1. UCL Power Rankings: PSG & Madrid stumble into last-16 draw

    After a painfully protracted league phase, the knockout stage of the Champions League finally got under way this month and predictably produced the kind of drama for which the tournament is renowned. Bodo/Glimt were obviously the stars of the play-offs, with the unseeded Norwegians eliminating last season's runners-up, Inter. Galatasaray also upset another Italian team, Juventus, but only just, after almost completely capitulating against 10 men in Turin. It wasn't all doom and gloom for Serie A, though, as Atalanta came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund.

  2. Not League Two anymore! How Haaland elevated all-round game

    Pep Guardiola said one should always be careful when criticising strikers like Erling Haaland. All it takes, the Manchester City boss explained, is for them to score again and "shut your mouth". Lately, however, Haaland has been shutting mouths without scoring. Over the last year he has turned into the complete forward, an even more frightening prospect to opponents than he was before, and an even greater asset to City's hopes of winning a quadruple.

  3. Unleash Rio! Teen Ngumoha deserves run of Liverpool starts

    Arne Slot wisely turned to Rio Ngumoha to help Liverpool get themselves out of a serious spot of bother at Nottingham Forest on Sunday - but, by doing so, the teenager has rather ironically put his coach in an awkward position. Slot has spent the majority of the season trying to carefully manage Ngumoha's game time - as well as the massive expectations surrounding one of the most exciting prospects in English football.

  4. Six things to watch as Lionesses begin World Cup qualifying

    For the first time since triumphing at last summer’s European Championship, the Lionesses are back in competitive action, kickstarting their 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign against Ukraine on Tuesday. Four days later, England will then host Iceland, looking for a perfect start as they battle world champions Spain for the group’s only automatic qualifying spot.

  5. Electric Vini has the final word as Madrid progress

    Vinicius Jr danced and Real Madrid overcame an early deficit to see off Benfica in the Champions League playoff round, 2-1. Los Blancos fell behind early, before goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Vinicius gave them a comfortable lead, and sealed a 3-1 aggregate win. There were some uncertain moments, but Madrid were otherwise good value for the result.

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Transfer news and done deals 🤝

  1. Napoli's secret clause blocks Osimhen Juve move

    The prospect of Victor Osimhen wearing the famous black and white stripes of Juventus has recently become a tantalising "what if" for the Bianconeri faithful. However, any hopes of a sensational return to Serie A for the Nigerian powerhouse have been met with a cold, hard financial reality. It has emerged that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis orchestrated a brilliant piece of contractual engineering when sanctioned the striker's move to Galatasaray, effectively locking the door on a domestic rivals' swoop through a secret "anti-Italy" penalty clause.

  2. Does Pogba have a future at Monaco? Exit rumours addressed

    Paul Pogba is facing more questions of his future, with the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder enduring a tough return to competitive action with Monaco. After serving an 18-month ban from all football-related activity, the World Cup winner headed to his native France in 2025. Injuries have prevented the 32-year-old from making the desired impact in Ligue 1.

Video

  1. 🎥 | Yamal to PSG?! It's Front Three's football transfer trades

    Would Barcelona consider selling Lamine Yamal in exchange for Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha?! Is there a world where Real Madrid might consider ditching three of their star names for Erling Haaland? What about Declan Rice for Rodri AND Tijjani Reijnders? GOAL's Front Three debate a series of hypothetical football transfer trades

  2. 🎥 | Seaman talks Arsenal title hopes, rejecting Man Utd & more

    In the latest episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast, former Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman joins Adebayo Akinfenwa to chat about his career and his journey from being released by Leeds United to appearing at a World Cup. The two-time Premier League winner also runs the rule on the current Gunners squad, his honest thoughts on Jordan Pickford, THAT Ronaldinho goal and much more.

This is the Premier League

  1. Arsenal legend Henry trolls Spurs and tips them for drop

    Arsenal legend Thierry Henry insists Tottenham has never been a "tricky game" since they moved into their new stadium, and insists interim manager Igor Tudor faces a "massive job" to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Spurs are just four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham following a 4-1 defeat to the Gunners last time out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

  2. 'He was p*ssed off!' - How nightclubbing Cole infuriated Mourinho

    Former Chelsea and England striker Carlton Cole has explained how he angered the Blues' then-manager Jose Mourinho by his lack of professionalism, that included frequent visits to nightclubs. Speaking on the Beast Mode On Podcast, the West Ham legend also revealed how Roman Abramovich once stopped him joining Tottenham, as he "doesn't do business with Spurs".

Queens of football 👑

  1. Roebuck: England is the reason I'm still playing after stroke

    England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck says that representing the Lionesses is "the reason" she is still playing football after suffering a stroke aged just 24 that left her wondering whether she would ever play again. Part of England's Euro 2022-winning squad, the Aston Villa shot-stopper is back in Sarina Wiegman's squad this month after receiving her first full call-up in over two years.

  2. Williamson warns of strike action over player welfare concerns

    Lionesses captain Leah Williamson has warned that she would "never" rule out the potential of strike action in order to get a message across regarding players' concerns over the football schedule. It's been a hot topic in women's and men's football in recent years, one the Arsenal star herself has not shied away from discussing, and she has made her feelings clear about the issue again this week.

Superstars of the future

  1. Ex-Madrid forward's son earning interest from Europe's elite

    Robinho Jr only turned 18 in December, but he has already broken into the senior team at Santos, where he is now rubbing shoulders with Brazil's all-time record goal-scorer, Neymar. The teenager is already attracting transfer interest from a host of top European clubs, partly because of his ability, but also due to the footballing legacy of his father.

