2024 Football Awards: Who claims player of the year, which Liverpool star was the biggest disappointment and which thriller wins best game as IAN LADYMAN dishes out the silverware?

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to celebrate the best and shame the worst of football this year.

Here, Mail Sport Football Editor Ian Ladyman picks his highs and lows of a 12 months that saw England reach another Euros final, Jurgen Klopp quitting Liverpool, Man City breaking records (good and bad) and all change at both Man United and Match of the Day.

But who scoops the silverware? Let’s find out…

MOMENT OF THE YEAR – Victor Torp and Coventry 

The greatest ever Wembley game? Its greatest ‘almost but not quite’ moment? Quite possibly. 

Having recovered from three goals down to take Manchester United to extra time in their FA Cup semi-final, Coventry from the Championship thought they had won it when Torp scored in the 121st minute. 

I don’t mind admitting that I hoped they had. What a story. Then VAR killed it. 

VAR in all its geometrically annoying glory killed it by ruling that Hadji Wright had been a toenail offside as he crossed for the Dane to score. 

So United survived, won the shoot-out and then won the cup. Later in the year, meanwhile, Coventry manager Mark Robins lost his job. Nice.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Dave Challinor

Challinor’s Stockport have lost only nine of 42 games across Leagues One and Two over the last twelve months. 

Stockport’s rise from non-league back to prominence has been quite something to watch and Challinor has been central to it. 

The club were Ninth in the National League when the 49-year-old took over in November 21. Before play on Boxing Day, they were fifth in League One. Maybe someday Challinor will be offered a job at a really big club. 

But maybe that would just be too logical and straight forward for a sport that seems intent on keeping much of its own coaching talent as far away from the Premier League as possible.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Cole Palmer

I was almost heartened to see Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca urging Palmer to do a little more, proof the 22-year-old is actually human. 

Palmer’s emergence has been such that the conversation around the future of the England team is starting to change. 

We thought Thomas Tuchel would be building England’s World Cup bid around Jude Bellingham but it is starting to feel like Palmer and ten others. I cannot recall the last time I enjoyed watching an English talent as much.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR – RUBEN AMORIM

‘When people in the club are losing their jobs, we have to push our standards incredibly high’. 

A line to cut to the heart of a football club but also a sport that threatens to drown in its own largesse at times. 

Amorim, the Manchester United manager, was talking about Marcus Rashford and his failure to apply himself consistently. But his words carried a greater resonance in difficult times for many.

DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR – Darwin Nunez

I mean, I thought he had it. I really did. 

There was a time when I was convinced Nunez would be a 25-goal a year Liverpool centre forward but it turns out he had everything he needed, apart from the ability to score goals regularly. 

Quick, strong and full of heart and energy, the Uruguayan remains one of the most watchable talents in the Premier League but he is 26 this coming year and if he hasn’t developed that one fundamental part of the game that he really needs by now then perhaps he never will.

TICKET OF THE YEAR – Tottenham

Thanks largely to Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham has become the place to go if you want to be excited. 

Spurs’ last three home games have produced 23 goals but the thread of thrills and spills is written right the way through the year. 

Maybe we should enjoy it while it lasts as it doesn’t feel sustainable in its current form. ‘Where you not entertained?’ Postecoglou asked after Spurs beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup? Yes we were, Ange. For now.

STROP OF THE YEAR – Vini Junior and friends

The talented Brazilian hinted at a racist agenda when he didn’t win the Ballon D’Or and was so upset that he and his Real Madrid team-mates boycotted the ceremony. 

The truth is they weren’t greatly missed on an occasion when one of the shifts in our modern game was finally recognised as real. 

The Ballon D’Or has always been dominated by forwards but the holding midfielder is fundamental to a team’s chances of success as we move in to 2025 and Manchester City’s Rodri was a timely winner.

GAME OF THE YEAR – Manchester United 4 Liverpool 3

An afternoon to remind us that football is not about possession stats, shots on target and XG (expected goals) – well not all of the time anyway. 

Liverpool outplayed United at Old Trafford back in March but lost. The Stretford End got all 1999 about it and a young kid from Ivory Coast won an FA Cup quarter-final with his first United goal in the 121st minute. 

That was the first many saw of Amad Diallo, a ray of light in dark United times.

EXIT OF THE YEAR – Gareth Southgate

His CD collection needs work given his recent appearance on Desert Island Discs, but the lack of gratitude shown towards Southgate after his England resignation speaks of the embarrassing entitlement that blights English football. 

Thomas Tuchel walks into an environment on January 1 built by Southgate and will benefit from it. It’s easy being England manager and Tuchel will show us that to be the case. Won’t he?

SHOCK OF THE YEAR – Jurgen Klopp

Man City’s collapse runs this close but it truly was one of those ‘I remember where I was’ moments when Klopp announced he would leave Liverpool. I was in the front room, as it happens. 

After all those years spent rebuilding a football club, it felt inconceivable Liverpool would have to move forwards without their manager. 

That they have done so with such apparent ease says everything for Arne Slot’s sense of equanimity and calmness. I still think Arsenal will win the league but then I also tipped Nottingham Forest to gown down so, well, you know…

MISJUDGEMENT OF THE YEAR – Jim’s Wembley

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s efforts to position a new Old Trafford as a ‘Wembley of the North’ was presumptuous and disingenuous. 

Has anybody thought to ask the good people of Darlington, Carlisle, St Helens and Oldham whether they need a new stadium built in their name? No, I thought not. 

United need a new ground and after years of Glazer money drain, can’t afford to build one. But this will be a football ground for Manchester United and nobody else. 

United will play there. United (and the Glazers) will pocket all the revenue. To position it as a project for the people is an insult. If you want a new stadium, Jim, crack on. Just leave the rest of us out of it.

FUSS OF THE YEAR – Gary Lineker and Match of the Day

The only question left to answer is how many times Lineker will mention his impending departure before it actually happens. (Spoiler alert: It will be a lot). 

I am glad that Kelly Cates is getting a share of the new gig. Mark Chapman, too. But why do we watch MOTD? For the football highlights. My dad actually forward winds through the analysis. 

The actual action is the Christmas tree. The folk in the chairs are just the lights. Does that analogy work? Probably not. Maybe we all need to try harder next year. Anyway. That’s it. Happy New Year.