Revisiting the best and worst moments in soccer from 2023

Welcome to Onside/Offside! Every week, Luis Miguel Echegaray discusses what's going on in the world of football, including standout performances, games you may have missed, what to watch out for in the coming days, and of course, some things which probably deserved more love and criticism.

This week – and to use a little poetic license – is the first edition of our End of Year Wrapped Awards, as LME brings you some of the most and least memorable moments of 2023 using compiled statistics and figures throughout the year.

ON THE SIDE

Messi's magical summer in Miami

Lionel Messi and his family landed in South Florida on July 11 and from that moment on, soccer and sports in America will never be the same. Yes, it's fair to say that the avalanche of news actually started when Inter Miami and Messi made it official in early June, but when the 36-year-old World Cup champion set foot on the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, that's when we knew it was. real.

What followed was a summer like no other, where every movement La Pulga was reported. From a casual visit to a Publix supermarket to a stoplight – both extremely Floridian acts in nature – it was the magic on the pitch and the club's League Cup victory that made this summer so memorable in the 305.

It started with his debut and a winning free kick in the 94th minute against Cruz Azul. Then, like a Moscow mule on South Beach, the goals and victories kept coming and we couldn't get enough of the magic. This was a team that was the worst in the league, devoid of creativity and tenacity. Messi's arrival not only transformed Inter Miami, but 41 days after his arrival they were champions and won their first ever trophy after beating Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final on August 20.

Things calmed down a bit after that, as Messi needed to heal, rest and dedicate some of his time to the Argentina national team. Ultimately, the chances of an MLS playoff berth were too high a mountain to climb, but that didn't matter. Inter Miami had a trophy, a place in the Champions Cup and above all… they had Messi and a summer they will never forget.

Colombia made noise at the Women's World Cup

After narrowly losing to runners-up England in the quarter-finals of this year's Women's World Cup, Colombia left Australia and New Zealand as heroes. Getting this far was a testament to their fight, on and off the field.

Playing in England was an obstacle for Las Cafeterias, but that was nothing compared to everything they had to do to get there in the first place. Their fight has always been about equal rights and salaries, adequate training and travel support from their own federation and a dysfunctional national league despite the huge crowds it generates. The fact that Colombia became the first South American nation in 12 years to reach the round of 16 of the women's tournament while being the lowest ranked team is an incredible feat.

They did it in style too. And Linda Caicedo, 18 years old? She became the first player in history to participate in three Women's World Cups (U-17, U-20 and senior) in one year. Her first goal against South Korea was a curling marvel and from that moment on she never looked back.

Caicedo represents everything about this Colombian team and the message it always leaves behind: we will compete no matter what you throw at us.

At this year's World Cup, everyone noticed.

Linda. Caicedo. This 18 year old is absolutely taking over the World Cup with her performances.

Look at this lens.

A star is there.

👏🏽, 👏🏽 #COLLAR!!!!! pic.twitter.com/HZ9DRzOkH6

– Luis Miguel Echegaray (@lmechegaray) July 30, 2023

The meteoric rise of Bellingham, 20 years old

In case you haven't been following: 17 goals and five assists in 21 matches in total. The fourth Real Madrid player to score on his La Liga and Champions League debut in the 21st century. Winner of the Kopa Trophy for the best U-21 world player. An exceptional double (including a winner in stoppage time) during his first Clásico.

Ultimately, there isn't one word to describe Jude Bellingham.

Special? This is not categorical enough.

Gorgeous? Too pretentious. Using just one word does a disservice to the young star and what he has done in this first half of the season and the start of his tenure at Real Madrid. And that's the problem. He doesn't do that for just any club. This is Real Madrid, where there is constant pressure. Where all eyes are on you. Especially if you are English.

Bellingham didn't blink. He entered like a lion. The fact that he did it a few months after his teenage years is even more incredible. That would be impressive for any veteran or even someone in their 20s, but Bellingham has only been on Earth for two decades. That's it. And as Carlo Ancelotti said, he is wise beyond his years. It's amazing to see someone so young be so elegant in their football and so confident.

