We had a lot to be thankful for in 2018 — a World Cup, a historic Real Madrid three-peat, the remarkable seasons from Luka Modric, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe, other things that I’m forgetting because I'm a goldfish boy.
Here are 10 trends that I’ve managed to remember in the footballing calendar year of our Lord Gourav Mukhi 2018.
#1. Wall Tactics to the Fore
Marcelo Brozovic's sliding stop.
To coincide with The Guardian’s excellent list of the 100 best male footballers in the world — compiled by a panel of 225 experts from 69 nations — we here at The18 have compiled our own list over the last couple years. There are no experts involved, there’s no rhyme or reason for anything, but we do hope you’ll join us on this adventure into the bowels of the beautiful game.
As much as we all love soccer here at The18 and around the world, we have to admit that there are a few things more important than the beautiful game. First comes survival: We need food and water, plus a place to live. After that comes sex, followed by our social desires such as parenting and friendship. Only then do we really get to soccer.