# 2008 in association football

The following are the association football events of the year 2008 throughout the world.

## News
### January

* 3 – Argentine midfielder Éver Banega leaves Boca Juniors and joins the Spanish club Valencia for an estimated fee of €18 million.
* 5 – Everton are knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Oldham Athletic, a team from Football League One (third division) as Huddersfield Town from the same division beat Birmingham City.
* 6 – Toulouse are eliminated from the Coupe de France by Paris FC, a team from the Championnat National (third division).
* 9 – Sam Allardyce leaves the manager's position at Newcastle United by mutual agreement.
* 11 – Jürgen Klinsmann is unveiled as the new coach of Bayern Munich, effective July.
* 20 – The Africa Cup of Nations begins in Ghana with the hosts beating Guinea 2–1.
* 23 – Tottenham Hotspur defeat Arsenal 5–1 in the semi-final second-leg of the League Cup. This was the first time they had beaten their local rivals since 1999.
* 24 – George Burley is announced as the new coach of the Scotland national football team.
* 28 – Mohamed Sissoko leaves Liverpool to sign for Juventus, costing the Italian team €13 million.

### February

* 2 – Frédéric Kanouté is named 2007 African Footballer of the Year
* 4 – Víctor Muñoz is sacked from the managers job of Spanish team Recreativo Huelva; Manolo Zambrano is immediately installed as the new coach of the La Liga team.
* 10 – Egypt win the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Cameroon in the final 1–0.
* 13 – Giovanni Trapattoni is announced as the new coach of the Republic of Ireland. He will officially take up this role in May.
* 23 – South Korean men's team won East Asian Cup 2008.
* 23 – Japanese J. League Cup winner Gamba Osaka defeated MLS champion Houston Dynamo at the final game of Pan-Pacific Championship 2008 by 6–1, won the champion title of inaugural tournament. The Los Angeles Galaxy won the third place match against Sydney FC from A-league by 2–1.
* 24 – Japan won the Women's East Asian Cup 2008 with three straight wins over South Korea, North Korea, and China.
* 24 – Tottenham Hotspur win the Football League Cup after beating Chelsea 2–1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium.
* 24 – Newcastle Jets win the Hyundai A-League Grand Final by defeating the Central Coast Mariners by 1–0 at the Sydney Football Stadium.

### March

* 11 – Newport County win the FAW Premier Cup beating Llanelli 1–0 in the final.
* 12 – The United States women's national soccer team wins the 2008 Algarve Cup for the sixth time, beating Denmark 2–1 in the final.
* 16 – Rangers win the Scottish League Cup by beating Dundee United 3–2 in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw at Hampden Park.

### May

* 5 – Real Madrid wins the 31st La Liga title after beating Osasuna 2–1.
* 8 – Announced that Frank Rijkaard would leave his managerial post at Barcelona at the end of the season, to be replaced by Barcelona B coach Pep Guardiola.
* 11 – Manchester United wins its tenth Premier League title after beating Wigan Athletic 2–0 away.
* 17 – Portsmouth wins the 127th FA Cup after beating Cardiff City 1–0 at Wembley Stadium
* 21 – Manchester United won the UEFA Champions League after beating Chelsea 6–5 on penalties after a 1–1 draw after 90 minutes in Moscow
* 22 – Celtic win the SPL title for the third successive season by three points from Rangers on the final day.
* 24 – Avram Grant is sacked as Chelsea manager after just eight months in charge of the Premier League club.

### June

* 2 – José Mourinho replaces Roberto Mancini as manager of Inter Milan
* 25 – LDU Quito won the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final beating Fluminense 4–2.
* 29 – Spain wins UEFA Euro 2008 after beating Germany 1–0 in the final.

### July

* 1 – Luiz Felipe Scolari becomes the new manager of Chelsea.
* 2 – LDU Quito wins the Copa Libertadores beating Fluminense in penalties 3–1 after a 5–5 aggregate draw.

### August

* 8 – Scottish Premier League team Gretna are formally liquidated.
* 21 – United States women's team win gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics
* 23 – Argentina's men's team win gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics

### September

* 1 – Manchester City sign Robinho from Real Madrid for a British record fee of £32.5 million
* 1 – Manchester United sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur for £30.75 million.
* 4 – Kevin Keegan resigns as manager of Newcastle United.

