World Soccer is an English-language association football magazine, published by Kelsey Media. The magazine was established in 1960 and is the oldest continually published football magazine in the United Kingdom. It specialises in the international football scene. Its regular contributing writers include Brian Glanville, Keir Radnedge, Sid Lowe, Tim Vickery, and Henry Winter. World Soccer is a member of the European Sports Media (ESM), an umbrella group of similar magazines printed in other languages. The members of this group elect a European "Team of the Month" and a European "Team of the Year". Since 1982, World Soccer has also organised "Player of the Year", "Manager of the Year" and "Team of the Year" awards.
History The magazine was first published in London in October 1960, by Echo Publications. The first edition featured an image of Titus Buberník and Svatopluk Pluskal on the front cover. It was edited by Robert Bolle, with Graham Payne, editor of weekly sister publication Soccer Star, as features editor; Jack Rollin, who later edited The Football Yearbook for many years, as home editor; and Eric Batty as overseas editor. Batty, who later edited the magazine, published an annual World XI from 1960 to 1992. Brian Glanville had written a column for the magazine since April 1963. In 1970, Soccer Star, which was first published on 20 September 1952 as Raich Carter's Soccer Star, was incorporated into World Soccer. Keir Radnedge, who had been associate editor, took over from Philip Rising as editor in the late 1980s and was replaced by deputy editor Gavin Hamilton in January 1998 and became executive editor. Radnedge continues to have a monthly column in the magazine.
TI Media (formerly IPC Magazines, IPC Media and Time Inc. UK) published the magazine until the May 2020 issue with Kelsey Media taking over the following issue after they acquired the title from Future plc (owner of competing title FourFourTwo), the corporate successor of TI Media. Hamilton, who had worked for World Soccer for 26 years, stepped down as editor after publishing the 60th anniversary edition in June 2020. Other regular contributors have included Paul Gardner, with a focus on football in the United States; David Conn; Jonathan Wilson; Mark Gleeson on African football; and Tim Vickery, Brian Homewood, and Eric Weil on South American football.
Award winners
Men's World Player of the Year YearPlayerClub1982 (23%) Juventus1983 (28%) Udinese Calcio1984 (54%) Juventus1985 (21%) Juventus1986 (36%) S.S.C. Napoli1987 (39%) A.C. Milan1988 (43%) A.C. Milan1989 (24%) A.C. Milan1990 (22%) Inter Milan1991 (25%) Olympique de Marseille1992 (19%) A.C. Milan1993 (14%) Juventus1994 (27%) A.C. Milan1995 (18%) Juventus1996 (17%) FC Barcelona1997 (27%) FC Barcelona & Inter Milan1998 (23%) Juventus1999 (42%) FC Barcelona2000 (26%) FC Barcelona & Real Madrid2001 (31%) Liverpool F.C.2002 (26%) Inter Milan & Real Madrid2003 (36%) Juventus2004 (29%) FC Barcelona2005 (39%) FC Barcelona2006 (40%) Juventus & Real Madrid2007 (52%) A.C. Milan2008 (48.4%) Manchester United2009 (43.2%) FC Barcelona2010 (25.8%) FC Barcelona 2011 (60.2%) FC Barcelona2012 (47.33%) FC Barcelona2013 Real Madrid2014 Real Madrid2015 FC Barcelona2016 Real Madrid2017 Real Madrid2018 Real Madrid2019 FC Barcelona2020 Bayern Munich2021 Bayern Munich2022 Paris Saint-Germain2023 Manchester City2024 Manchester City2025 Paris Saint-Germain
