1. Never underestimate the power of fans
This year saw the introduction of an expanded Club World Cup and two major European leagues schedule games overseas. The Club World Cup produced a bunch of half-empty stadiums and ticket prices the average fan was unwilling to pay. All of a sudden, those prices started going down. The backlash to La Liga and Serie A’s attempts to play domestic league games in other countries was so strong that both got cancelled. Just like the Super League mess, unified fans won in the end.
Another showdown between FIFA and its consumers is underway. The prices for World Cup tickets on the secondary market are not affordable for most soccer fans, and they're not going down unless demand does. If fans collectively decide not to pay them, FIFA will be forced to reevaluate its approach. Getting enough people to make that sacrifice is easier said than done. As helpless as people may feel at times, they do have the ability to enact meaningful change. The opportunity is there to do it again on the biggest stage in sports.
2. Nothing can be taken for granted in the Premier League
It is worth taking a moment to reflect on how many dramatic swings England's biggest clubs experienced. There was a point where Manchester City couldn't win a game. Supposedly rebuilding Liverpool cruised to a title, won the summer transfer window and then replaced City as the team that couldn't beat anyone. Manchester United went through some of the lowest points in the club’s history and now seem to finally be headed in a positive direction. Tottenham won a trophy while finishing 17th.
All of that happened in what was essentially a calendar year. The 2024-25 Premier League season will be remembered as one of the strangest ever. Spurs and United posted a combined goal difference of -11. Brentford and Bournemouth were a combined +21. City were in such bad shape that they tried to overhaul their squad in January. Maybe one of those things happens in a season. To have them take place concurrently really is extraordinary. As unbalanced as the Premier League is, the system works because you just can't be sure about much of anything.
3. MLS is set up for a compelling 2026
As brilliant as Lionel Messi is, Inter Miami’s defensive improvement in the postseason was a massive factor in their success. The Herons went from allowing 1.62 goals per game in the regular season to 0.83 goals per game in the playoffs. They didn't win a trophy in 2025 until that transformation happened. Call it a coincidence if you want. The club enters 2026 trying to establish itself as the dominant force in Major League Soccer. That's a storyline the league can sell.
MLS can also promote those standing in Messi’s way. Thomas Müller and Heung-Min Son are fantastic players on great teams who treat the league with the required level of respect. Their professionalism is extremely refreshing for those who care deeply about MLS. Throw in Michael Bradley taking over the New York Red Bulls, and all the ingredients are there for the best season in league history with the World Cup in its backyard.
4. The right situation can make all the difference
Just 18 months ago, Ousmane Dembélé was trying to settle in at PSG and Scott McTominay was entering the Land of Obscurity also known as Serie A. Both wound up becoming central figures in the story of the 2024-25 European season. Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or and Champions League while McTominay was named Serie A MVP and led Napoli to a league title. Together with Barcelona's Raphinha, they formed the most unlikely trio of players who were among the very best in the world.
Dembélé was the extraordinary talent who couldn't put it all together. McTominay was the industrious midfielder who didn't belong in a team competing at the highest level. Raphinha was the kind of player Barcelona settles for because of their financial mess. If there is one storyline that defined 2025, it is the performances of these three players and the crucial roles they played on highly successful teams. All three won league titles. Two reached the Champions League semifinals. Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and Declan Rice did neither.
5. It is rare to see so much turnover at the top of the sport
The three clubs with the strongest resumes at the beginning of the year were Barcelona, Liverpool and Inter Milan. Of the three, only Barcelona won a league title and reached the Champions League semifinals. By the end of the 2024-25 campaign, PSG had surpassed all of them despite their 15th-place finish in the league phase of the Champions League. They are not even winning Ligue 1 right now and look exhausted after the longest season the sport has ever seen.
Arsenal enter 2026 with a perfect Champions League record and sit atop the Premier League table. However, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are in better form at the moment. That’s at least six teams with a valid claim to be the best in the world at some point in 2025. The women’s game even produced a Champions League winner that didn’t come close to winning its domestic league. Long may that trend continue.