Wales superstar and five-time Champions League winner Gareth Bale announced Monday that he’s retiring from club and international football.

“After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football,” he announced on Twitter.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have realized my dream of playing the sport I love. It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. The highest of highs over 17 seasons that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”

The 33-year-old ends his illustrious career as one of Britain’s most decorated players after spells at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and Los Angeles FC.

At Real Madrid, he was a member of five Champions League-winning teams and played an important role in helping the Spanish giants win La Liga three times, as well as other major trophies.

He’s also Wales’ all-time leading scorer with 41 goals in 111 appearances.

Bale was under contract at LAFC until this summer but decided to hang up his boots just over a month after playing for Wales at the 2022 World Cup. It was Wales’ first World Cup appearance since 1958.

“My decision to retire from international football has been by far the hardest of my career,” Bale said in a separate statement, adding, “My journey on the international stage is one that has changed not only my life but who I am.”

After making his professional debut with Southampton at 16, Bale moved to north London, where he developed into a global superstar at Tottenham.

His career continued to blossom after a transfer to Real Madrid in 2013 that was worth a then-record £85.3 million – over £5 million more than the fee Los Blancos paid for Cristiano Ronaldo four years earlier.

Bale lived up to the billing over his first few years in Madrid before his relationship with the club and fans soured.

He was eventually loaned back to Tottenham last season before joining LAFC midway through the 2022 Major League Soccer season. He scored a header in the 128th minute of extra time during the MLS Cup final to send the game to a penalty shootout, which LAFC won to capture the league title.

Brazilian legend Pele, who won the World Cup a record three times and officially scored 767 goals across one of the most celebrated sporting careers of all time, died Thursday. He was 82.

Pele was diagnosed with colon cancer in September 2021 and began undergoing chemotherapy that month. He was recently admitted to Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo to receive treatment for a respiratory infection. The medical center, where Pele spent the last month, said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the aforementioned cancer.

“All that we are is thanks to you,” his daughter, Kely Nascimento, wrote on Instagram. “We love you endlessly. Rest in peace.”

Nascimento announced Dec. 21 that her father’s health was worsening and that he’d spend Christmas at the hospital to receive “elevated care.” Several family members joined Nascimento at the medical facility as Pele’s cancer advanced and his condition deteriorated.

A funeral is planned for next week.

Santos, the club where Pele spent the majority of his iconic career, said the casket carrying his body will be transported to Vila Belmiro Stadium on Monday and placed in the center of the field, where fans will be able to pay their final respects. A procession will take place Tuesday through the streets of the city before a private burial that will be attended only by family.

Widely considered one of the greatest soccer players ever alongside Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, Pele enchanted fans and opponents for nearly two decades. He helped revolutionize the sport with his elegant playing style, his mesmerizing on-ball skills, and his previously unrivaled scoring ability before becoming one of soccer’s most beloved global ambassadors.

Pele, dubbed “The King,” helped Brazil win the World Cup in 1958, 1962, and 1970. His best performance came at the 1958 tournament where, as a 17-year-old, he scored six goals, including two in the final against host nation Sweden. He was hampered by injuries when Brazil retained the title four years later but was again a talisman for his country in 1970, scoring the opening goal and setting up Carlos Alberto’s memorable marker in the 4-1 victory over Italy in the final. The image of an overjoyed Pele being carried by his teammates after the final whistle remains one of the most indelible in the history of the sport.

Pele is Brazil’s joint-leading scorer with 77 tallies in 92 international appearances. Neymar equaled his idol during the World Cup in Qatar.

“Pele changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment,” Neymar said on Instagram. “Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pele is eternal!”

Pele bagged the majority of his goals for Brazilian club Santos between 1956 and 1974. Santos claim Pele scored around 1,000 goals in his career, but several hundred of those came in unofficial friendlies. His official scoring record, a topic of much debate over the years, is listed as anywhere from 650 goals to 1,281, depending on the source and which competitions and matches are counted as part of the tally.

His goals were only part of the story, though. Pele’s exciting style of play and imagination on the pitch made him one of the most dazzling players to ever grace world football.

