From the Editor

To borrow a phrase from Arrigo Sacchi, football is the most important of the unimportant things in life

For much of the past month it has been hard to focus on football, but the extraordinary global events have provided a reminder, to borrow a phrase from Arrigo Sacchi, that football is the most important of the unimportant things in life.

With no football to report on, we have focused instead on two things. Firstly, the varying response to the virus around the world, from the leagues that have carried on (Belarus, page 20, and Nicaragua, page 24) to the extraordinary circumstances of Atalanta’s Champions League game against Valencia (page 22).

Secondly, our Most Wanted feature (page 51) places the focus on the players who will be in most demand when football finally restarts. Transfer windows will inevitably take on different dates this year, and virus-wrecked club finances will undoubtedly impact on transfer fees, but talented footballers will remain at the heart of the game.

Over the coming months we will have an opportunity to reflect upon the shape and structure of the global game when we emerge from this crisis. Hopefully we will be able to provide some answers to the many pressing questions.

With the lockdown reducing our distribution at key travel points, airports and railway stations, copies of the magazine are harder to obtain. If you want to ensure your copy of World Soccer, please consider taking advantage of our latest subscription offer (page 8).

A final thought for the expensive lawyers who have sent this publication “cease-and-desist” letters regarding Russia and Qatar’s World Cup bidding campaigns. Their attempts to bully us into not reporting bribery claims will not be successful. We will continue to report on what will be remembered as one of the most sordid and unpleasant episodes in the history of our sport.