24 biggest soccer moments of 2024: USWNT win gold, Mauricio Pochettino to USMNT, Lionel Messi playoff flop

The 2024 calendar year has been one to remember in world soccer. There was heavy Spanish flair all year long with Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, Real Madrid winning the Champions League, Rodri taking home the Ballon d’Or and Los Blancos not showing up for the ceremony. Stateside, a new era began for the U.S. women’s national team that saw early success in Paris by securing Olympic goal while the men hired Mauricio Pochettino to lead the program after Gregg Berhalter saw his final days as the coach end shortly after the Copa America debacle.

As we look back on what was ’24, here are the top 24 most unforgettable moments.

January

Jurgen Klopp announces he’s leaving Liverpool

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The impact of Jurgen Klopp’s announcement in January was all the more stunning given the shroud it had been kept under. Even those who thought an ending might be coming sooner than later had not an inkling when Klopp told the Liverpool fanbase that he was “running out of energy” and would be checking out at the end of the season. His final months did not quite end with the fanfare he might have hoped, just an EFL Cup when a remarkable quadruple had seemed at least possible, but to the last, Liverpool were an image of their manager: fearless, free-wheeling and fun. – James Benge

Manchester City unbeaten streak
No team could scale the heights Manchester City reached in the early months of 2024, an undefeated run through the start of the year enough to negate Arsenal’s own Pep Guardiola-esque streak. It actually started in December of 2023, but over the last 17 games of the season City didn’t lose, and only dropped eight total points. Then again, no team would want to match City’s woes since November. Even Southampton have more points to their name than the joint-worst performing side in England’s top four leagues, at the time of writing. All this coupled with the civil war between the Premier League and its champions, the potential denouement of which is sure to be one of the moments of 2025. – James Benge

Jim Ratcliffe buys 25% of Manchester United
INEOS finally got their feet under the table at Old Trafford but it has hardly been an impressive start for Jim Ratcliffe who has overseen a number of costly missteps so far since getting hold of Manchester United finally. Not only was Erik ten Hag kept on at significant cost and backed in the summer transfer window, the Dutch tactician was sacked months later and replaced by Ruben Amorim who has made a mixed start to life with the Red Devils like many of their new signings. Arguably the most chaotic moment of 2024 on the red half of Manchester, though, came with the parting of ways with sporting director Dan Ashworth less than six months into the job. The English transfer guru was on gardening leave ahead of starting work for United for longer than he was actually in position! – Jonathan Johnson

March

USMNT win Nations League
While it may not seem like it, 2024 wasn’t all bad for the USMNT as they defeated Mexico 2-0 to capture their third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title, dos a Cero-ing Mexico with goals from Gio Reyna and Tyler Adams, it seemed like all was well with the national team, but that ended up being the last significant contribution from either player for the team during the year. It shows how quickly things can change on the international level, but the USMNT were still able to set themselves up to chase a fourth consecutive title.  – Chuck Booth

May

Leverkusen loses first game of the season in Europa League final

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It was one of the most memorable campaigns in the history of the game for Bayer Leverkusen and Spanish manager Xabi Alonso, who won the German Bundesliga for the first time and also the German DFB Pokal. Leverkusen remained undefeated for the whole season and set the record of a 51-game unbeaten run, but then lost to Atalanta the UEFA Europa League final in Dublin on May 22. Ademola Lookman’s hat-trick was the reason why Leverkusen lost their first game after almost a complete year, while Atalanta managed to win their first major European trophy in the club’s history. – Francesco Porzio

June

Real Madrid win the Champions League
 A routine win turned into a night of high drama. The beneficiaries of a Manchester City implosion. A fringe player turning the tide at the most high-pressure moments. The emergence of a star who now has a compelling case to be the best player in the world. The 2023-24 Champions League knockout stages: pure Real Madrid.  – James Benge

Mbappe signs with Real Madrid

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Although it was years in the making, Kylian Mbappe’s switch from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid finally happened in 2024. It is also safe to say that although the France international arrived to major fanfare at Santiago Bernabeu, things have not exactly gone according to plan for Mbappe and Los Blancos so far. Les Bleus’ captain has struggled for form with club and country to the point that he has not been involved much with the French since moving to Madrid and his Real numbers have largely been padded through penalties until recently. Few will be hoping for better in 2025 than Mbappe who appeared to be on the verge of greatness coming into this year. – Jonathan Johnson

July

USMNT puts in embarrassing Copa America display
Coming into Copa America, it was expected to be a time that would test the USMNT and my, what a test it was. After starting off well, the USMNT crumbled following a red card to Tim Weah in their second match and ended up crashing out during the group stage. When facing Uruguay in the final match, Berhalter even let his players know the score of the other match, Panama versus Bolivia, while the focus should’ve been on winning. This accelerated a discussion of if Berhalter should remain as coach of the team and eventually leading to his dismissal and the beginning of a new era for the USMNT.  – Chuck Booth