On the ground, it is difficult to describe his position. I guess he's an attacking midfielder, but that's not really the case. When you watch him play, all he cares about is exploiting his opponents' weaknesses, whether it's a drive towards goal or combination work with his Brazilian teammates Vinícius Junior or Rodrygo. He also plays the role of a striker, looking to penetrate the penalty area at every opportunity. He is a remarkable player and a future Ballon d'Or, I have no doubt.

This is why it deserves a mention. And that's why we – not just England or Real Madrid – are lucky enough to witness the inevitability of Bellingham.

OFF-SIDE

Luis Rubiales' actions after Spain's glorious World Cup victory

Former Spanish FA director's forced kiss on Jenni Hermoso after winning the Women's World Cup has many tragic consequences. From the act itself to his shameful reluctance to admit his wrongdoing, thus turning it all into a blame game, the news eventually globalized into a dark cloud that overshadowed what was supposed to be a historic achievement.

But if you take a closer look, it's not a surprising story. Misogyny is the product of a society that fuels it, and ultimately, even when there is a slight sign of progress or legitimate punishment, no one wins. “I had to assume the consequences of an act that I did not provoke, that I did not choose or premeditate,” Hermoso told GQ Spain last month. “I received threats, and that’s something you never get used to.”

What do we do in society when the innocent becomes the guilty? That's a question for another day. But for now, the hope is that this type of story goes away. Yet, as I have said before, this can only happen if society is willing to look itself in the mirror.

play

Marcotti: Rubiales bans any significant FIFA decision

Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss the news that former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has been suspended for three years by FIFA.

Influx of money, Saudi influence and the sprawling arms of FIFA

Last week's Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia was the first time FIFA asked the Middle Eastern country to host a tournament. It was also the start of a journey for both sides as Saudi Arabia – providing everything goes according to plan – will also host the 2034 Men's World Cup after Australia declined to participate in the competition .

Yes, it is important to diversify the landscape of football's host regions, but I think it is naive to believe that FIFA President Gianni Infantino only wants to expand the beauty of the game across the world. I'm sure it's a patternbut it's not THE reason. It's always been about money and wanting to maximize whatever revenue it can generate.

Now let me be clear. There's nothing wrong with making money, but the problem here is that Saudi Arabia's continued strategy of getting rid of the football snow globe – particularly Europe – is a path towards rewriting its international identity. But it also comes with issues of economic, social and gender equality, as well as a poor human rights record.

But these conversations are often countered with “what about” and the truth is that the ship of good sailed long ago when Qatar became host in 2022.

The alarming rate of injuries

Let's not beat around the bush. A crowded schedule, the addition of new rules that create more downtime, and an over-reliance on younger players have now created a situation where we are seeing more and more injuries.

The 2022 Qatar World Cup essentially kicked things off as shortly after the final, players were asked to return to the domestic calendar and resume the mental and physical exertion of the club game. According to insurance group Howden, which studied the effects of match congestion and player wellbeing in 2022-23, players injured after the World Cup spent an average of eight days longer on the bench than 'before the tournament.

And this year, the trajectory continued.

Take the example of the Premier League. The injury list is no less than 100 (136 as I write) and the problem is that this isn't going to go away anytime soon as the football calendar becomes more and more congested. Apart from the Champions League or other UEFA competitions, what is coming is an avalanche of tournaments.

We have Euro 2024 and the Copa America, then the international windows and a new format Club World Cup in 2025 (expected to last a month), followed by the 2026 World Cup. In women's football, a recent report FIFPro study on European women's players revealed how “elite footballers who injured their anterior cruciate ligaments were exposed to more matches, less rest time and more number of rest periods of less than five days between matches than non-injured players” during the 28 days preceding the injury.

Then there are the young players. Vinicius Jr, for example, at 22 years old, has already played 18,876 minutes for club and country. That's twice as much as Ronaldinho at the same age. At 24, Kylian Mbappé has played 48% more than Thierry Henry, also at the same age.

All of these numbers are once again the work of the good people at FIFPro and we need to continue to voice these issues because, frankly, there is simply too much football for players to handle, at least to the best of their abilities. Fans may love non-stop action, but it comes at a price.