2018 was a year of progress but let's hope 2019 can be even more positive | Eni Aluko


Signing for Juventus was among the personal highlights but racism against Kalidou Koulibaly was a sad way to end the year

The turn of the year left behind 12 months to remember personally on and off the field but also from a wider perspective in football.

On the pitch if I could summarise 2018 in one word it would be progress. Progress for the England men’s team who, perhaps unexpectedly, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. They continued that momentum by qualifying for the Nations League finals beating top nations such as Spain with the exciting, fearless brand of football we have all been craving to see from England. I was fortunate to be at many of England’s games in Russia working for ITV, which again exemplified the progress within the media working as a female pundit at the men’s World Cup. We now see so many female footballers contributing their opinions on men’s football on a weekly basis to the extent it is becoming normal. Long may that continue in 2019.

Related: 2019, World Cup fever No 2: England and Scotland go for glory in France | Louise Taylor

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