Crowning a champion used to be so satisfactory. Take 18 or 20 teams, they all play each other home and away, and whoever gets the most points wins.
It is a system that has worked pretty well for decades – but it has always been far from perfect. In particular, those end-of-season games between teams that have nothing to play for and teams fighting to stay up or to get into Europe.
That league system has also lacked a crucial element: glamour. We now live in a world where TV and marketing values rule – and those are values that very much like drama and glamorous occasions.
Yet how much of that does the current league system give?
Consider this past season in Europe. In Italy, Juventus were champions for a seventh consecutive campaign. In Spain, Barcelona were runaway winners with only one game lost. In Germany, Bayern Munich won for the sixth consecutive season. In England, Manchester City claimed a record 100 points.
In England, Germany and Spain the championships were over a month or so before the official season’s end, giving an empty, non-climactic feeling to seasons that already lacked grand finales.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines
