10 predictions for international football in 2019
Goal page gives comments that are likely to come true this year.
Juventus won the Champions League after more than 20 years of waiting. The Italian team has a great opportunity this season when its competitors are all weakened.
Real Madrid have plummeted after losing Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, Barca still has Lionel Messi but the surrounding players are not as good as before. Bayern Munich is in a transitional phase, and Man City, PSG... have not yet asserted their class in the European arena.
The presence of the highest scorer in Champions League history, Ronaldo, has further strengthened Juventus' confidence. Max Allegri's team has all the experience, quality and class to make things happen.
Jose Mourinho returns to lead Real.This may be surprising but not unreasonable for big teams, who put their trust in coaches who have proven their class.
Santiago Solari had a good start at Real but his reputation was not enough to gain support from the board members. Meanwhile, Mourinho's dismissal from Man Utd has damaged his reputation but he is still one of the most notable names in the coaching world. In addition, President Florentino Perez still maintains a close relationship and expresses admiration for Mourinho. Returning to the Bernabeu would be a spectacular turning point for the Portuguese coach, bringing him back to the top football environment.
Antonio Conte is considered the most suitable coach for Man Utd.. Conte's rival Mauricio Pochettino is likely to continue his work at Tottenham. The Argentine coach is in a strong position, has the support of the board and has a talented squad. Tottenham is also about to move into a new stadium and a bright future awaits Pochettino.
Conte has enough reputation and class with a big team like Man Utd. He proved his ability when he brought Juventus back to its golden age, as well as winning the Premier League in his first season with Chelsea. The ability to revive big teams is an undeniable strength of Conte.
The US women's soccer team defended the 2019 World Cup title.Four years after being crowned champions in Canada, the United States remains a strong contender for next summer's tournament.
The US lost many key players after the 2015 tournament but maintained its strength thanks to a well-balanced generation. The team finished 2018 with a single defeat. Opponents considered capable of stopping the defending champions include hosts France and the Netherlands.
The extinction of native coaches in the Premier League.When the 2019-20 season begins, it is likely that the number of English managers will drop to a record low.
Sean Dyche was a success at Burnley, finishing seventh last season, but is struggling at the bottom of the table. Burnley's board may sack him before it's too late, but if they keep him, the club will be at high risk of relegation. Returning to the First Division is not only a concern for Dyche, but also for his compatriot Neil Warnock, the manager of Cardiff. Despite commendable efforts after half a season, Cardiff are considered candidates for relegation.
If there are no surprises, Roy Hodgson (Crystal Palace) and Eddie Howe (Bournemouth) will be the two remaining native coaches in the Premier League next season.
PSG lost financial strength.The French club has been known for its financial resources since falling into the hands of Qatari owners. However, they may lose their ability to command the transfer market next year due to financial fair play regulations.
UEFA reopened its investigation into PSG after several French clubs expressed anger. PSG made two deals worth nearly half a billion dollars with Neymar and Mbappe, directly causing the player's value to skyrocket in the last two seasons. To balance the finances, PSG had to sell some players for more than 100 million dollars last summer. This figure is not enough if UEFA determines that they have not met financial standards. This means that top stars like Neymar and Mbappe are likely to leave.
Messi won his sixth Ballon d'Or.The Argentine striker ended 2018 with great personal achievements but did not win any prestigious titles. Luka Modric with the Champions League title and runner-up of the 2018 World Cup broke the dominance of Messi and Ronaldo at the Golden Ball award.
Messi is on a terrifying scoring streak this season, with 21 in 20 games for Barca in all competitions. The 31-year-old superstar has also contributed greatly to the game, not only in terms of scoring goals, but also in creating and setting up his teammates. Messi's outstanding performances are likely to bring him back to the Ballon d'Or award once again.
England won the Nations League.The inaugural Nations League will be decided in Portugal in June 2019. The Netherlands caused a surprise by beating the last two World Cup winners, Germany and France, to reach the semi-finals. England and Switzerland also had to wait until the last minute to make the final four, alongside reigning Euro champions Portugal.
In the semi-finals, host Portugal will face Switzerland. This is a match where Portugal can welcome back captain Ronaldo. In the second semi-final, England will face the Netherlands, which will be an opportunity to prove the strength of Gareth Southgate and his team. Of the four semi-finalists, England had the best record at the 2018 World Cup. The maturity of the talented young players will be the springboard to help the Three Lions win the title in 2019.
Neymar and Brazil won the Copa America.The samba dancers are the strongest candidates for the tournament on home soil in the summer of 2019. After a humiliating defeat in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup, Brazil has improved a lot under the guidance of coach Tite. Returning to home soil in a major tournament is the time for Neymar and his teammates to assert themselves and repay the fans.
Jurgen Klopp ended Liverpool's nearly three-decade wait for a league title.The last time the port city team won the English championship was in the 1989-1990 season, before the Premier League era appeared.
Over the past 29 years, Liverpool have come close to winning the championship many times but have always unfortunately slipped. This season, the team has made careful preparations by strengthening the defense and maintaining the quality of the attack. The match against Man City early next year will be a big decision for the remaining journey of Liverpool.