Gabrielle Pessoa

As we approach the halfway mark of the season, the time has come to reflect on a landmark year in soccer history. 

As temperatures drop and leafs change color, some of the world's greatest teams prepare to knuckle down ahead of the business end of the season: Paris Saint-Germain reckon with the weight of Champions League expectations while having to defend a slew of domestic titles, Man City aim to repeat last year’s EPL success while also trying to make their mark on Europe, and soon the fatigue of playing in multiple tournaments will kick in. 

Before the fixture list enters heavy congestion territory though, we have drawn together a list of our own with the aim of bringing fans from every branch of soccer family tree together in appreciation for the unreservedly pure and unadulterated aspects the beautiful game. 

Kylian Mbappe’s speed

There are many reasons to tune into a PSG match. They score goals (a lot of them), they have arguably one of the most dangerous attacking tridents in world football, their kits are next level, and they just play beautifully. But our favorite reason might just be to watch their 19-year-old phenom.

Watching Kylian Mbappe just brings a smile to our faces. The ease with which he zooms past defenders is comical. Mbappe humiliates elite defenders with about as much effort as Gregg Popovich puts into in-game sideline interviews. 

And then there’s his finishing ability. Kylian Mbappe has tallied 11 goals in his nine Ligue 1 appearances for PSG so far this season.

It is mind-boggling to think that this is the just the beginning for this young star. But cherish these moments. There will come a day when we forget this brief window of time in which Mbappe was not considered to be among the top three players in the world. 

HAZARD: MBAPPE DESERVES BALLON D'OR

Many moons from now, you, sporting a pair of sepia tinted spectacles, can gather your grandkids around a log fire and wax on about how you witnessed this spotty teenager ascend to the pantheon of soccer legends. “Ah, they just don’t make them like that anymore,” you’ll mutter under your breath.

Marcelo’s left foot 

Real Madrid have not exactly had an ideal start to the 2018/19 season. Between their sixth-place standing in the La Liga table and Julen Lopetegui’s disastrous tenure, Los Blancos have enjoyed better days. 

However, there is one consistent, shining light at the White House that can never be ignored. And like Jay Gatsby and the green light, this bright spot in the darkness never seems to get old.

Since bursting onto the scene in 2007, Marcelo has made Madrid’s left-back position his own . One might not necessarily equate a full back with being one of the most talented players on a team, let alone a Real Madrid team, but it only takes a few seconds of a given match (or training session) to see that Marcelo’s left foot is a gift from the soccer gods. 

La Liga officials should check the man’s boots for adhesive – such is the otherworldliness of the Brazilian’s first touch. 

David De Gea’s reactions 

David De Gea is a thief. He has robbed us of some beautiful goals. But what story is complete without a villain? Manchester United’s Mr. Fantastic has saved the Red Devils from ridicule time and again. 

Think back to his Champions League goal-denying exploits against Sevilla - keeping Luis Muriel off the scoresheet from close range, or against Juventus, when he stopped a Cristiano Ronaldo upper-90 missile from rippling his net. 

Good news for football fans worldwide: goalkeepers tend to enjoy the longest-spanning careers. However, just because we may be lucky enough to witness De Gea’s heroics for years to come, it is no reason not to give thanks right now. Make no mistake, David De Gea’s reflexes are abnormal. Let us not take them for granted. 

Jose Mourinho’s antics

You either despise him or you adore him to bits. There is no middle ground. Whichever way you lean however, there is no denying that the self-proclaimed “Special One” is must-watch television. Granted, he may be having difficulty walking the walk of late, but Jose Mourinho (bless his soul) continues to talk the talk. 

From throwing his own players under the bus (not to be confused with the tactical bus he regularly parks on the field) to reminding Stamford Bridge of his Premier League title tally, Mourinho refuses to shy away from the headlines. 

The guy is an absolute wildcard and positively necessary to the world of football. 

The end of Messi vs. Ronaldo

You read that correctly. We are thankful one of the greatest individual rivalries in the history of sports is over. 

All good things must come to an end. Watching Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi go head to head in ‘Clasicos’ year in and year out was an absolute delight. But the debates were getting out of hand.  

Hopefully now we can truly appreciate these two superhumans without getting into nonsensical discussions. Ronaldo and Messi are two of the greatest soccer players to have ever lived (if not the greatest) and it is an accomplishment that they are still at the height of their respective abilities this far into their careers. Cherish every second of what they have left to share with us.

To compare Ronaldo and Messi is like comparing Kanye West and Jay-Z in their collaborative album: “Watch the Throne”. Two artists at the top of their game who bring two completely different things to table and enriching the art form because of those differences.