World Soccer is an English-language football magazine, published by Kelsey Media. The magazine was established in 1960 and is the oldest continually published football magazine in the United Kingdom.[2][3] It specialises in the international football scene. Its regular contributing writers include Brian Glanville, Keir Radnedge, Sid Lowe and Tim Vickery. 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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6][7] Batty, who later edited the magazine, published an annual World XI from 1960 to 1992.[8]Brian Glanville has written a column for the magazine since April 1963.[9][10] In 1970, Soccer Star, which was first published on 20 September 1952 as Raich Carter's Soccer Star, was incorporated into World Soccer.[11] 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.[12] Radnedge continues to have a monthly column in the magazine.[13][14][15]
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, the successor of TI Media.[16] Hamilton, who had worked for World Soccer for 26 years, stepped down as editor after publishing the 60th anniversary edition in June 2020.[17]
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; Tim Vickery, Brian Homewood and Eric Weil on South American football.
Award winners
Lionel Messi is the record winner of World Soccer awards having won a total of nine: six men's world player of the year awards and three (consecutive) young player of the year awards. He has also been included in the greatest XI of all time.
The list is based on the voting poll consisted of 74 experts (journalists, TV pundits, current and former players and managers) from around the world.[52]
Map of FIFA members by number of managers ranked by France Football (2019), World Soccer (2013) orESPN (2013)Map of FIFA members by number of managers ranked by France Football (2019), World Soccer (2013) andESPN (2013)
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.
Since the first year of publication of World Soccer and over a 30-year period, overseas editor Eric Batty published his team selection of the best players over the season.
^"Century of Soccer: Readers' Poll". World Soccer. England Football Online. December 1999. pp. 12–17. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
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