His talent was evident from a young age.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in the city of Tres Coracoes in the south of Minas Gerais state, Pele grew up playing on the streets in Brazil before joining Santos’ youth squad at 11 years old. His ascent through the ranks was meteoric; Pele made his debut for Santos’ senior team when he was 16, developing into the global icon who would eventually transcend the game and become the player most often associated with the phrase “The Beautiful Game” – “O Jogo Bonito” in Portuguese – that is part of the sport’s lexicon.

He joined the upstart North American Soccer League in 1975 and played for the New York Cosmos for two years, helping to propel the sport in the United States. Pele called an end to his career in 1977 after playing in an exhibition match between Santos and the Cosmos in New Jersey.

He split the game between his former clubs, playing one half for each. Some 77,000 spectators were in attendance, including Muhammad Ali, one of the only other athletes in history whose celebrity spanned the globe the same way.

It’s officially time to start looking ahead. With 2022 coming to an end, here are five things we expect to happen in world soccer in 2023.

Editor’s note: This story was published before Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr was confirmed by the club.

Canada wins Women’s World Cup

Never before have fans enjoyed two World Cups in such quick succession. Just seven months after the completion of an enthralling men’s tournament in Qatar, the women descend on Australia and New Zealand to take center stage in July. And similar to Lionel Messi’s satisfying triumph with Argentina, the Women’s World Cup will also feature a storybook victory for one of the sport’s most iconic players. Christine Sinclair, playing in her sixth – and likely final – edition of the quadrennial event, will captain reigning Olympic champion Canada to its first World Cup title.

The transformative impact of the gold medal-winning performance in Tokyo and the newfound pedigree that comes with it can’t be overstated – Bev Priestman’s team has forever graduated from title hopeful to bonafide contender. Canada, ranked No. 6 in the world, will also bring the most talented and complete squad the nation has ever assembled for a major tournament. Those merging factors will result in Sinclair, the most prolific player in international football history, capping her legendary career with a World Cup trophy. The Canadian soccer wave will continue unabated in 2023.

Haaland rewrites record books

Erling Haaland is on a mission. Breaking the Premier League’s single-season scoring record isn’t enough – he wants to obliterate it. And the 22-year-old is well on his way. Haaland already has 20 tallies to his name in just 14 league appearances during his maiden campaign with Manchester City. Nobody has ever reached that mark faster, so that’s one record down. He scores goals with machine-like efficiency and ruthlessness, which will serve him well as he chases down and eventually smashes the benchmark for most markers in a Premier League season. In a 38-match campaign, that record currently belongs to Mohamed Salah, who found the net 32 times in 2017-18. Andy Cole and Alan Shearer each scored 34 goals in the Premier League’s 42-game era. Both standards are set to fall.

“I kind of recharged my batteries, and to watch other people score and win games in the World Cup kind of triggers me and motivates me and also irritates me,” Haaland, who didn’t play in the World Cup, said of his recent break. “I’m more hungry and more ready than ever.” That is absolutely terrifying. His insatiable scoring drive will lead City to their fifth Premier League title in the last six seasons.

Mbappe powers PSG to Champions League glory

Paris Saint-Germain – at long last and after obscene levels of investment over the years – will finally capture the elusive Champions League title so desperately craved by the club’s Qatari ownership, and Kylian Mbappe will be the catalyst. Despite winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup and scoring an unforgettable hat-trick in the final, Mbappe was overshadowed by Lionel Messi. At club level, though, the Frenchman is the leading light. The heartbreak of just missing out on the World Cup victory will become additional fuel for Mbappe, who will hit another stratosphere of superstardom in 2023.

Led by their incandescent forward, PSG will get over the hump in the Champions League, knocking off Bayern Munich in a rousing last-16 tie before eventually taking down Manchester City in the final. The most explosive player in world football will parlay that success into the first Ballon d’Or of his career. It’ll be the first of many. The only question remaining is whether or not he’ll win them at PSG or Real Madrid, where he clearly envisions himself at some point very soon.

Ronaldo fades into background

Cristiano Ronaldo remaining unsigned says it all. The Portuguese superstar has been a free agent for over a month after engineering his exit from Manchester United with a now-infamous incendiary interview. The 37-year-old has been pining for a switch to another top European club to play in the Champions League, but to date, no interest has materialized from teams of that caliber. If the suitors were there, Ronaldo would have put pen to paper already. Instead, the lone contract on the table is from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, who have reportedly submitted an eye-watering offer worth £175 million per year.

