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World Soccer December 2021 is now available to buy online and in shops.

From the Editor

In the latest issue of World Soccer, players going out of their comfort zones is a recurring theme.

We speak to Ryan Gauld who, after leaving Scotland as a teenager for Portugal, is now embarking on a new journey in Major League Soccer with Vancouver Whitecaps, while Dom Dwyer has also forged a remarkable career for himself in MLS since leaving England’s non-league scene.

The extraordinary journey Leon Bailey has undertaken to make it to the top – from Jamaica to Aston Villa via Austria, Slovakia, Belgium and Germany – is documented by Ben Bocsak, while even more extraordinary is the tale told by Mark Gleeson of Gambia’s Ebrima Darboe, the tragic but inspiring story of refugee to Africa Cup of Nations star.

And two of the world’s most promising teenagers, Pedri and Eduardo Camavinga, also took a leap of faith by leaving the comfort of Las Palmas and Rennes to join Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. Nick Bidwell tracks the progression of both teenage tyros.

Stephen Fishlock, Group Editor 

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Contents

THE WORLD THIS MONTH

People in the news…on and off the pitch

4 In pictures
12 On the radar
13 ESM XI
14 Keir Radnedge Football’s Olympics future
16 Jonathan Wilson Newcastle’s rebuild
18 Tom Saintfiet AFCON guest columnist
20 Ins & Outs and Obituaries

HEADLINERS

22 Algeria
23 Ohi Omoijuanfo
24 Daniel Maldini
25 Hwang Hee-chan
26 Josip Stanisic
27 Mohamed Aboutrika

EYEWITNESS

28 Slovakia
32 Gambia
36 Scotland

FACE TO FACE

52 Meke Mwase
54 Ryan Gauld

FEATURES

40 The future of the Clasico Pedri and Eduardo Camavinga player profiles
48 Special Report BeNe Liga
58 Dom Dwyer
62 Leon Bailey

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

72 World Cup qualifying

MY BIGGEST GAME

98 Dragan Stojkovic

WORLD SERVICE

Exclusive reports from our worldwide network of correspondents

73 Marshall Islands Defying isolation
74 Qatar FIFA Arab Cup preview
76 India Indian Super League Preview
78 Australia A-League Men’s preview
80 Competition Reviews CONCACAF Champions League, MLS & SAFF Championship
86 Africa CAF Champions League preliminaries
88 Greenland Football on the world’s largest island