Rasmus Højlund has used a Supercoppa triumph to underline the decision that took him out of England and back to Italy. After posting a picture of himself holding the trophy, he wrote: “What a great decision looks like.” Many supporters read the message as a deliberate barb aimed at his former club.

The sequence that led here was public. Højlund had an encouraging debut season at Old Trafford, scoring 16 goals, but he struggled for form last term and saw his confidence ebb. United’s investment in Benjamin Šeško ended Højlund’s time there, despite his initial wish to stay.

Napoli paid the equivalent of €50 million for the 22-year-old, a figure below the €75 million plus add-ons United had paid to Atalanta in 2023. While that represents a loss on the original outlay, it still delivered a significant transfer fee and cleared the way for both player and club to move on.

On the pitch, Højlund has found a sharper rhythm in Serie A. He has scored four league goals in 11 appearances, matching his Premier League return from 2025–26 in 21 fewer games. Across all competitions he has seven in 19, including a goal in the Supercoppa semifinal against AC Milan. Napoli completed the competition by beating Bologna at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the trophy is the third of his career.

Observers argue Højlund looks better suited to Italian football and has often shown stronger returns in European competition than he did in the Premier League. Manchester United, meanwhile, have boosted their attacking output after bringing in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

At Napoli he has been reunited with former United teammate Scott McTominay, the reigning Serie A Footballer of the Year. Asked if leaving Old Trafford automatically improves a player, McTominay declined to denigrate his boyhood club. “It’s just too easy of an excuse,” he told CBS Sports last week. “In my last year [at United], I did well. I scored 10 goals and we won [the FA Cup].” On Marcus Rashford and last season he added, “With Marcus, there was different issues which might have transpired which we won’t go into. However, Marcus is a top player and has always been a top player, he’s one of the club legends, scored so many goals for Man Utd, did so many great things,”

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations opens on Dec. 21 in Morocco, with 24 nations contesting the continent’s premier international prize. Seven different winners since 2010 underline how open the competition remains and why identifying a single favourite before kick-off is difficult.

Nigeria arrive as one of the most talked-about attacking teams. With Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, the Super Eagles possess game-changing forwards and a vibrant offensive profile. Éric Chelle’s side can rely on a strong supporting cast in midfield, but defensive concerns persist. Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and Porto’s Zaidu Sanusi are the clearest options at the back, while a rearguard that includes three English Championship defenders will be tested. Stanley Nwabali is not viewed as an elite goalkeeper and Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup adds pressure and incentive for redemption.

Algeria retain status among the contenders despite inconsistent recent tournaments. The 2019 champions failed to progress from the group stage in both 2021 and 2023 and have not won a match at three of the last four editions. Riyad Mahrez remains the squad’s creative fulcrum; the 34-year-old has slowed since leaving Manchester City for Al Ahli but still offers quality. Wolfsburg’s Mohamed Amoura led CAF World Cup qualifying with ten goals and averages a goal every two international appearances. Rayan Aït-Nouri and Ramy Bensebaini anchor an unspectacular defence, but Vladimir Petković brings experienced coaching that could carry Algeria deep into the event.

Egypt depend heavily on Mohamed Salah, who will aim to deliver the country’s first title since 2010. Egypt were beaten finalists in 2017 and lost to Senegal on penalties in 2021, experiences that will motivate Hossam Hassan’s side. Omar Marmoush has shared attacking duties and the squad benefits from cohesion: eight players represent Al Ahly and a further nine play for Pyramids or Zamalek.

Senegal arrive as recent winners and remain a potent force. Pape Thiaw has helped revive the Lions of Teranga after a disappointing 2023. Senegal went unbeaten in 2026 World Cup qualifying and secured a place in a group with France and Norway. A summer 3–1 victory over England at Wembley and a competitive defeat to Brazil in November signalled form. Twenty of the 27-man roster play in Europe’s top five leagues; Kalidou Koulibaly, Édouard Mendy and Sadio Mané provide experience despite moves to the Saudi Pro League. Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaïla Sarr and Nicolas Jackson lead the attack while Idrissa Gueye and Pape Matar Sarr offer midfield balance. These four nations are obvious candidates, but the tournament’s history suggests surprises remain possible.

The World Cup has often strengthened a player’s case for the Ballon d’Or. Across successive tournaments, a handful of individuals converted international triumph into the sport’s highest individual prize in the same year.

Bobby Charlton received the Ballon d’Or on Dec. 27 following England’s 1966 World Cup success. A decade after Stanley Matthews won the inaugural prize, Charlton’s performances for England were decisive, including a semi-final in which he struck a brace against Eusébio’s Portugal. The deciding vote was cast by the Portuguese journalist Fernando Couto e Santos from Mundo Desportivo.

Paolo Rossi’s Italy story spans two tournaments. Three goals at the 1978 World Cup earned him a place in FIFA’s Team of the Tournament, but Italy finished fourth and he placed fifth in that year’s Ballon d’Or. Four years later Rossi scored six goals across the final three matches in Spain, including the opener in a 3–1 victory over West Germany in the final. Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli also scored in that final.

Lothar Matthäus powered West Germany’s 1990 charge. Already established through success with Bayern Munich and then Inter, he scored four times at the tournament, including a decisive penalty against Czechoslovakia, and finished runner-up for the competition’s Golden Ball to Salvatore Schillaci. Matthäus prevailed in the Ballon d’Or vote over Schillaci and Andreas Brehme.

Zinedine Zidane arrived at the 1998 World Cup after claiming the Serie A title with Juventus, was sent off in the group stage against Saudi Arabia, then delivered two first-half headers to defeat Brazil in the final as France won. Zidane collected both Player of the Match and the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo’s 2002 World Cup haul — four group goals, a last-16 strike against Belgium, the semi winner against Türkiye and a two-goal final against Germany — was followed by a move to Real Madrid and Ballon d’Or success later that year.

Fabio Cannavaro, one of only three defenders to win the Ballon d’Or, led Italy’s resilient defence in 2006 after Juventus’s 2005–06 title was later revoked. Italy kept multiple clean sheets en route to a final settled on penalties after Zinedine Zidane’s sending off; Cannavaro joined FIFA’s All-Star Team and won the Ballon d’Or.

The vote’s switch to a seasonal cycle and the winter scheduling of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar meant Lionel Messi did not receive his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or until late 2023. Messi scored five goals leading up to the final, recovered from an opening defeat to Saudi Arabia, then scored twice in the 3–3 final with France and helped Argentina to victory on penalties under Lionel Scaloni before his retirement.