Without any other admirers, a clearly declining Ronaldo will have no choice but to follow the money. In joining Al Nassr, he’ll fade into sporting irrelevance, becoming a largely forgotten figure. Being one of the most famous people alive, Ronaldo will always hold a certain level of celebrity and influence, but from an on-pitch perspective, joining the Riyadh-based club will remove him from the typical everyday conversations in which he’s featured so prominently for over a decade.

Infantino tightens grip on world football

When Gianni Infantino succeeded ex-president Sepp Blatter as the head of FIFA in 2016, the Swiss-Italian administrator vowed to clean up world football’s disgraced governing body. “We will restore the image of FIFA and the respect of FIFA. And everyone in the world will applaud us,” he said at the time. Well, about that. Instead of applause, he’s been the subject of widespread ridicule and disdain. If anything, Infantino has largely continued along the tarnished path of his predecessor.

That is set to continue. Barring an unlikely resignation or forcible ouster, Infantino will be re-elected for his third term as FIFA chief in March. He’s already overseen significant changes to the sport, including an expanded 48-team men’s World Cup and super-sized Club World Cup. He also tried and failed to implement a biennial World Cup, an idea that was widely panned. What radical ideas does he have left up his sleeve? Expect Infantino to attempt to hatch another harebrained scheme in 2023.

Over the next 12 months, a fresh crop of footballers will establish themselves atop the men’s game. Here, theScore looks at some talented youngsters – aged 21 and under – who are set to flourish in 2023, while deliberately excluding those who made our lists in previous years.

Previous selections: 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (Part one and two) | 2022

Karim Adeyemi ??

Club: Borussia Dortmund | Age: 20 | Position: Winger

Excitement over Adeyemi’s potential surged last season when he scored 19 goals and contributed five assists during Red Bull Salzburg’s title-winning campaign. He hasn’t hit the ground running since swapping Austria for Germany, with a nagging foot injury harming his transition, but you can trust Dortmund to do a good job in giving the pacey frontman plenty of minutes against the best teams in Europe.

Benoit Badiashile ??

Club: AS Monaco | Age: 21 | Position: Center-back

Badiashile, on the brink of joining Chelsea, is ready to test himself away from Ligue 1 and possesses the physical attributes that should make him a good fit for Premier League football. His age, left-footedness, and experience of 106 appearances in France’s top flight add to his appeal, and he’s skilled at progressing play from the back with measured passes. One of his finest attributes is his knack for outpacing forwards and ushering them off the ball – it looks so effortless for him.

Alejandro Balde ??

Club: Barcelona | Age: 19 | Position: Full-back

Xavi was so impressed with Balde’s performances during preseason that he immediately tasked the young left-back with challenging for Jordi Alba’s starting spot in the Barcelona lineup. Balde was picked for Barca’s second match of the season and repaid his manager’s faith by quickly setting up Robert Lewandowski’s first La Liga goal. The teenager seems determined to make up for lost time after injuries disrupted his progress last season. He was included in Spain’s World Cup squad and appeared four times at the competition.

Armel Bella-Kotchap ??

Club: Southampton | Age: 21 | Position: Center-back

The biggest risk to Bella-Kotchap’s development is his club. Southampton didn’t feel stable throughout Ralph Hasenhuttl’s four-year reign, and his successor, Nathan Jones, has had a rough start to his tenure. Nevertheless, Bella-Kotchap impressed enough with the Saints to earn his first Germany call-up in September. He puts his acceleration to good use, shutting down attacks early or mopping up for his teammates when they’ve been beaten.

Endrick ??

Club: Palmeiras | Age: 16 | Position: Striker

Unless you’ve got access to Brazilian football on your television, you’re not going to see Endrick regularly until he joins Real Madrid in July 2024. The teenage forward is a phenomenon, scoring three goals over seven outings as Palmeiras finished top of the Serie A standings. His rise since his professional debut in October has been spectacular, and he’ll relish the prospect of joining Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in Los Blancos’ attack.

Enzo Fernandez ??

