THIS MONTH
Growing up in the UK, my annual calendar has always
run the same course as the football season, from August
through to July. That’s the case for most of Europe. But in
the rest of the world, football follows the regular year from
January to December and this month we can begin our
annual review of the non-European seasons.
There’s the Major League Soccer
season to review (page 68) as well as
the Under-17 World Cup (page 76) in
Brazil and the Copa Sudamericana
Final (page 72). Unfortunately, our
monthly deadlines prevent us from
reporting on the Copa Libertadores
Final, relocated to Lima in Peru
following the street protest in
Santiago, Chile, and the Asian
Champions League Final.
They will have to wait until the
next issue, when we will also review the Brazilian national
championship and other regular-calendar leagues.
It’s also that time of the year when we prepare to bring
you our annual Awards. By the time you read this, voting
will be about to close in the poll
for the World Player,
Manager and Team of
the Year, the longest-
running awards vote
of its kind in the global
game. See you then.Ukrainian football’s governing body is facing
calls to overturn a one-match ban handed to
Shakhtar Donetsk’s Brazilian Taison after he
was sent off for reacting to racist abuse from
opposition fans in a game against Dynamo Kiev.
“We are very disappointed by the decision,”
players’ union Fifpro said. “Sanctioning a victim
of racial abuse is beyond comprehension and it
plays into the hands of those who promote this
kind of disgraceful behaviour.”
The Ukrainian Association of Football also
fined Dynamo Kiev £16,000 and ordered them
to play one match behind closed doors.
Taison and Brazilian team-mate Dentinho
were both targets of monkey chants and racial
abuse throughout the match and a stadium
announcement was made calling on supporters
to stop the chants.
In the 77th minute, after Taison had gestured
towards Dynamo fans and kicked a ball at them,
the referee took the players off the pitch, in line
with UEFA protocol. When they returned five
minutes later, Taison was dismissed and the
match restarted.Gavin Hamilton, Editor
THE WORLD
Taison suspended
for racism protest
Finland qualify for Euro 2020 ............................................................................................. p
Independiente del Valle win Copa Sudamericana ......................................................... p
Seattle Sounders claim MLS Cup ....................................................................................... p
Brazil are under-17 world champions ................................................................................ p
Bayern part company with Niko Kovac ............................................................................ p
Tottenham sack Pochettino, hire Mourinho ..................................................................... p
Luis Enrique returns as Spain coach .................................................................................. p
Arsene Wenger joins FIFA ..................................................................................................... p
Taison case highlights racism in Ukraine ........................................................................... p
Carlos Vela named MLS player of the season ................................................................ pUKRAINEDistraught...Taison
(right) leaves the pitchVoting is about
to close in our
annual poll – the
longest-running
awards vote of
its kind in the
global game