Copa America mayhem
The Copa America was supposed to be an opportune occasion to showcase the USMNT’s evolution on the field, the USA’s preparedness to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and Messi mania’s American reinvention, but the tournament instead descended into chaos as soon as it began. Complaints about pitches, delayed kickoffs and ticket prices soon gave way for a shocking conclusion, first with Uruguay’s players fighting fans and earning multigame bans and then crowd trouble that saw ticketless fans break into Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium and delay the kickoff of the final. Though the good news is that there’s little chance of an encore in 2026 because FIFA organizes tournaments differently than CONMEBOL. South America’s championship did not cover itself in glory and had the eyes of the world paying attention for all the wrong reasons. – Pardeep Cattry

Spain win Euros and Lamine Yamal’s star is born

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Few if any had Spain as favorites to win it all when Euro 2024 kicked off. It wasn’t just that they had underwhelmed at almost every major tournament since their golden era had ended; they had been handed a tricky group and their reward for topping it would be a path to the final that took them past Germany and France to a meeting with England. And yet in every game they were the better side, their explosive young wingers, led by Lamine Yamal who didn’t turn 17 until shortly before the tournament ended, offering cut and thrust ahead of a midfield that could dominate just like those of the Xavi and Andres Iniesta days. This might just be the start of something. – James Benge

Canada drone scandal
The Olympics’ biggest scandal came courtesy of Canada Soccer, who were found to be engaging in a years-long drone spying operation that threw the women’s national team’s quest to defend their gold medal into turmoil. Then-head coach Bev Priestman was suspended for a year by FIFA, as were two ex-assistants, and the team was docked six points in the group stage for spying. While it seems like anyone who was responsible for spying is no longer working at the federation, the issue will linger for some time – reports suggest ex-men’s and women’s team head coach John Herdman was the mastermind behind the whole operation, with others reportedly continuing the practice during the women’s team’s run to Olympic gold in Tokyo and during the men’s team fourth-place finish at the 2024 Copa America.  – Pardeep Cattry

August

USWNT win Olympic Gold under Emma Hayes

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The USWNT entered 2024 in an unfamiliar position – the underdogs. Their round of 16 exit at the 2023 Women’s World Cup raised questions that other national teams had not only caught up to them, but surpassed them, forcing a quick rebuild in order for the USWNT to prove their worth at the 2024 Olympics. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore introduced fresh faces at a rapid pace, while new leader Emma Hayes opted for youth over experience after just four games to prepare for Paris. Winning gold was improbable under such circumstances, but a new-look USWNT did just that and reasserted themselves as the gold standard in women’s soccer, even in an increasingly competitive landscape. – Pardeep Cattry

NWSL ratify new CBA, abolish draft
In a promising turn of events, the NWSL Players Association and the league ratified a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of schedule. Originally set to expire in 2026, the latest CBA will now run through 2030 and offer historic sweeping changes for the league. Along with a revenue sharing component and continued benefits for parents and mental health, the 2.0 version of the CBA also eliminated all future drafts and made free agency the standard for all players moving forward to fall in line with global soccer protocols. The NWSLPA and NWSL are the first in American professional sports to eliminate a draft that was common practice since its inception.  – Sandra Herrera

September

Alex Morgan and other USWNT legends retire
This year marked a changing of the guard for the USWNT, who wished a happy retirement to several accomplished players. World Cup winners Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn, Sam Mewis and Kelley O’Hara all hung up their boots in 2024, leaving behind an impressive legacy that includes not only lifting trophies but also winning equal pay and ensuring better working conditions in the NWSL. To say they are a game-changing group of athletes would be an understatement, but they follow in the footsteps of other women’s soccer players who left the game much, much better than they found it. – Pardeep Cattry

USMNT (finally) announce Mauricio Pochettino

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After crashing out of the Copa America during the group stage, the time had come to move on from Gregg Berhalter as the manager of the United States men’s national team. But no one could’ve expected that what came next was the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino, one of the most successful managers in the world. With an eye toward development, Pochettino has come in and immediately raised the standard of the USMNT which could see them spring some surprises during the 2026 World Cup on home soil. There’s a long way to go, but Pochettino restored a much-needed feeling of hope in the national team. Looking to 2025, it’s about how he and the players can build on that to create a winning team. – Chuck Booth

Cole Palmer scores four in a half
Chelsea have had their fair share of lowlights in recent years but things have started to finally look bright under Enzo Maresca of late with the Blues back at the right end of the Premier League table. Cole Palmer has been one of the few successes since his arrival at Stamford Bridge — even when everything around him was not quite working out — and he spectacularly made history earlier this season by becoming the first-ever player in the EPL to score four times before half time in a game when the Londoners beat Brighton and Hove Albion 4-2 back in September. The England international needed 20 minutes to tally that quadruple with one goal roughly every five minutes on average.  – Jonathan Johnson