Club: Benfica | Age: 21 | Position: Midfielder

Fernandez already hinted at his unbridled potential in the Champions League group stage when he outclassed his contemporaries at Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Then he was one of the best midfielders in Qatar as he helped Argentina capture its third World Cup, keeping the team ticking with his mature use of the ball while proving to be a tigerish opponent out of possession. His goal against Mexico wasn’t bad either.

Alejandro Garnacho ??

Club: Manchester United | Age: 18 | Position: Winger

There were concerns over Garnacho’s attitude and defensive work earlier in the season, but he’s a player who gets fans off their seats. He oozes confidence, running at opponents and daring them to challenge him. He can create and finish as well: In the space of 10 days in November, he became Manchester United’s youngest non-English goalscorer in Europe, assisted twice in the League Cup, and nudged in a 93rd-minute winner in the Premier League.

Josko Gvardiol ??

Club: RB Leipzig | Age: 20 | Position: Center-back

You’ve all heard of him by now. Gvardiol’s domineering displays at the back provided the foundation for Croatia’s run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals. His 6-foot-1 frame is intimidating, but don’t write him off as an old-school defender: He produced the second-most interceptions in Qatar and ranked third for total passes by a Croatian behind Marcelo Brozovic and Luka Modric. RB Leipzig could demand a world-record fee for a defender when the time comes to sell.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ??

Club: Napoli | Age: 21 | Position: Winger

Kvaratskhelia’s style is somewhat unrefined – and that’s not a bad thing. Rather than adhering to strict tactical lessons in a lavish European academy, his impulsiveness and trickery flourished while he played in Georgia and Russia. He could take risks and make mistakes. He was allowed to entertain. That increasingly rare introduction to the game has created one of the most watchable and unpredictable players on the globe: like legendary Georgian playmaker Georgi Kinkladze with a dirt bike engine.

Marcos Leonardo ??

Club: Santos | Age: 19 | Position: Forward

Marcos Leonardo is determined to make Brazil’s No. 9 shirt his own. There’s plenty of evidence from his first season as a Santos regular to suggest he could claim the coveted jersey in time for his country’s 2026 World Cup campaign. He’s full of cheek, charm, and class. He scored 13 goals over 35 appearances during the 2022 Brazilian Serie A season and has a wide repertoire of finishes, including powerful drives and audacious lobs.

Rico Lewis ?gbeng

Club: Manchester City | Age: 18 | Position: Full-back

Lewis only turned 18 in November, but he’s already playing significant minutes at right-back for Manchester City ahead of Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker. He scored in his full Champions League debut against Sevilla and played one half of that game in an inverted role before staying wide as a traditional, overlapping full-back in the other half. It seems he’s already mastered the Pep Guardiola playbook.

Ian Maatsen ??

Club: Chelsea | Age: 20 | Position: Full-back

Ben Chilwell’s injury issues and Marc Cucurella’s underwhelming start to life at Stamford Bridge could work out well for Maatsen. The versatile Chelsea youngster previously had spells on loan at Charlton Athletic and Coventry City, and he’s now thriving in Vincent Kompany’s attack-minded Burnley side. He can sometimes be erratic and predominantly spends time in the opposition’s half, so he could be a strong left-wing-back option for Chelsea next season.

Nuno Mendes ??

Club: Paris Saint-Germain | Age: 20 | Position: Full-back

Mendes is already establishing himself among the best left-backs on the globe. He initially boosted his reputation at Sporting CP after becoming a regular starter following the departure of Alex Telles. His speed, close control, and strong link-up play encouraged Paris Saint-Germain to swoop in the summer of 2021, and he quickly claimed the left-back spot ahead of Juan Bernat in the French capital.

Fabio Miretti ??

Club: Juventus | Age: 19 | Position: Midfielder

Juventus have recently been blessed with a flood of talent from their youth academy, and Miretti might be the best of the lot. He’s missed just two Serie A matches this season as he pushes to be a starter in Massimiliano Allegri’s side and has showcased his fine vision, ability to find space between the lines, and impressive decision-making in the final third. Allegri has praised Miretti for playing like a veteran.

Mykhailo Mudryk ??

