Have Mbappé and Haaland changed the course of European football?

The new superclubs against the old.

I’m away right now, so this is the last article you’re getting until I get back next week. For now, though, enjoy this one.

On one hand, it’s as we were. Real Madrid, the definition of history and prestige, won the Champions League for a 14th time. They did so by beating another “old money” club, Liverpool. Based on this game alone, one would assume nothing had changed in terms of European football’s hierarchy.

To an extent, this is right. The rich and powerful have never been more rich and powerful. The Super League was to be a completion of the project, the whole of football totally captured by a handful of elite clubs. That didn’t happen, but in its wake left the very thing it was supposed to react to. Call them new money, upstarts, sportswashing vehicles, whatever you want. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain aren’t going away any time soon.