All-time wins
By player #PlayerWins1625334291
By country #CountryWins18273645647291
By league #LeagueWins 1 20 2 19 3 4 4 3 5 2
Young Player of the Year YearPlayerClub2005 (30%) Santos FC & Real Madrid2006 (36%) FC Barcelona2007 (34%) FC Barcelona2008 (44%) FC Barcelona2009 (45.1) Atlético Madrid2010 (45.8) Bayern Munich2011 (29.2%) Santos FC
Men's World Manager of the Year YearManagerTeam1982 (49%) Italy 1983 (29%) Denmark1984 (30%) France1985 (30%) FC Barcelona1986 (15%) Belgium1987 (25%) Ajax Amsterdam1988 (48%) Netherlands & Bayer Leverkusen1989 (42%) AC Milan1990 (53%) Germany1991 (42%) France1992 (28%) Denmark1993 (21%) Manchester United1994 (17%) Brazil1995 (42%) Ajax Amsterdam1996 (28%) Germany1997 (17%) Borussia Dortmund1998 (28%) Arsenal1999 (60%) Manchester United2000 (18%) Italy2001 (28%) Liverpool F.C.2002 (28%) South Korea2003 (20%) A.C. Milan2004 (36%) FC Porto & Chelsea2005 (34.1%) Chelsea2006 (36%) Italy2007 (26%) Manchester United2008 (38%) Manchester United2009 (62.1%) FC Barcelona2010 (48.3%) Inter Milan & Real Madrid2011 (33.1%) FC Barcelona2012 (28.49%) Spain2013 Bayern Munich2014 Germany2015 FC Barcelona2016 Leicester City2017 Real Madrid2018 France2019 Liverpool F.C.2020 Bayern Munich2021 Italy2022 Argentina2023 Manchester City2024 Real Madrid2025 Paris Saint-Germain
All-time wins
By manager No. Manager Wins 1 4 2 3 3 2
By country No.CountryWins1836547381
Men's World Team of the Year YearClub 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 47.4% 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
By team #TeamWins1524 4362
Women's World Player of the Year YearPlayerTeam2020 Wolfsburg Chelsea2021 Barcelona2022 Arsenal2023 Barcelona2024 Barcelona2025 Arsenal
Women's World Manager of the Year YearPlayerTeam 2020 Lyon 2021 Barcelona 2022 England 2023 England 2024 Chelsea/USA 2025 England
Women's World Team of the Year YearClub 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Referee of the Year Source: YearRankRefereePoints20051st Pierluigi Collina30.6%2nd Kim Milton Nielsen19.7%3rd Markus Merk16.3%20061st Horacio Elizondo38.7%2nd Benito Archundia30.5%3rd Ľuboš Micheľ8.5%
Greatest XI of All Time This list, published July 2013, is based on a voting poll of 74 experts from around the world: journalists; TV pundits; then-current and former players; and then-current and former managers.
GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards
Goalkeepers
Pos.NameVotes% of votes 1 31 41.89% 2 6 8.11% 4 5 6.76% 6 4 5.41% 7 3 4.05% 8 2 2.70%
Full backs
Pos.NameVotes% of votes 1 48 64.86% 2 24 32.43% 3 18 24.32% 4 13 17.57% 5 11 14.86% 6 7 9.46% 7 6 8.11% 8 4 5.41% 9 3 4.05% 10 2 2.70%
Central defenders
Pos.NameVotes% of votes 1 68 91.89% 2 23 31.08% 3 22 29.73% 4 4 5.41% 5 3 4.05% 9 2 2.70%
Midfielders Pos.NameVotes% of votes 1 64 86.49% 2 58 78.38% 3 28 37.84% 4 24 32.43% 5 18 24.32% 6 15 20.27% 7 12 16.22% 8 7 9.46% 9 5 6.76% 11 4 5.41% 13 3 4.05% 15 2 2.70%
Strikers Pos.NameVotes% of votes 1 56 75.68% 2 46 62.16% 3 11 14.86% 4 9 12.16% 5 5 6.76% 6 4 5.41% 7 2 2.70%
Greatest Managers of All Time
The list is based on the voting poll consisting of 74 experts (journalists, TV pundits, current and former players and managers) from around the world with each having been allotted 5 managerial picks.