Club: Shakhtar Donetsk | Age: 21 | Position: Winger

Shakhtar Donetsk’s asking price for Mudryk rose sharply during the 2022-23 Champions League group stage. The Ukrainian caused chaos down the left flank, tearing strips off right-backs with his searing pace and notching three goals and two assists over six appearances. Mudryk’s end product still has room for improvement, but his overall quality after just a season and a half in his country’s top tier is jaw-dropping.

Joao Pedro ??

Club: Watford | Age: 21 | Position: Forward

Given his success while recruiting for Brighton & Hove Albion, it’s wise to trust Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth’s moves in the transfer market. Newcastle tried to sign Joao Pedro for £30 million last summer, and the Brazilian’s form in the Championship has dispelled any reservations over the size of that fee. He’s scored eight times and assisted twice for an underperforming Watford side and only ranks behind Sheffield United’s Iliman Ndiaye in England’s second tier for successful dribbles.

Goncalo Ramos ??

Club: Benfica | Age: 21 | Position: Striker

Ramos had no problem with replacing Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI, scoring a hat-trick as the Selecao obliterated Switzerland in the World Cup round of 16. It was the perfect way for Ramos to mark his first international start. His heroics in Qatar came as no surprise to Benfica fans, who’ve witnessed the 21-year-old rack up 14 strikes in 22 appearances across all competitions this season. His goals have helped ensure Darwin Nunez wasn’t missed after his big-money move to Liverpool.

Rodrygo ??

Club: Real Madrid | Age: 21 | Position: Winger

With Vinicius down the left and Rodrygo on the right, the edges of Real Madrid’s frontline should be set for the next decade. But, unlike Vinicius, Rodrygo is yet to become a bona fide starter for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, with an untimely hamstring injury midway through the 2021-22 season and Federico Valverde’s immaculate form denying the 21-year-old regular playing time. Rodrygo can be a super sub, but he can also be so much more.

Georginio Rutter ??

Club: Hoffenheim | Age: 20 | Position: Striker

Rutter’s basic numbers are underwhelming: two goals and two assists over 15 Bundesliga appearances. Still, the attacker – who progressed through the Rennes ranks with Eduardo Camavinga – has been one of the most impressive youngsters in Germany’s top flight. His defensive work out of possession is reminiscent of Roberto Firmino, who also improved rapidly at Hoffenheim, but Rutter provides more flair and mobility for his team’s counterattacks.

William Saliba ??

Club: Arsenal | Age: 21 | Position: Center-back

Saliba had to bide his time at Arsenal, but after three separate loan spells away from the club, the defender is a key element of the Gunners’ surprise charge for the Premier League title. He’s proactive without being impulsive. He’s forceful without being reckless. And, importantly for a team that likes to play out from the back, he’s extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet and regularly picks the right pass.

Joe Scally ??

Club: Borussia Monchengladbach | Age: 19 | Position: Full-back

Scally was fast-tracked into senior football when New York City FC signed him to a Homegrown Player contract at 15, but he then found it hard to usurp Anton Tinnerholm in the MLS club’s lineup. That didn’t prevent Scally from earning a move to Europe, and the natural right-back drew plaudits when he made his Bundesliga debut at left-back in a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in August 2021. There are plenty of areas where Scally can improve, but being a Monchengladbach regular at just 19 could allow him to reach his potential.

Kiliann Sildillia ??

Club: Freiburg | Age: 20 | Position: Center-back/Full-back

France’s conveyor belt of talent is relentless. Sildillia wowed onlookers in the Bundesliga with his versatility, work rate, and maturity during Freiburg’s marvelous opening half to the 2022-23 campaign. He’s willing to carry the ball or release the midfielders ahead of him with wise passes and can rapidly halt opposition attacks with his pace, brawn, and aerial ability. It’s rare that someone so young is so important to a team.

Kenneth Taylor ??

Club: Ajax | Age: 20 | Position: Midfielder

This list is incomplete without an Ajax player. Taylor enjoyed a breakout campaign under Erik ten Hag as Ajax won the Eredivisie title last season and has proved he’s comfortable in a variety of midfield positions. After making a single substitute appearance for the Netherlands at the World Cup, Taylor will look to kick on in club football and add to his tally of five goals and three assists in the league this term. Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar has called Taylor a “gem.”