## International tournaments
### Men

* 20 January – 10 February: 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana
** : Egypt
** : Cameroon
** : Ghana
** 4th: Ivory Coast
* 17 – 23 February: Men's East Asian Cup 2008 final in Chongqing, China
** : South Korea
** : Japan
** : China
** 4th: North Korea
* 11 – 23 March: 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament in Nashville, United States
** : Honduras
** : United States
** : Canada
** 4th: Guatemala
* 4 – 16 May: 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in Turkey
** : Spain
** : France
** : Turkey and Netherlands
* 7 – 29 June: UEFA Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland
** : Spain
** : Germany
** : Turkey and Russia
* 30 May – 1 June: Baltic Cup in Riga, Latvia
** : Latvia
** : Lithuania
** : Estonia
* 3 – 14 June: 2008 SAFF Championship in Maldives and Sri Lanka
** : Maldives
** : India
* 30 July – 13 August: AFC Challenge Cup, India
** : India
** : Tajikistan
** : North Korea
** 4th: Myanmar
* 7 – 23 August: 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament in Beijing, China
** : Argentina
** : Nigeria
** : Brazil
* 5 – 28 December: 2008 AFF Championship in Indonesia and Thailand
** : Vietnam
** : Thailand
** : Indonesia, Singapore

### Women

* 18 – 24 February: Women's East Asian Cup 2008 final in Chongqing, China
** : Japan
** : North Korea
** : China
** 4th: South Korea
* 5 – 12 March: 2008 Algarve Cup in Algarve, Portugal
** : United States
** : Denmark
** : Norway
** 4th: Germany
* 6 – 21 August: 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament in Beijing, China
** : United States
** : Brazil
** : Germany
* 30 October – 16 November: 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand
** : North Korea
** : United States
** : Germany
** 4th: England
* 20 November – 7 December: 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile
** : United States
** : North Korea
** : Germany
** 4th: France

## National champions
### AFC nations

* A-League: Newcastle Jets
* Bahraini Premier League: Muharraq Club
* Chinese Super League: Shandong Luneng
* Hong Kong First Division League: South China
* I-League: Dempo SC
* Liga Indonesia Premier Division: Sriwijaya
* Persian Gulf Cup: Persepolis F.C.
* J. League: Kashima Antlers
* K-League: Suwon Samsung Bluewings
* Lebanese Premier League: Al Ahed
* Saudi Premier League: Al-Hilal
* Filipino Premier League: Philippine Army F.C.
* Malaysian Super League: Kedah FA
* Qatar Stars League: Al-Gharafa Sports Club
* S-League: Singapore Armed Forces Football Club
* Thailand Premier League: Provincial Electricity Authority FC
* Turkmenistan Higher League: FC Aşgabat
* Enterprise Football League: Taipower
* UAE Football League: Al-Shabab
* Uzbek League: Bunyodkor
* V-League: Becamex Bình Dương

### UEFA nations

* Albanian Superliga: Dinamo Tirana
* Campionat de Lliga: Santa Coloma
* Armenian Premier League: Pyunik
* Austrian Bundesliga: Rapid Wien
* Azerbaijan Premier League: Inter Baku
* Belarusian Premier League: BATE Borisov
* Belgian Pro League: Standard Liège
* Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Modriča
* Bulgarian A PFG: CSKA Sofia
* Prva HNL: Dinamo Zagreb
* Cypriot First Division: Anorthosis Famagusta
* Gambrinus Liga: Slavia Prague
* Danish Superliga: Aalborg BK
* Premier League: Manchester United
* Meistriliiga: Levadia Tallinn
* Formuladeildin: EB/Streymur
* Veikkausliiga: Inter Turku
* Ligue 1: Lyon
* Umaglesi Liga: Dinamo Tbilisi
* Bundesliga: Bayern Munich
* Superleague Greece: Olympiacos
* Hungarian National Championship I: MTK Budapest
* Úrvalsdeild: FH Hafnarfjörður
* League of Ireland Premier Division: Bohemian
* Ligat ha'Al: Beitar Jerusalem
* Serie A: Inter Milan
* Kazakhstan Premier League: Aktobe
* Latvian Higher League: Ventspils
* A Lyga: Ekranas
* Luxembourg National Division: F91 Dudelange
* Macedonian Prva Liga: Rabotnički
* Maltese Premier League: Valletta
* Moldovan National Division: Sheriff Tiraspol
* Montenegrin First League: Budućnost Podgorica
* Eredivisie: PSV
* Irish Premier League: Linfield
* Norwegian Premier League: Stabæk
* Ekstraklasa: Wisła Kraków
* Primeira Liga: Porto
* Liga I: CFR Cluj
* Russian Premier League: Rubin Kazan
* Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio: Murata
* Scottish Premier League: Celtic
* Serbian Superliga: Partizan
* Slovak Superliga: Artmedia Bratislava
* Slovenian PrvaLiga: NK Domžale
* La Liga: Real Madrid
* Allsvenskan: Kalmar
* Swiss Super League: Basel
* Süper Lig: Galatasaray
* Ukrainian Premier League: Shakhtar Donetsk
* Welsh Premier League: Llanelli

