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First a message from our editor, James Andrew:
Twelve league titles across three different clubs, plus countless more domestic, European and world trophies as a manager, suggest that Pep Guardiola doesn’t get a lot wrong.
Even the great are susceptible to errors of judgment now and again, though, or maybe it was a case of having an abundance of riches at his disposal. When Manchester City decided to sell 21-year-old bit-part player Cole Palmer to Chelsea for £42.5m in September 2023, after his 19 Premier League appearances for the club had produced no goals, they may have initially felt that they’d got the better of the deal.
Two years later, Palmer struck his 38th Premier League goal for Chelsea this September, on only his 72nd appearance, and he has now become key for both club and country. In this issue, we chart his rise.
Another player who’s been on the up, following Palmer to the Etihad exit door this summer, has been exciting midfielder James McAtee. We chat to the new Nottingham Forest signing about captaining England to Under-21 glory and why he chose life at the City Ground – as well as following in the footsteps of a famous family member.
Also in this issue, we see the return of the very popular feature The Boy’s A Bit Special – we’ve long been inundated with requests to bring it back, so we’ve done just that, bigger and better than before. Enjoy the mag.
James
Trophies, Trump and chippy chips
Cole Palmer has become one of the Premier League’s greatest cult players, aided by big-game displays and viral stardom. Former players tell us how playing twice a day helped him to the top, and why he reminds them of Cantona and Gazza.
“It was tough telling Pep I wanted to leave, but it was the right time”
James McAtee followed Cole Palmer by leaving Manchester City this summer, aiming to become a Premier League star, too. After his £30m move to Nottingham Forest, England’s U21 Euros skipper tells us about Bratislava, backflips… and Justin Bieber.
The Boy’s A Bit Special returns
Our scouting series is back from its sabbatical. To celebrate, we look at three decades of youngsters who we tipped for the top. Some predictions were more successful than others…
Stars of the future
Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman and Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha are the first picks for the revamped Boy’s A Bit Special in 2025/26.
“I was joining Barcleona, then Betis came in – only later did I realise it was a world-record fee”
Denilson’s skill made him a cult hit with fans, earning him a £21.5 million transfer to La Liga. In his own words, he tells his story, via relegation in Seville, World Cup Glory with Brazil and a car park snub at Bolton…
The 10 most picturesque football stadiums on the planet
Featuring a medieval fortress and a tribute to Ottmar Hitzfeld, FFT ranks the world’s most stunning stadiums – we’ll be impressed if you’ve visited any.
“Being in a goal race with Messi has been surreal”
Former EFL star Sam Surridge has spent 2025 duelling with the greatest player of all time in a bid to finish as the top scorer in MLS. He spoke about his stateside move with Henry Winter for FFT.
Big in Japan
As the J.League’s last ever summer season reaches its conclusion, FFT headed to the Far East to watch Japan’s most supported team – after an appearance at the Club World Cup they’ll never forget.
Behind the scenes at the Ballon d’Or
We travelled to Paris to peek behind the curtain of football’s biggest awards ceremony. On a night when a PSG player wins, it gets rather lively…
From the vault: George Weah’s presidential U-turn
Three decades ago, FFT labelled George Weah as Liberia’s future head of state, just after he’d been voted as the best player in the world for 1995. We revisit the interview he gave us, as he insisted politics wasn’t for him…
Jari Litmanen answers YOUR questions
The ex-Liverpool midfielder and Ajax legend opens up about his unexpected Champions League glory, the story behind his Anfield shirt number and helping to raise Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Around the grounds in the EFL, non-league and Scotland
Ellie Roebuck talks about bouncing back from suffering a stroke at 24, training with Barcelona’s stars and returning to the WSL with Aston Villa.
“You’ll never sing that”: How having the longest name in world football has opened doors for one Welsh club.
Walsall feature in this month’s Best & Worst, as a Saddlers fan reminisces about football’s most underrated goal and Paul Merson’s ill-fated spell in the dugout.
Coupe de England: What if the FA Cup copied its French counterpart and invited clubs from Britain’s overseas territories? We pick eight bizarre clubs that could feature.
Return of the masters: After 14 years on hiatus, the legendary Masters Football tournaments are making a comeback.
The Mixer
A shirt with some bite, Umbro's latest retro threads and Kylian Mbappe's glasses of the future in our latest round-up of top football merch.
Upfront
Think you know your football? Take our Ultimate Quiz and test yourself on UEFA Cup legends, teenage sensations and the alphabet. In her latest column, TNT Sports’ Jules Breach looks at how managers are using the lessons learned from the first season of the revamped Champions League.
Arsenal hero Ray Parlour reflects on four games that changed his life, while Izzy Christiansen names the four people she admires most. We also look at the legendary surnames on the teamsheet for Italian Serie D side Sanremese, and argue whether the Championship play-offs should be increased from four to six teams in our heated debate.
In My Football, singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald reveals her tournament curse with Scotland, getting praise from Messi and meeting Denis Irwin at a skiing championship.
In the Players Lounge this month…
Long-throw specialist Rory Delap talks about being a junior javelin ace and Israeli panic rooms, Florent Sinama Pongolle tells us why he was left in tears after the Miracle of Istanbul, and Colin Cooper fills us in on Chinese football’s grand plans and being left out of the League Cup final on his birthday weekend.
Perfect XI
West Ham cult hero Bobby Zamora selects a blend of England legends, Fulham favourites and a mad-footed midfielder for his dream team.
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