Well, we’ve reached the end of 2023 and what a year it’s been in football.
The Matildas made it all the way to the semi finals of a home World Cup, Ange Postecoglou took the Premier League by storm and Lionel Messi swerved Saudi Arabia to take up a lucrative deal with Inter Miami.
That’s just a snippet of what’s transpired, but what can we look forward to in 2024?
So glad you asked, because there’s a fair bit that we think is going to happen.
In our 23 predictions for 2023, we (rather miraculously) correctly predicted eight events to happen, which isn’t a terrible strike rate.
So, Foxsports.com.au has once again pulled out the crystal ball and gazed into the future for what is about to transpire in 2024.
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1. Manchester City win the 23/24 Premier League
When Thanos snapped his fingers in Avengers: Endgame and said, “I am inevitable”, he wasn’t talking about himself.
No, he was in fact talking about Manchester City.
Although Pep Guardiola’s side are in fourth and five points off league leaders Liverpool albeit with a game in hand, they have an uncanny ability to step up the pace just as their rivals take their foot off the pedal.
So don’t act shocked when it’s City who raise the Premier League trophy at the end of the season for a fourth consecutive season.
2. Luton Town survive
If only for Kenilworth Road to remain in the rotation of Premier League stadiums.
But also because Luton are a beacon of hope in an increasingly commercialised sport.
Come on you Hatters!
3. England win EURO 2024
This will be Gareth Southgate’s fourth major tournament as England boss and we believe it will be his most successful.
If not for a masterful performance from Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the penalty shootout at EURO 2020, England would have won it.
But Southgate finally ends the trophy drought and England has a true summer to remember.
4. San Marino wins its first international match since 2004
Every year that passes without a San Marino win means we are predicting La Serenissima to end the wait.
In fact, 2024 could be San Marino’s best chance to win a game for the first time in 20 years as they face the irresistible force that is St Kitts and Nevis across two friendlies early next year.
Book in that sick leave for the 20th and 24th of March to watch San Marino win a game, it’ll be worth it.
5. The Matildas make it to the final of the Olympics
The Matildas made the semi final stage of the Tokyo Olympics and then the semi finals at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
But the Paris Olympics are going to be the tournament where it all finally comes together as the current group enjoy one last dance to take home some silverware before the youngsters take over.
6. Harry Kane wins the Champions League with Bayern Munich
Although Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga hopes aren’t exactly signed, sealed and delivered just yet, Harry Kane should look towards the Champions League.
No team has really put their hand up as serious contenders in Europe’s premier club competition and Bayern could be primed to take full advantage.
Surely the football gods will finally smile down on Kane and help him finally secure a respectable club trophy.
7. Ange Postecoglou guides Tottenham back to Europe
We didn’t say if it was the Champions League, the Europa League or the Europa Conference League.
All we know is that Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham will be back competing on the continent next season.
8. The Socceroos make it to the final of the Asian Cup
After impressive performances against Mexico, England and New Zealand, the Socceroos are primed for a deep run at the Asian Cup.
Whether they win it all for the second time remains a mystery, but we’re anticipating Graham Arnold’s side will at the very least be one of the final two teams left standing.
9. Italy get knocked out in the group stage of EURO 2024
What would a major international tournament be without one of the big guns being bundled out at the first hurdle?
Unfortunately for Italy, it’s going to happen again.
The defending European champs are in Group B alongside Spain and Croatia, who we think will take up the top two spots.
Albania rounds out the group and although third spot has a chance to make the knockouts based on their overall ranking, Italy simply won’t have enough in the bank as they crash out with two defeats and a draw.
10. Alex Robertson makes his Premier League debut
What a year 2023 was for Alex Robertson.
He made his Socceroos debut against Ecuador in front of his friends and family in Sydney and is now proving himself a vital player for Portsmouth in their bid for promotion to the Championship.
After helping Pompey return to the second tier of English football for the first time since the 2011/12 season, Robertson will return to his parent club Manchester City.
And at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, expect to see the talented midfielder stroll on to the field in the famous sky blue of City.
11. The record for most expensive transfer is broken … by Chelsea
As it stands, Neymar’s £198 million switch from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain is the most expensive transfer in history.
But wait … here comes Chelsea owner Todd Boehly with a briefcase full of cash and he’s about to hand it over to Napoli!
And who’s that about to hold up a Chelsea shirt at Stamford Bridge … is that … Victor Osimhen?!
The prospect of a £200 million deal for the Nigerian superstar feels almost too real.
12. Jude Bellingham wins the Ballon d’Or
We knew Jude Bellingham was something special before his move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid.
But the 20-year-old has not been fazed by the bright lights of the Santiago Bernabeu one bit and, if anything, has thrived under them.
It’s why the English midfielder will prove himself to be the best player in the world when awards season rolls around next year after he single-handedly drags the Three Lions to EURO 2024 glory.
