Jenni Hermoso – GAME OF THE PEOPLE

VICTOR OSIMHEN of Napoli has signed a new contract that will take him through to 2026. The much-coveted Nigerian striker, who netted 26 goals as his club won their first scudetto since 1990 in 2022-23, has been the subject of considerable interest from abroad. Still only 24, Osimhen has scored eight goals this season but has suffered from injuries. Osimhen will be part of the Nigeria squad that takes part in the Africa Cup of Nations in January, so Napoli, whose season has been disappointing, will be without their key man. He has won 28 caps and scored 20 goals for his country.

Arsenal slipped up at home to West Ham and blew the chance of returning to the top of the Premier League table. The Gunners were beaten 2-0 with a goal in each half by the Hammers. Needless to say, there a VAR controversy surrounding the visitors’ first goal. Arsenal dominated the game, carving out 30 shots on goal and enjoying 74% of the possession, but West Ham took their chance and scored in the 13^th minute through Soucek and with a 55^th minute header by Mavropanos. It could have been even worse, but goalkeeper David Raya saved a penalty from Said Benrahma. Arsenal are two points behind leaders Liverpool. West Ham, in sixth, didn’t apologise for their defensive performance. “If you remember, Arsenal used to make a living out it,” said manager David Moyes.

The lack of understanding of football by politicians has been highlighted once more by leaked papers that reveal Sir Tony Blair’s enthusiasm for a possible relocation of Wimbledon FC to Belfast in the late 1990s. Blair, who was Prime Minister at the time, felt a move to Northern Ireland would be a “significant breakthrough”. While he may have been thinking of the possible PR gains it would bring, Wimbledon were a poorly supported club and would have surely struggled to win over the Belfast population, even if they had changed their name to Belfast United. The city has a number of clubs with strong roots, such as Cliftonville, Linfield, Crusaders and Glentoran. Furthermore, what would such a relocation have done for Wimbledon and its fans?

Jenni Hermoso of Spain has been named the Guardian newspaper’s footballer of the year for 2023, the fourth time in six years that a women has won the award. The much-travelled 33 year-old, who plays for Mexican club Pachuca, was a member of Spain’s World Cup winning team. She missed a penalty in the final against England, but it was an incident during the trophy presentation that sparked off the most news from the competition’s climax. Spanish Football Federation president, Luis Rubiales, planted a kiss on Hermoso’s lips, and in the aftermath, this became a symbol of the sexism and misogyny that often prevails in attitudes towards women’s football.

THE LUIS RUBIALIS affair rumbles on, with his mother now on a hunger strike from her base inside a local church. Angeles Bejar is livid about the treatment of her son, calling the barrage of media stories and complaints an “inhuman and bloody hunt they are carrying out against my son with something he does not deserve.” Some claim Jenni Hermoso, who was kissed by Rubialis as Spain celebrated their World Cup win, is not telling the truth. Hermoso is a Spanish sporting icon, the record goalscorer for Spain and Barcelona. She has won 101 caps for her country and currently plays in Mexico for Pachuca. This story will run and run until Spanish football changes its approach to women’s football.

Football media has changed beyond all recognition in recent years. With the internet now providing all the information any fan would want to access, traditional yearbooks such as the Nationwide Football Annual, have fallen by the wayside. Fanzines have had their day, too, and programmes are being rendered all but redundant at many clubs. There is still room for print media, however, and there are some classy publications out there. The best of the lot is surely Glory, a beautifully-designed journal that is, aesthetically, the most eye-catching on the market. It combines the attributes of a style or travel publication with a broad view on the world of football. Its minimalist design is very 2023 and is far removed from the “in your face” appearance and stance of other football products. The Glory team focuses on a country or a city – recent editions have included Seville, Milan and Portugal – and although some might see it as an up-market hipster production, it is a brilliant advertisement for the modern, globally-aware football fan.

In the Japanese city of Yokohama, there was a major upset this week in the J-League. Yokohama Marinos, who are part of the City Football Group, were beaten by their humble neighbours Yokohama FC. The Marinos are top of the J-League while the “Fulie” are close to the bottom. The Marinos took the lead at the Mitsuzawa Stadium, but the home side came back to win 4-1. One of the scorers, the 35 year-old Sho Ito, commented: “We suffered a 5-0 loss last tiume we met, so we had to get some payback.” The Marinos are still top, but their lead over second-placed Vissel Kobe is down to one point.

The wandering Romelu Lukaku has finally found a place to hang his hat. He has joined José Mourinho’s Roma on loan from Chelsea for one year for a fee of £ 8 million. Lukaku, who is now 30, has to prove himself in the Italian capital, but there is no small amount of enthusiasm about the move in Rome. There were 5,000 fans waiting to greet him at the airport and the Friedkin family, owners of Roma, see Lukaku’s arrival as a sign of their ambition. Already a mural has appeared depicting Lukaku as a gladiatorial figure. Not everyone has warmed to the idea, though, for the Belgian forward has clearly lost his way in the game and his expensive return to Chelsea was nothing short of a disaster.