### CAF nations

* Algerian Championnat National: JS Kabylie
* Girabola: Petro Atlético Luanda
* Mascom Premier League: Centre Chiefs
* Burkinabé Premier League: Etoile Filante Ouagadougou
* Burundi Premier League: Inter Star
* MTN Elite one: Cotonsport Garoua
* Cape Verdean football Championships: Sporting Clube da Praia
* Chad Premier League: Elect Sport N'Djamena
* Comoros Premier League: Etoile d'Or
* Congo Premier League: CARA Brazzaville
* Linafoot: DC Motema Pembe
* Côte d'Ivoire Premier Division: Africa Sports National
* Djibouti Premier League: Société Immobilière de Djibouti
* Egyptian Premier League: Al-Ahly
* Eritrean Premier League: Asmara Brewery
* Ethiopian Premier League: Saint-George SA
* Gabon Championnat National D1: AS Mangasport
* Gambian Championnat National D1: Wallidan
* OneTouch Premier League: Asante Kotoko
* Guinée Championnat National: Fello Star
* Campeonato Nacional da Guiné-Bissau: Sporting Clube de Batafá
* Kenyan Premier League: Mathare United
* Lesotho Premier League: Lesotho Correctional Services
* Liberian Premier League: Black Star
* Libyan Premier League: Al Ittihad
* THB Champions League: Académie Ny Antsika
* Malawi Premier Division: Silver Strikers
* Malien Première Division: Djoliba
* Mauritanean Premier League: ASAC Concorde
* Mauritian League: Curepipe Starlight
* Botola: FAR Rabat
* Moçambola: Ferroviario de Maputo
* Namibia Premier League: Orlando Pirates Windhoek
* Niger Premier League: AS Police
* Nigerian Premier League: Kano Pillars
* Réunion Premier League: JS Saint-Pierroise
* Rwandan Premier League: ATRACO
* Senegal Premier League: AS Douanes
* Seychelles League: Saint-Michel United
* Sierra Leone National Premier League: Ports Authority F.C.
* Somalia League: Elman FC
* Premier Soccer League: SuperSport United
* Sudan Premier League: Al-Merrikh
* Swazi Premier League: Royal Leopards
* Tanzanian Premier League: Young Africans
* Tunisian CLP-1: Club Africain
* Ugandan Super League: Kampala City Council
* Zambian Premier League: ZESCO United
* Zanzibar Premier League: Miembeni
* Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League: Monomotapa United

### CONMEBOL nations

* Primera División Argentina: River Plate (C) / Boca Juniors (A)
* Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano: Universitario (A) / Aurura (C)
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: São Paulo
* Primera División de Chile: Everton (A) / Colo-Colo (C)
* Colombian Professional Football: Boyacá Chicó (A) / América de Cali (C)
* Serie A de Ecuador: Deportivo Quito
* Primera División de Paraguay: Libertad (A) (C)
* Primera División Peruana: U. San Martín
* Primera División Uruguaya: Defensor Sporting
* Primera División Venezolana: Deportivo Táchira
(A = Apertura, C= Clausura)

### CONCACAF nations

* BFA Senior League: IM Bears
* Digicel Premiere League: Notre Date Sports Club
* Belize Premier Football League: Hankook Verdes
* Bermudian Premier Division: PHC Zebras
* British Virgin Islands Championship: Islanders
* Canadian Soccer League: Trois-Rivières Attak
* Cayman Islands League: Scholars International
* Primera División de Costa Rica: Saprissa (A) (C)
* Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba: Cienfuegos
* Dominica Championship: Centre Bath Estate
* Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador: Firpo (C) / Isidro Metapán (A)
* Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala: Comunicaciones (C) (A)
* Grenada League: Carib Hurricane
* Ligue Haïtienne: Racing Gonaïves (C) / Tempête (A)
* Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras: Marathón (C) / Olimpia (A)
* National Premier League: Portmore United
* Primera División de México: Santos Laguna (C) / Toluca (A)
* Nevis Premier Division: SL Horsford Highlights
* Primera División de Nicaragua: Real Estelí
* Liga Panameña de Fútbol: Árabe Unido (C) / San Francisco (A)
* Puerto Rico Soccer League: Sevilla
* Saint Kitts Premier Division: Newtown United
* Saint Lucia Premier Division: Aux Lyons United
* NLA Premier League: Avenues United
* Sint Maarten League: D&P Connection
* Surinamese Hoofdklasse: Inter Moengotapoe
* TT Pro League: San Juan Jabloteh
* MFL League: Beaches
* Major League Soccer: Columbus Crew
* US Virgin Islands Championship: Positive Vibes
(A = Apertura, C= Clausura)