(Published July 2013)
Key Managers in bold are ranked by World Soccer, France Football and ESPN
Pos.NameYearsNotable teamsVotes% of votes 1 1974–2013 Aberdeen, Scotland national team, Manchester United 49 66.22% 2 1960–1992 AFC Ajax, Barcelona, Netherlands national team 46 62.16% 3 2000– Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma 21 28.38% 4 1944–1970, 1973–1981 Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan 19 25.68% 5 2007– Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City 18 24.32% 6 1985–1999, 2001 Parma, Milan, Italy national team, Atlético Madrid 15 20.27% 7 1969–2002 Dnipro, Dynamo Kyiv, Soviet Union national team, Ukraine national team 14 18.92% 8 1974–1983 Liverpool 12 16.22%9 1907–1918, 1921–1934 Northampton Town, Leeds City, Huddersfield Town, Arsenal9 12.16% 1933–1939, 1945–1951, 1953–1962, 1964–1967, 1973 Milan, São Paulo, Porto, Benfica, Peñarol 1962–1992 Feyenoord, Sevilla, Netherlands national team, Brugge, Hamburger SV 1966–1991, 1994–2001 Botafogo, Flamengo, Brazil national team, Vasco da Gama13 1912–1922, 1924–1926, 1929–1948 Italy national team, Torino, Milan 8 10.81% 1987–1990, 1994, 1996, 1999–2005, 2008–2016 Real Madrid, Beşiktaş, Spain national team 1982–2006, 2008–2010, 2012–2014, 2016–2019 Napoli, Juventus, Inter Milan, Italy national team, Guangzhou Evergrande, China national team 1969–1996 Atlético Mineiro, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Botafogo, Flamengo, Brazil national team17 1965–1993 Derby County, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest 7 9.46%18 1983–2004, 2007–2014 Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Switzerland national team6 8.11%19 1930–1942, 1945–1946, 1950–1964 Germany national team, Eintracht Frankfurt 5 6.76% 1949–1974 Carlisle United, Huddersfield Town, Liverpool 1974–2013 Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Italy national team22 1970, 1972–1984, 1986–1994, 1996–1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 Argentina national team, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Boca Juniors, Independiente 4 5.41%23 1964–1986 Italy national team 3 4.05% 1910–1912, 1914–1921, 1924, 1924–1927, 1931–1939 MTK Budapest, Netherlands national team, Fulham, Aston Villa 1948–1983 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Barcelona, 1. FC Köln 1952–1984 Germany national team 1991–2015, 2017–2018 Milan, Real Madrid, Roma, Juventus, England national team28 1984–1991, 1993–1994, 1996 Germany national team, Bayern Munich, Marseille 2 2.70% 1971, 1973–1993, 1996, 1998–2000, 2003–2004 Estudiantes, Colombia national team, Argentina national team, Sevilla, Boca Juniors 1985–1996 AFC Ajax, Barcelona 1937–1942, 1947–1950, 1955–1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1966 São Paulo, Brazil national team, Boca Juniors 1955–1974, 1977–1978 Ipswich Town, England national team 1940–1946, 1949–1957 Hungary national team 1960–1985 Celtic Glasgow, Scotland national team, Leeds United 1982–2019 Brazil national team, Portugal national team, Grêmio, Palmeiras, Chelsea36 1974–2009 Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Barcelona, Sevilla, Spain national team 1 1.35% 1965– AFC Ajax, Netherlands national team, Real Madrid, Feyenoord 1993– Valencia, Liverpool, Internazionale, Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid, Newcastle United 1990– Newell's Old Boys, América, Vélez Sarsfield, Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Leeds United 1981– Chicago Fire, MetroStars, United States national team, Egypt national team, Los Angeles FC 1945–1969, 1970–1971 Manchester United 1973–1996 Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United, Republic of Ireland national team 1959–1985 Legia Warsaw, Poland national team, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos1979–2018 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Benfica, Schalke 1973–2011 Paris Saint-Germain, France national team, Liverpool, Lyon 1967–2004Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia national team, Ajax, Anderlecht, Standard Liège, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Panathinaikos, Porto, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Marseille1952–1987Steaua București, Ajax, France national team, Romania national team, Panathinaikos, Monaco1970–2000Bayern Munich, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Barcelona 1912–14, 1919–37Austria national team1972–2010, 2012Fortuna Düsseldorf, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Greece national team1968–2010Fluminense, Brazil national team, Valencia, Fenerbahçe, Corinthians, South Africa national team 1973–1990, 1993–1997Polish national team 1947–1977Padova, Milan1926–1940Internazionale, Bologna1984–2018Monaco, Nagoya Grampus Eight, Arsenal1946–1962England national team
Greatest Players of the 20th century In the December 1999 issue, a readers' poll listing the 100 greatest football players of the 20th century was published.
World Player of the Decade 2000s In 2009, a World Player of the Decade was announced based on the reader's votes from 2000 to 2009 in the annual Player of the Year polls.