UEFA conducted last season's annual awards ceremony following the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony. It was a night of anticipation and surprises, with Pep Guardiola and Haaland being the biggest winners of the night.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's manager, won the Coach of the Year award for his outstanding performance last season. Under his leadership, Manchester City won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble. It was the first time Guardiola had received the honour, but due to surgery, he was unable to attend the ceremony in person.
And Haaland, the young football pioneer, beat Messi and De Bruyne to win the European Footballer of the Year award. Last season, he won the treble for Manchester City and scored 36 league goals in his debut season in the Premier League, setting a new Premier League single-season goal record. His outstanding performance also earned him the European Golden Boot.
The influence of football stars
Football stars such as Haaland and Lionel Messi not only perform well on the pitch, but their influence extends far beyond the pitch. Their every action and decision can affect the emotions and perceptions of fans. Does this enormous influence bring them greater social responsibility?
The relationship between the coach and the team
Coaches such as Pep Guardiola have been key to the team's success. But when a team suffers defeat, should the coach take full responsibility for it? How does the relationship between coach and player affect the overall performance of the team?
The combination of football and business
Football is not just a sport, it is also a huge commercial industry. Player transfers, team sponsorship and televised rights all involve huge sums of money. Has this commercialization changed the essence of football?
In this passionate and competitive world of football, every decision and action can be the focus of discussion, sparking discussion and reflection. And these discussions are not only about the evaluation of players and coaches, but also about football and society.
Soccer, the world's most popular sport, is more than just a 90-minute game. It involves aspects that go far beyond the stadium and leave a deep mark on football, from the economy and culture to the socio-political.
Football and national honors
Major football events such as the World Cup and the European Cup are often seen as rivalries between countries. When a country's football team wins a game, it's not just a team win, it's an honor for the entire country. For example, after France won the World Cup in 2018, the entire country was immersed in celebration.
Football and race, gender equality
On the football field, the race, gender or religious beliefs of players are often the focus of controversy. In recent years, the football world has paid more and more attention to the issue of racial and gender discrimination. For example, the Premier League and other major football events have launched anti-racism campaigns.
Football and the economy
The football industry contributes billions of dollars to the global economy every year. From player transfer fees, to team sponsorship contracts to television rights, there is a huge amount of money involved in every link. For example, Neymar's transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain cost a whopping €222 million, a world record.
Football and social responsibility
Many football teams and players are actively involved in social welfare activities to help those in need. For example, both Messi and Ronaldo have set up their own charitable funds to provide education and medical assistance to underprivileged children.
In this passionate and competitive world of football, every event is likely to spark concern and discussion in society. And these discussions are not only about the evaluation of players and games, but also about the role of football in society.