Analysis

Antoine Semenyo bid farewell to Bournemouth in the best possible fashion, netting a 95th-minute winner against Tottenham at the Vitality Stadium to end his side's 11-match run without a Premier League victory. As his team-mate Marcus Tavernier told Sky Sports, "There was no better way for [his last game] to go. That was the type of stuff you write in movies and no man deserves it more than him."

What looks like a joke is actually the plan. One USL owner is using bold branding to build community - and rethink what a soccer club can be.

Perhaps Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have listened to Kieran McKenna when he learned of the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Manchester United in 2021. Many Red Devils’ fans had dreamed about Ronaldo coming back to Old Trafford for more than a decade, and the prospect of him playing under another iconic player from United’s past was the ultimate hit for nostalgia junkies.

Manchester United's season so far has been dominated by criticisms of the preparation, or lack thereof, done before it. After making just three summer signings, while bidding farewell to two first-team players, the Red Devils' squad looked completely ill-equipped for the challenge of competing in the Women's Champions League proper for the first time, if they were to also remain a contender on a domestic front. But having rather admirably kept themselves afloat despite those issues, United are already attacking the January window with the necessary, and overdue, vigour needed.

Last summer, everyone was convinced that Rodrygo simply had to leave Real Madrid. There was no way of spinning it; the brilliant Brazilian had been frozen out both by Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso, and there was no future for him at the Bernabeu.

Arsenal's match with Liverpool will be played in its own dedicated slot within this midweek round of Premier League fixtures. It will receive maximum exposure both domestically and abroad. There will be no hiding place for any player that sets foot on the Emirates Stadium pitch on Thursday, not least the Gunners' marquee summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.

From stadium anthems to sweltering afternoons in packed arenas, the summer of 1994 marked the moment football - or soccer - truly crashed the American party. It was the World Cup that changed everything: where global passion met U.S. showtime, and two sporting cultures began to merge.

Bryant Lazaro’s playing dream ended at 19. His education in soccer didn’t. Mentored by Bielsa, the American-born coach is now rising at Portugal’s Estoril.

GOAL begins its Meet the USMNT series by examining the rise, pressure, and expectations surrounding Christian Pulisic as the U.S. prepare for a home World Cup.

GOAL takes a look at the U.S. team and where everything stands heading into a monumental 2026 World Cup.

GOAL's writers analyze three big decisions in football, as Enzo Maresca, Ruben Amorim, and Wilfried Nancy all parted ways with major clubs in the last week.

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of Canada's goalkeeper position.

This is Legacy, GOAL’s feature and podcast series following the road to the 2026 World Cup. Every week, we dive into the stories and legacies that shaped football’s greatest nations. This time we turn to Brazil, who are facing an identity crisis as they look to avoid the longest gap between global titles in the country's history. From the magic of 2002 to the heartbreaks that followed, it’s the story of a footballing superpower still searching for itself - and for its next star to lift the weight of a nation.

Ruben Amorim may have delivered dismal results on the pitch for Manchester United, but he remained a fascinating coach to watch due to his tendency for drama whenever he was near a microphone. The Portuguese charmed journalists in his unveiling in November 2024 and from then on his press conferences became appointment viewing as you never knew what he might say.

There's a nostalgic feel to Chelsea's sudden firing of a manager and the mad scramble to bring in a successor midway through a season. The difference on this occasion is they are not a team stacked with world-class players in pursuit of the Premier League title, rather a middling assembly of young starlets with little hope of immediate success.

The defender continues to blossom in one of the world's toughest leagues, and his breakout is coming just months before what could be a life-changing tournament

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including McKennie continuing his dominant form.

After Napoli beat Bologna on December 22 to win the Supercoppa Italiana, Rasmus Hojlund posted a picture of him holding the trophy, accompanied by the words, "What a great decision looks like." Unsurprisingly, some Manchester United fans didn't react well to the perceived slight on their club. One comment on Hojlund's Instagram photo with more than 14,000 likes sarcastically congratulated the Dane for finding his 'level' before adding, "[The] Premier League is too difficult for amateurs."

GOAL U.S. writers take a look at some of the biggest storylines of the January transfer window.

GOAL previews the main storylines among Americans abroad this weekend.

Chelsea's season was already bordering on crisis when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Expectations are high at Stamford Bridge and a dreadful December brought about questions over just how ready this team is to compete. There was turbulence, sure, but the surprise sacking of Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day could torpedo their 2025-26 campaign altogether.

We're only halfway through the season but Chelsea are looking for a new manager, after parting company with Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day. On the one hand, the Italian's exit is a surprise, given he won both the Conference League and Club World Cup during his first season at Stamford Bridge. However, it had been clear for some time that Maresca wasn't entirely happy in west London, with the former Leicester City boss sensationally going public with a perceived lack of support within the club after last month's Champions League loss to Atalanta.

Hertha Berlin fans haven't had much to cheer about in recent years. Their decade-long stay in the Bundesliga ended after the team slumped to an 18th-placed finish in the 2022-23 season, just four years on from Lars Windhorst's €224 million minority takeover that came with the billionaire's promise to build a "true ‘big-city club’, like those in London or Madrid."

The World Cup year has arrived. GOAL breaks down the New Year’s resolutions for Pochettino, Hayes, Pulisic, the USMNT and the USWNT as 2026 begins.

From Christian Pulisic’s individual success to the USMNT exiting the World Cup earlier than hoped, GOAL outlines its predictions for American soccer in 2026.

With women's football in most countries on its winter break, it is prime time for clubs, players and agents to sit down and sort out contracts. But while there are some names entering the final six months of their current deals who many would be shocked not to see renew with their current teams, there are also plenty of others who are likely to be seriously considering other options in 2026.

The January transfer window has become an increasingly frugal period in modern times, as leading clubs largely save their pennies for extravagant summer splurges. Instead, many will be looking to the free-agent market and the possibility of laying the groundwork to sign a potentially key player for absolutely nothing. As it stands, there are plenty of big names who could be available on a free transfer in the summer.

The January transfer window is notoriously tricky for buying clubs to manoeuvre in. Sure, willing teams may have the money to spend and financial wiggle room to squeeze some deals in, but their rivals may be less inclined to do business midway through the season with trophies and other honours still up for grabs.