13. Massimo Luongo becomes a Premier League player as Ipswich Town get promoted
Massimo Luongo was once on the books of a Premier League club at Tottenham Hotspur but now, he’s going to become a Premier League player.
Luongo is enjoying a starring role at Ipswich Town and the Tractor Boys are looking extremely likely to achieve the rare feat of two consecutive promotions.
It would be a remarkable feat for Kieran McKenna’s side but it’s nothing less than they deserve having taken the Championship by storm this season.
14. Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League
Unai Emery is cooking something special at Aston Villa this season.
Unbeaten at home and in third place, Villa look poised to take advantage of a number of rivals (cough – Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle – cough) stumbling over their own two feet.
All they need is to finish fourth and at this stage, it’s a very realistic prospect.
15. Kylian Mbappe stays in France
Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid are like the two friends who refuse to date despite being the perfect match for each other and everyone in their group knows it.
Unfortunately for those romantics, they won’t get the relationship they want to see as Mbappe gains Stockholm syndrome and decides life at PSG isn’t so bad after all.
A time will come when the French superstar will form a happy union with Real Madrid, but that won’t happen just yet.
16. Nestory Irankunda makes his debut for Bayern Munich … in a friendly
Every pre-season, Bayern Munich decide to absolutely decimate a local German team in a friendly.
You know, the ones when you see a score of something like 18-0 on social media and think ‘holy cow, how good do Bayern look’, only to search the team they played are entirely comprised of part-timers?
Well, this is where Irankunda makes his mark and gets in on the act when he runs his opposition number — Klaus, a 27-year-old local milkman — ragged before unleashing an unstoppable strike past the helpless goalkeeper to put the result beyond doubt.
Cue the iconic Irankunda backflip.
17. Girona qualify for the Champions League
Much like Aston Villa in the Premier League, Girona have surprisingly found themselves in the top spots of La Liga.
In fact, Girona are behind league leaders Real Madrid only on goal difference and are seven points ahead of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, who are third and fourth respectively.
However, dreams of playing in the Champions League aren’t exactly a forgone conclusion given Girona are part of the City Football Group, the owners of Manchester City.
UEFA rules prevent two clubs owned by the same entity playing in European competitions so this could become a sticky situation but for now, let the good times roll for Girona.
18. Cristian Volpato pledges his international allegiance to the Socceroos
It’s the big fish Arnie wants and his relentless persistence finally pays off.
With the Socceroos essentially guaranteed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup thanks to an expanded 48-team competition, Volpato won’t need to worry about the Aussies missing out altogether.
19. Xabi Alonso gets poached by a European heavyweight
Xabi Alonso is already making waves as Bayer Leverkusen manager and has the team sitting top of the Bundesliga.
No doubt all of Europe’s big boys are keeping a keen eye on what the Spaniard is doing in Germany and if the time comes, don’t be surprised to see Alonso move on to pastures new.
It’s just a question of who’s willing to take the plunge.
20. Kusini Yengi emerges as the Socceroos’ starting striker
Ever since Tim Cahill’s retirement, the Socceroos haven’t quite had a figure to turn to when they desperately need a goal.
Mitch Duke is the man largely entrusted with leading the line for the Socceroos, but it’s his remarkable fitness levels and pressing ability that makes him stand out more than his goal threat.
Throw in the fact that Duke is 32 and the need for a fresh presence up top grows even larger.
That’s where Yengi, a 24-year-old at Portsmouth comes in.
Yengi has had to improve his physicality playing in the rough-and-tumble League One but has shown a solid turn of pace and can also hold the ball up well.
It’s why Yengi will be the answer to the Socceroos’ goalscoring woes for years to come.
21. Pep Guardiola announces he will leave Manchester City at the end of the 2024/25 season
Nothing in life can last forever and unfortunately for Manchester City fans, the same goes for Pep Guardiola’s time at the club.
The Spaniard has overseen a remarkable amount of success and has won every trophy there is to win at club level for City.
Who knows what the future will hold for Guardiola, or City for that matter.
22. Wrexham make it to the League Two play-off final … but lose a penalty shootout
There’s nothing quite like a play-off match at Wembley and for Wrexham, they’ll have the chance to achieve back-to-back promotions.
A play-off win would be yet another perfect Hollywood script for Wrexham but football is a cruel, cruel game.
It’ll at least make for must-watch viewing in the next season of Welcome to Wrexham though.
23. A Saudi Arabian club launch an ambitious offer for Erling Haaland
If you don’t buy a ticket to the show, you’ll never know.
Yes, the bid will be knocked back by Manchester City as quickly as it arrived in their inbox.
But you can’t fault a Saudi club for trying.
24. A team wears a full body paint kit in a wild publicity stunt
Any publicity is good publicity, right?
We’re not sure which team will be bold enough/sell out to pull off such a stunt, but it’s going to happen sooner rather than later.
