-face interview — Walid Regragui for Morocco and Igor Stimac for India. The World Service network files reports from Japan's J.League, South Korea's K-League, Norway's Eliteserien, and the inaugural African Football League, plus a review of the NWSL season and CONCACAF Nations League.

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Content Guide

▸ Awards

p.28 · Men's World Player of the Year: Erling Haaland
Haaland's 52-goal season for Manchester City earns him the top individual honour. The voting breakdown and a career timeline put the numbers in context — 36 Premier League goals alone. Compare his tally against previous winners to see where this season ranks historically.

p.30 · Women's World Player of the Year
The women's award recognises a standout performer from a year that included a World Cup and growing NWSL viewership. Read the shortlist and the voting panel's rationale before you place your bet on next year's winner.

p.34 · Men's & Women's World Teams of the Year
Two full XIs selected by the magazine's global panel. Use the lineups as a template for your own end-of-season debates — the surprises in the selection tell you which leagues the scouts are watching most closely.

▸ Euro 2024 / Qualifying

p.20 · Euro 2024 Shock Qualifiers
The surprise nations that punched above their weight to reach Germany. Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai features celebrating qualification. Look at the underdog routes — one of those paths may repeat in the tournament proper.

p.66 · Europe — Euro 2024 Qualifying Review
A correspondent-by-correspondent breakdown of each qualifying group. Results tables, top scorers, and decisive matches are laid out for pre-tournament research. Pick the group that produced the most away upsets and track those teams in the finals.

▸ AFCON & Asian Cup

p.42 · AFCON 2023 Overview & Schedule
Kick-off times, host cities, and the tournament bracket. The guide covers all 24 teams grouped for the Ivory Coast tournament. Bookmark the group-stage dates for the teams your federation follows most closely.

p.44 · Face to Face: Walid Regragui
The Morocco coach discusses his squad's depth after their 2022 World Cup semi-final run. Regragui names the AFCON contenders he fears most — check who he rates before you fill out your knockout bracket.

p.52 · Asian Cup 2023 Preview
All 24 teams profiled with key players, coaches, and ones to watch. Igor Stimac (India) gives his assessment of the group-stage challenge. Note the dark horses from the ASEAN federations — they have been closing the gap faster than the rankings show.

▸ Reviews

p.62 · NWSL Season Review
A full wrap of the National Women's Soccer League season, including playoff results and the championship decider. The NWSL's attendance growth figures tell you which markets are driving the league's commercial expansion.

p.78 · Japan — J.League Review
Correspondent report on the J.League season, covering champions, relegation issues, and the rising export talent. Check which J.League clubs led possession stats — those stylistic trends often predict success in the AFC Champions League.

p.84 · Norway — Eliteserien Review
The Scandinavian season reviewed with final standings and European qualification spots confirmed. If you track Norwegian talent for fantasy leagues, this page lists the breakout names before the winter transfer window opens.

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Editor's Take

This is the reference annual that every football library needs — the award pages and dual continental tournament guides alone justify the cover price. The World Service network reports are consistently excellent, especially the J.League and African Football League dispatches. Weakest area: the six-page under-17 talent feature reads as a teaser rather than a proper scouting dossier. Ideal for the global football fan who follows more than one league; overkill if you only watch the Premier League.

Strengths
• Complete AFCON and Asian Cup 48-team previews with group guides
• Haaland award retrospective with goal-scoring data and career timeline
• Six-correspondent World Service network covering four continents

Weaknesses
• Under-17 talent feature too brief for serious scouting use
• Limited coverage of South American domestic leagues beyond World Cup qualifiers

Verdict: Essential — The best single-issue reference for the January window and the two upcoming continental tournaments; buy before AFCON kicks off.