As the new year begins, many soccer players and clubs set their resolutions for 2025. From an organizational turnaround to simply more respect, we take a look at some of the biggest wants in the world of football.
2025 is days away, and in the Chinese Zodiac, it’s the year of the snake, which could be a good omen for Inter Milan. The 2025 soccer calendar is packed with exciting events, including the FIFA Club World Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the summer.
We’ve compiled a list of players, clubs, and executives to imagine what their resolutions might be for 2025. Here’s a look at what some of the best in world soccer might be wishing for in the coming year.
Manchester City: A Winning Streak
Pep Guardiola breathed a sigh of relief when his struggling Manchester City side secured a 2-0 victory over Leicester City this past weekend. Now the question is: can they sustain it? Despite their nearly two-month slump, City remain in fifth place in the Premier League, within striking distance of second, and still in the mix in the UEFA Champions League. For those who thought Manchester City were finished, they may need to think again.
Christian Pulisic: A Contract Extension with AC Milan
Christian Pulisic has been AC Milan’s brightest star this season. Paulo Fonseca’s tenure lasted only seven months, and now the American winger is preparing to play for his third manager in less than two seasons. Pulisic has been exceptional at the San Siro, scoring 23 goals in 70 matches. With talks of a contract extension starting to surface, it seems likely that Captain America will continue his journey in Italy for years to come.
Liverpool: A Treble
Is there a hotter team right now than Liverpool? Arne Slot’s side are runaway leaders in both the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League, and all signs point to a magical season. Given their current form, a treble doesn’t seem out of reach.
Kylian Mbappé: Some Respect on His Name
Kylian Mbappé’s arrival at Real Madrid has been underwhelming and hardly what many figured. The French World Cup winner has netted 14 goals in 24 matches, currently tied for third in La Liga’s top scorers list, and Real Madrid sits in second place in the league, but the club’s Champions League campaign has been a disappointment so far.
Mbappé’s talent is beyond question, yet in a league accustomed to seeing the best of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, many fans are still not fully convinced.
Manchester United: A Sense of Direction
Manchester United has truly fallen from grace. Currently in 14th place in the Premier League and enduring a dismal Europa League campaign, Ruben Amorim has yet to find his footing at Old Trafford. The Portuguese manager will look to avoid becoming another name on a long list of those who have failed to guide the club to a brighter future.
Lionel Messi: An MLS Cup
Lionel Messi’s move to the United States and MLS has been a resounding success. The GOAT’s statistics don’t lie — he’s torn through MLS and still looks capable of playing at a national team level. But Messi is a competitor, and he wants to win. His time in MLS won’t feel complete without an MLS Cup.
Inter Miami: Messi Extension
Jorge Mas and MLS are united in their desire to keep Messi for as long as possible. From both an on- and off-pitch standpoint, this is critical to Miami’s success over the next few seasons.
Lamine Yamal: Making Barcelona His Own
Lamine Yamal is being compared to the likes of Barcelona greats including Neymar and Messi. However, to truly join their ranks, he’ll need to do far more than score 13 goals in 70 matches for the club. Yamal has immense talent and could become one of the most gifted wingers in the next generation of soccer, but can he reach Messi’s level? At just 17, he has a long road ahead, but we’ll be watching closely to see if he can make it.
Cristiano Ronaldo: A Return to the Spotlight
Cristiano Ronaldo is somewhat distanced from mainstream notoriety in soccer these days. He makes headlines frequently — whether for getting angry over Messi chants, his YouTube videos, or another award he’s won — but when it comes to on-field action, no one is talking about him. The superstar will need to deliver a standout season in Saudi Arabia, one that ends with silverware, to once again be in the conversation for something that truly matters to his career.
Apple TV: Someone to Care About MLS
Apple TV and MLS are inseparable, and with recent reports revealing a record-low viewership for the MLS Cup, questions about the Apple TV deal are being raised. Who’s watching MLS? What are the real numbers? There’s a lot of speculation but little concrete data, whether positive or negative. The undeniable truth is that MLS remains far removed from the mainstream and it will only hurt the league in the years to come.
Paul Pogba: A Club
Not officially retired and cleared to play the game, Paul Pogba at only 31 is still a player talented enough to be a fixture on any team. Pogba has delivered moments of absolute brilliance for France, Manchester United, and Juventus. Rumors of a move to MLS look unfounded, and Pogba can still land on a big club in Europe and there should be many takers.
CONCACAF: An Audience for the Gold Cup
CONCACAF can never catch a break. The Gold Cup is set to take place during the FIFA Club World Cup, and FIFA has already ensured that nothing will interfere with the tournament by allowing participating clubs to skip national team call-ups for their players. This could mean that several United States men’s national team members could miss the Gold Cup. With the U.S., Mexico, and Canada all preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this could be a huge blow for the tournament and those managers looking to test their squads at full strength.
Mauricio Pochettino: An Injury-Free Player Pool
Mauricio Pochettino will need all of his USMNT players healthy as he continues evaluating his player pool for the 2026 World Cup. So far, things have gone well for Pochettino with the national team, but the U.S. lacks real competition. With the Gold Cup being the only significant measuring stick in 2025, winning the competition will go a long way toward showing that the USMNT is truly back.
Javier Aguirre: A Time Machine
We kid, Javier Aguirre, but the reality is that Mexico is no longer the powerhouse it once was. Aguirre will try to instill the grit and fight that El Tri has lost in recent years. With a 3-1-1 start, like Pochettino’s U.S. team, Mexico lacks real competition to measure themselves against. Winning the Gold Cup would certainly help reassert Mexico’s place at the top of the region.
Gianni Infantino: Stay the Course
Gianni Infantino is determined to shape soccer according to his vision — expanding the World Cup, launching the Club World Cup, and even creating FIFA’s own video game. No stone is left unturned as FIFA continues to extract every penny it can from the sport. Football is undergoing significant changes, but few, if any, believe these changes are for the better. For now, Infantino and FIFA are staying the course, but a possible worldwide players’ strike could be the only way to bring sanity back to the beautiful game.
