English football endured yet another near miss on the field this year while, off it, some of its most high-profile managers moved on.
Hopes had been high ahead of Euro 2024 that England, with a squad bursting with talent, could finally land their first tournament success since 1966.
Once again it was not to be as Gareth Southgate’s side fell at the final hurdle, losing to worthy champions Spain 2-1 in the showpiece in Berlin.
It was a second successive Euros final loss for the national team but, in truth, it was a patchy campaign that started with a dull group stage.
They progressed further with a last-gasp fightback against Slovakia, a penalty shoot-out triumph over Switzerland and a 90th-minute winner against the Netherlands, before a reinvigorated Spanish side proved too good.
It proved the end of the road for Southgate after eight years at the helm, but he could leave with his head held high having also overseen a run to a World Cup semi-final during his tenure. German Thomas Tuchel was named as his replacement but does not take over until the new year.
Southgate was not the only manager to choose his exit as, on the domestic scene, Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool and Emma Hayes stood down at Chelsea.
Klopp signed off with the Carabao Cup and mounted a strong challenge for a second Premier League title only for his side to fade in the final month.
That crown was eventually retained by Manchester City – a record fourth successive win – but only after being taken to the wire by Arsenal in a thrilling race.
Hayes, now the United States national-team boss, did leave with another title as Chelsea took top spot in the Women’s Super League for a fifth year in a row after a late capitulation by City.
Pep Guardiola bucked the trend of top managers stepping aside as he ended speculation over his future by committing to a new one-year deal with City’s men’s side.
The Spaniard has won 18 trophies in his eight-and-a-half years at City and may be wondering how it was not at least one more after an unexpected defeat by rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Having already secured the league, City were hot favourites to clinch an unprecedented second straight double but were surprisingly undone by their neighbours, who triumphed 2-1 at Wembley.
That salvaged an underwhelming campaign for United, who were almost embarrassed by Championship Coventry in the semi-finals and finished eighth in the Premier League.
It was commonly believed it also saved Erik ten Hag’s job as manager but the Dutchman was sacked in October after no notable improvement in form and replaced by Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese had previously been linked with Liverpool but the Klopp void was filled by Dutchman Arne Slot, who made a strong start at Anfield after leaving Feyenoord.
It was also a controversial year off the field but both Everton and Nottingham Forest avoided relegation despite points deductions for infringements of profit and sustainability rules.
City’s long-awaited hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of financial regulations finally got under way but the outcome remains unknown heading into the new year.
Some uncharacteristically poor results towards the end of 2024 also suggested there could be different champions next time around.
Celtic took the title north of the border for a third year in succession and 12th time in 13 years.
