FROM THE EDITOR

Every once in a while, a generational talent emerges that looks set to be a standard-bearer for the sport for years to come. We could be sticking our necks on the block with this statement, but one such player that looks ready to take up that mantle over the next decade is Bayern Munich and Canada’s Alphonso Davies. After such an outstanding breakout season in 2019-20, we only thought it right to give the lightning-quick superstar-in-themaking the coverage he deserves, with an exclusive interview (page 40) and detailed player biography (page 32) on his incredible rags-to-riches story. His emergence from Canada and MLS is a growing trend of the modern game, with the Canadian trailblazers who paved the way for him analysed in detail along with his contemporaries (page 44), while the next MLS exports being rolled off the production line are revealed in Talent Scout (page 48). But this edition also takes a far wider look at the football landscape – both on and off the pitch. John Duerden investigates how Lebanon is using football to help rebuild the country after the Beirut blast, coronavirus pandemic and various other social, political and economic issues (page 24); Steve Menary’s Special Report (page 74) examines the changes to FIFA’s eligibility criteria and its impact on the international game; while Nick Bidwell provides you with an essential guide to all 32 teams in this season’s Champions League (page 50) – a must read. Europe’s showpiece club competition isn’t the only tournament we preview either – international football finally returns to Africa as the qualifiers for Cameroon 2022 recommence in November (page 88), the Indian Super League also kicks off (page 90), while the final four places at Euro 2020 will finally be decided in the play-off finals (page 80). The world continues to be hit extremely hard in 2020, but with positive stories emerging every day through football in the form of Alphonso Davies’ meteoric rise, Chapecoense’s new success story (page 28) and Musa Juwara’s emergence (page 29), the beautiful game can always provide a light at the end of the tunnel.

Every once in a while, a generational talent emerges that looks set to be a standard-bearer for the sport for years to come