The 2022 World Cup had a bit of everything: spectacular goals, refereeing controversy, and penalty heartbreak. The final saw Lionel Messi lead Argentina to glory – their 3rd success at the World Cup and first since 1986, when they were captained by one Diego Armando Maradona – in a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory against defending champions France. The win came after a final for the ages as the teams played out an incredible 3-3 draw, with Les Bleus coming from behind twice – first from 2-0 down and then from 3-2 – to take the game to that shoot-out, where they ultimately fell short. For many, the win will cement Messi’s legacy as the greatest footballer of all time, surpassing Maradona himself and the legendary Pele.
Fans usually have several weeks to wait after the World Cup ends for club football to return, but with the tournament having taken place mid-season in the winter instead of its usual summer slot, that wait is just a matter of days this time around.
Indeed, the Premier League is the first major European league to return to action with 7 matches to take in on Boxing Day. Highlights include table-toppers Arsenal hosting West Ham United in a London derby, Liverpool travelling to Aston Villa, and 3rd-place Newcastle United facing Leicester City at the King Power Stadium! Official and resale tickets are still up for grabs for many of the games, so if you’re looking for the perfect post-Christmas treat then one of these games could be just the thing!
Ligue 1 returns on 28 December, so you might get the chance to see 2 of the stars of the World Cup final – Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who scored 5 of the 6 goals between them – in action for Paris Saint-Germain, while La Liga follows a day later. Barcelona’s first home game back on 31 December is the Derbi Barceloní against local rivals Espanyol; if you’re looking to see Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, however, they do not play at home again until 29 January.
As for Serie A, that will resume on 4 January with a mouth-watering matchup between Inter Milan and Napoli at San Siro; Juventus host Udinese 3 days later, while AC Milan host AS Roma on 8 January. If you’re a fan of German football, the Bundesliga is back in action on 21 January, with Borussia Dortmund hosting FC Augsburg the following day. Bayern Munich’s first home game will be on 24 January, against Cologne.