### OFC nations

* Football Federation American Samoa Soccer League: Pago Youth
* Cook Islands Round Cup: Nikao Sokattack
* Fijian National Football League: Ba
* FSMFA Top League: Yap
* Kiribati National Championship: competition canceled
* New Caledonia Division Honneur: AS Magenta
* ASB Premiership: Waitakere United
* Niue Soccer Tournament: Talava
* Norfolk Island Soccer League: unknown
* Palau Soccer League: Surangel & Sons Company
* Papua New Guinea National Soccer League: PRK Hekari United
* Samoa National League: Sinamoga
* Solomon Islands National Club Championship: Koloale
* Tahiti Division Fédérale: AS Manu-Ura
* Tonga Major League: Lotoha'apai
* Tuvalu A-Division: Nauti
* Vanuatu Premia Divisen: Tafea

## Deaths
### January

* 1 January – Božidar Sandić (85), Serbian footballer, Yugoslavia international
* 4 January – Vyacheslav Ambartsumyan (67), Russian footballer, Soviet Union international
* 4 January – Bjørn Odmar Andersen (64), Norwegian international footballer and manager
* 5 January – Louis Hon (83), French international footballer
* 9 January – Paul Aimson (64), English footballer
* 11 January – Frank Loughran (77), Australian international footballer
* 12 January – Leszek Jezierski (78), Polish footballer and manager
* 13 January – Seyran Osipov (46), Russian footballer
* 14 January – Kaj Christiansen (86), Danish international footballer and manager
* 14 January – Johnny Steele (91), English footballer and manager
* 18 January – Wally Fielding (88), English footballer
* 21 January – Billy Elliott (82), English international footballer
* 24 January – Jorge Recio (66), Argentine international footballer
* 26 January – Celestino Celio (82), Italian international footballer and manager
* 27 January – Bengt Lindskog (74), Swedish international footballer
* 28 January – Eleuterio Santos (67), Spanish international footballer

### February

* 1 February – Władysław Kawula (70), Polish footballer
* 2 February – Yiu Cheuk Yin (80), Hong Kong footballer
* 9 February – Guy Tchingoma (22), Gabonese footballer
* 10 February – Ove Jørstad (37), Norwegian footballer
* 12 February – Jean Prouff (88), French footballer and manager
* 12 February – Thomas Grosser (42), German footballer
* 14 February – Len Boyd (84), English footballer
* 15 February – Inge Thun (62), Norwegian footballer
* 17 February – Brian Harris (72), English footballer and manager
* 21 February – Emmanuel Sanon (56), Haitian footballer

### March

* 2 March – Carl Hoddle (40), English footballer
* 4 March – Jocelyne Henry (54), French footballer
* 5 March – Derek Dooley (78), English footballer and manager
* 25 March – Thierry Gilardi (49), French commentator

### April

* 3 April – Hrvoje Ćustić (24), Croatian footballer
* 5 April – Wang Donglei (23), Chinese footballer
* 18 April – Erminio Favalli (64), Italian footballer
* 19 April – Constant Vanden Stock (93), Belgian footballer, manager, and executive

### May

* 8 May – François Sterchele (26), Belgian footballer
* 10 May – Eusebio Ríos (73), Spanish footballer and manager
* 15 May – Tommy Burns (51), Scottish former footballer and manager
* 23 May – Heinrich Kwiatkowski (81), German footballer

### June

* 6 June – Victor Wégria (71), Belgian footballer
* 11 June – Adam Ledwoń (34), Polish footballer
* 22 June – Ron Stitfall (82), Welsh footballer

### July

* 13 July – Rudolf Nafziger (62), German footballer
* 15 July – Gionata Mingozzi (23), Italian footballer
* 18 July – George Niven (79), Scottish footballer

### August

* 3 August – Anton Allemann (72), Swiss footballer

### September

* 3 September – Joan Segarra (80), Spanish defender
* 4 September – Tommy Johnston (81), Scottish footballer
* 25 September – Jimmy Sirrel (86), Scottish football player and manager

### October

* October 8 - Chicão, Brazilian midfielder, semi-finalist at the 1978 FIFA World Cup. (59)
* October 21 - George Edwards (87), Welsh footballer
* October 25 - Ian McColl (81), Scottish football player and manager

### November

* 1 November – Dermot Curtis (76), Irish football player and manager
* 17 November – Peter Aldis (81), English footballer
* 27 November – Gil Heron (87), Jamaican footballer

### December

* 8 December – John Cumming (78), Scottish footballer
* 9 December – Dražan Jerković (72), Croatian football player and manager
* 9 December – Ibrahim Dossey (36), Ghanaian footballer
* 12 December – Maksym Pashayev (20), Ukrainian footballer