Cavan Sullivan makes history
Freddy Adu’s record for being the youngest player to ever appear in an MLS game felt like something that wouldn’t be broken. While some of the reason behind that is due to labor laws stopping young players from playing in certain states, there has also been a large influx of talent into MLS so that players under 16 find it harder to break through at the senior level. But Manchester City-bound Cavan Sullivan has been able to showcase being a generational talent to debut for the Philadelphia Union at 14 years and 293 days old against Toronto FC. While that was just the start for Sullivan, he’ll be someone to watch on the Union roster as in 2025 he’ll likely be part of the senior roster regularly. – Chuck Booth

Champions League debuts new format
We have witnessed the launch of the new-look UEFA Champions League in 2024 and although there are still two games to come in early 2025, it is safe to say that the league phase has already shown promise. It will take time for people to fully adjust to the shift from the group stage, but with nobody assured of a top-eight finish yet and only three teams officially eliminated with two rounds to go, it has succeeded in making the preliminary part of the UCL more absorbing than ever. With the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City flirting with the unthinkable and defending champions Real Madrid even finding it tough going, the league phase has upped the stakes in a way that many have been craving for years. – Jonathan Johnson

October

Ballon d’Or drama

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The crowning of the best men’s footballer of the past season has tended to be a relatively anodyne affair over recent years, particularly those where the winner was, rightly and inevitably, Lionel Messi. Not this year. The drama! When news leaked on the morning of the ceremony that Rodri was going to pip front-runner Vinicius Junior to the post, Real Madrid threw the sort of wobbly that even your two-year-old might think was a bit much. Not one representative from the Spanish and European champions was in the crowd to see the best player on the planet be honored as such. A bit naff but gloriously petty, and isn’t that what we want from awards ceremonies? – James Benge

November

Christian Pulisic notches assist in Milan win at the Bernabeu 
It was a dream year for USMNT star Christian Pulisic, who was by far the best AC Milan player. The 2023-24 season ended up with him scoring 15 goals, becoming the second U.S. international with 10 league goals in a season in the top four European leagues after Clint Dempsey did it twice, first in the 2011-12 season (17 goals) and second in the 2010-11 season (12 goals). The 2024-25 season start has been even better so far as the American international scored eight goals in all competitions including the assist provided at the Santiago Bernabeu during the 3-1 AC Milan win against Real Madrid, marking one of the best moments of Pulisic’s career. – Francesco Porzio

Inter Miami and Messi set a record, then crash and burn
With Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, Inter Miami were expected to win everything in their path. That didn’t happen despite the starpower. They did win the Supporters’ Shield and set a new MLS single-season points record with their tally of 74. Triumphing in the Leagues Cup, it felt like no one could stop Miami and that they were the favorites to win the entire league but that wouldn’t be the case. In the playoffs, it all came crashing down as the Herons were bounced in the first round by an Atlanta United side that had to get past the wild-card round to even get there. At that moment, drastic change happened and now Tata Martino is out as manager, replaced by Javier Mascherano, and there will be more shifts to the roster on the way. With the Herons being awarded the host nation spot for the Club World Cup, all eyes again will be on them in 2025 and they’ll have to live up to high expectations. — Chuck Booth

Chawinga breaks NWSL scoring record
Temwa Chawinga changed the league forever when she matched and broke the all-time single-season scoring record in NWSL. The Kansas City Current striker scored 20 goals and was nearly unstoppable all year long. She constantly forced defenders into unlucky scenarios with her world-class timing on runs, and her finishing made tricky shots look easy. The 2024 Golden Boot winner will force every team in 2025 to factor in her presence after a long year of dominance. – Sandra Herrera

Marta wins a title with Orlando

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Already an icon throughout the game, Marta’s magic delivered in multiple ways with Orlando Pride in 2024. She scored 11 goals,second highest of her NWSL career, and led the team in chances created (52). Despite having a dominant winning record in the previous American women’s league (WPS), Marta’s time in NWSL was filled with mostly losing seasons, an ACL injury, and no team trophies. After nearly a decade in the NWSL, Orlando Pride’s historic run during the 2024 regular season changed that. The Brazilian legend can look ahead with a league-record 23-game unbeaten streak, NWSL Shield winner, and NWSL Champion.  – Sandra Herrera

December

Vermont and UNC win dramatic college titles
With the elimination of the NWSL Draft and devaluation of the MLS SuperDraft, college soccer has changed but the College Cups reminded us of how exciting the college game can be. UNC returned to the top of the women’s game by winning their 22nd NCAA women’s title behind an Olivia Thomas free kick. UNC’s first title since 2012, they had to wait a while to add to their NCAA leading title count but did so in a big way. On the Men’s side, the Vermont Catamounts delivered the drama to win their first national title over Marshall. With the game in golden goal overtime, Maximilian Kissel was able to beat the Marshall goalkeeper finding himself alone in the box for the winner. They’re moments that show no matter where you look, it’s an exiting time for soccer in America.  – Chuck Booth