  2. Why Italy are desperate to cap Atalanta's new wonderkid

    Honest Ahanor is just 17 years old - and yet on Sunday he started his fifth successive game for Atalanta, against Como. Unfortunately, Ahanor's afternoon came to an abrupt end - and quite literally by his own hand. Just eight minutes into the game at Sinigaglia, the defender was involved in an innocuous, off-the-ball clash with Maxi Perrone, who shamelessly collapsed to the ground as if Ahanor had struck him in the face.

  3. Why Chelsea fought off Man Utd & Liverpool to sign teen Alao

    Another transfer window and another highly-rated prospect is on their way to Chelsea. The club's youth policy has struck again, with the west Londoners landing 17-year-old full-back Yisa Alao from financially troubled Sheffield Wednesday. Despite his very limited experience at senior level, the teenager provoked a transfer tug-of-war between three Premier League giants, but it is the Blues who have emerged victorious.

The Chaaaaaampions 🎶

  1. Schlotterbeck and Kovac fume at red card in Atalanta loss

    Borussia Dortmund's crushing 4-1 Champions League exit at the hands of Atalanta in Bergamo culminated in a bizarre and inexplicable touchline incident that left the German camp outraged. In the 97th minute of the bruising defeat, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez inexplicably showed a straight red card to Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who was watching from the substitutes' bench.

  2. Osimhen explains refusal to celebrate against Juve

    The sight of Victor Osimhen finding the back of the net at the Allianz Stadium is a familiar one for Italian football fans, but his latest strike in the Champions League carried a completely different weight. While his goal for Galatasaray added another chapter to his prolific European campaign - despite a 3-2 defeat on the night that nevertheless secured a 7-5 aggregate victory and a place in the round of 16 - it was his stoic reaction, or lack thereof, that truly caught the eye. Despite the high stakes of the continental clash, the Nigerian superstar opted for silence over celebration, later revealing that his history with the man in the opposing dugout, Luciano Spalletti, dictated his conduct on the night.

  3. PSG 'ready' for Chelsea & Barca, warns Luis Enrique

    Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has sent a clear message to rivals across Europe, including potential knockout stage opponents Chelsea and Barcelona, following his side's progression to the Champions League round of 16. Despite a stuttering 2-2 draw against Monaco at the Parc des Princes, which secured a 5-4 aggregate victory and passage via the play-off round, the Spanish tactician remains convinced that the reigning European champions are still the team that no one wants to face in the business end of the competition.

Hall of Fame

  1. Shevchenko social

    Hall of Fame: How Shevchenko became a Milan legend

    For a particular generation of AC Milan fans, those who grew up in the early 2000s, one name stands out above any other. Andriy Shevchenko combined technical skill with a ruthlessness in front of goal that made him one of the best strikers the game has ever seen, a Ballon d'Or winner and a worthy entrant into GOAL's Hall of Fame...

  2. Hall of Fame: How Platini became 'The King'

    Michel Platini is undoubtedly one of the greatest footballers of all time. Playmaker, assister, goal-scorer: Platini was a complete player, capable of leaving an indelible mark on world football between the late 1970s and mid-1980s. He was the perfect No.10, embodying the true essence of the shirt number both then and now.

  3. Hall of fame Roberto Carlos

    Hall of Fame: Roberto Carlos - the greatest full-back in history

    Modernising the role of a full-back 30 years ago, Roberto Carlos undoubtedly set the benchmark. A tactical genius and a physical specimen, the Real Madrid and Brazil legend won countless trophies at club and international level, contributing bucket loads of goals and assists. No one in the past, present or future can ever claim to be his equal - he was that good.

  4. Hall of Fame: Why Beckham is such an underrated player

    One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say the least. And yet due to his off-field impact, one of the sport's great champions of the past 30 years is generally forgotten when it comes to referencing the true legends of the game.

Rebel United

  1. Mario Basler

    Rebel United: Bayern icon who got drunk before the UCL final

    Teddy Sheringham. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. "Football, bloody hell!" The 1999 Champions League final is one of the greatest dramas in the history of Bayern Munich. The German giants led for a long time in Barcelona before Manchester United snatched the trophy they thought was theirs in stoppage time. But according to one member of the Bayern team, he actually won that final. "Actually, I'm a Champions League winner," claims the latest member of GOAL's Rebel United, Mario Basler.

  2. George Best

    Rebel United: George Best - Man Utd's 'fifth Beatle'

    In 1969, at the age of 23, George Best wanted to focus solely on the essentials. Just football, just his job. So he turned his back on his two other great passions, alcohol and women. His sobering conclusion: "It was the worst 20 minutes of my life." A Manchester United legend, that quote sums up Bet's rebellious attitude towards football, and life in general.

Hidden Gems FC

  1. Hidden Gems FC: Roefs' rise to Premier League star

    Robin Roefs' story reads like a fairy tale. The 22-year-old goalkeeper is only in his second season as a first-choice shot-stopper, and yet he is already considered one of the better No.1s in the Premier League. A place in the Netherlands' starting line-up at the World Cup is now not out of the question for the latest of GOAL's Hidden Gems.

  2. Hidden Gems FC: The rise of N'Golo Kante

    On September 15, 2018, N'Golo Kante walked off the Stamford Bridge pitch, satisfied. As was often the case, the Frenchman had just covered every blade of grass over the course of the 90 minutes. And, as was so often the case, he was not one of the major speaking points at full-time. Not right away, at least.

  3. Hidden Gems FC: Drogba, Toni & football's top 10 late bloomers

    Anyone that manages to carve out a career for themselves in professional football is ridiculously talented. The standard at the highest level is just so high that it is simply impossible to 'fake it 'til you make it'. However, not everyone is as prodigiously gifted as Lionel Messi or Lamine Yamal. Your average player will require some time to get to grips with the rigours of the elite game.