Stephen Darwin profile image

Stephen Darwin

Senior Editor

📝 Bio: I'm an editor with over 15 years of experience and joined GOAL in 2009 after having received a BA (Honours) degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Huddersfield. After realising the dream of becoming a professional footballer wasn't going to become a reality, I've been privileged to be able to settle for the next best thing - creating content about the sport I love. I'd consider myself a Premier League and European football expert and have been lucky enough to report on matches in England's top flight, attend two Champions League finals and cover England at international level.

⚽ My Football Story: I remember my trips to Old Trafford as a starry-eyed young lad watching Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United dominate English football, choosing them as my team despite my brother's best efforts to convert me to Arsenal. There was obligatory England heartache as well, with a vivid memory being that looping Ronaldinho free-kick that knocked us out of the 2002 World Cup. Gutting. That same year I was a ball boy at the Champions League final in Glasgow but regrettably missed Zinedine Zidane's iconic volley as I was in the changing room getting ready for the second half. It still haunts me to this day.

🎯 Areas of Expertise:

  • Expert football opinion & analysis
  • Social media content creation
  • Premier League, Champions League & European football insight
  • Comment & analysis on the England national team
  • Writing & editing the football stories that matter to fans

🌟 Favourite Footballing Memory: Seeing Manchester United miraculously come from behind to win the Champions League and complete a treble in 1999 takes some beating. There was also a special moment in 2021, when I was lucky enough to be one of few fans allowed inside Wembley to see England play Croatia at EURO 2020. This was at the time when fans were starting to be let back into stadiums amid the Coronavirus pandemic, and being able to celebrate a win with the close friends you had got used to seeing exclusively on Zoom quizzes provided a particularly fond memory.

Articles by Stephen Darwin
  1. Robert Sanchez Joao Pedro Chelsea GFXGetty/GOAL
    Player ratingsChelsea

    Redemption for Sanchez as Pedro & Palmer seal Chelsea win

    Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory against Brentford, largely thanks to the heroics of the club's much-maligned Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The 28-year-old made a massive save to deny Kevin Schade what looked a certain equaliser in the second half, with Cole Palmer adding to Joao Pedro's first-half thunderbolt to secure a somewhat unconvincing 2-0 win for the Blues.

  3. Crystal Palace v Manchester United - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport
    Manchester UnitedR. Amorim

    Watch Amorim's 'not the coach' press conference that led to sacking

    Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United after just 14 months in charge, with his post-match press conference after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United proving the final nail in the coffin for the Portuguese. Watch the above clip as the former Red Devils boss clarifies that he's the "manager, not the coach" and that his tenure was "going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on".

  4. FBL-ENG-PR-MAN UTD-WOLVESAFP
    R. AmorimManchester United

    Amorim faces the music after woeful Wolves draw

    Ruben Amorim insists he remains "very confident" that Manchester United will have a strong season despite seeing his side drop points against bottom-of-the-table Wolves in Tuesday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford. Facing the media after a hugely disappointing performance from the Red Devils, the Portuguese tried to explain what went wrong, pointing to a lack of fluidity and the fact he's missing some key players. Watch the full clip above ⬆️

  5. Arsenal FC Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6Getty Images Sport
    M. ArtetaArsenal

    Arsenal boss Arteta reveals his ideal Christmas present

    Mikel Arteta has revealed what would be his ideal Christmas present as the Arsenal boss prepares his side for the busy festive football period. The Spaniard also reflected on the "incredible journey" he's been on, with it having been six years since the Gunners appointed the former Manchester City assistant as their head coach. Click the play button above to watch the full clip ⬆️

  6. Arne Slot Mohamed Salah LiverpoolGetty/GOAL
    LiverpoolA. Slot

    Arne Slot LAUGHS as reporter asks if Salah needs to apologise

    Arne Slot gave little away in his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool's clash with Brighton in the Premier League, repelling multiple questions related to Mohamed Salah's situation at the club. The Reds boss confirmed he would be holding showdown talks with the Egyptian on December 12, and couldn't help but laugh when a reporter repeatedly asked what the forward needs to do to be reintegrated into the squad.

  7. Argentina v France: Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022Getty Images Sport
    World CupL. Messi

    Messi expecting 'extraordinary' World Cup in United States

    Lionel Messi has made it clear that he's anticipating the United States will be up to the task, along with the other host nations Mexico and Canada, of delivering an "extraordinary" World Cup. The Inter Miami superstar, who won the tournament with Argentina in 2022, is expected to play in what could well be his last major international tournament as North America takes centre stage in 2026 ⬆️

  8. Liverpool FC v PSV Eindhoven - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5Getty Images Sport
    Champions LeagueLiverpool

    Watch highlights from Arne Slot's press conference after 4-1 loss

    Arne Slot has expressed his complete shock at Liverpool's recent struggles, culminating in a devastating 4-1 loss at the hands of PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Watch the above video as the Dutchman explains that conceding an early goal hampered his side, given morale was already low after the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and says it's "normal" that questions are being asked about his future ⬆️

  9. Liverpool ratings GFXGOAL
    Player ratingsLiverpool

    Liverpool in crisis! Isak goes missing as Reds ripped apart

    Liverpool's nightmare defence of their Premier League title took a turn for the worse on Saturday as Nottingham Forest ripped the Reds apart at Anfield. In a game that saw more than one moment of VAR controversy, Forest struck three times, courtesy of efforts from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White, to leave a shellshocked Arne Slot potentially fearing for his job.

  10. Elisabeth Terland Man Utd womenGetty Images
    Player ratingsManchester United Women

    Toone & Park stifled as Terland has a shocker in derby demolition

    Marc Skinner's side shipped three first-half goals to effectively put the game to bed as the Red Devils toiled in the Manchester derby and saw their rivals pull seven points clear of them in the WSL table. It'll surely take something spectacular for United to get themselves back in contention now, even after only nine games, as they struggled to contain the likes of Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema and Bunny Shaw and were comfortably beaten 3-0.

  1. FBL-JPN-BRA-FRIENDLYAFP
    BrazilM. Cunha

    Cunha opens up on 'very painful' Brazil experience

    Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha has discussed how he's grown as a player and a person since being overlooked for Brazil's squad for the 2022 World Cup. The likes of Antony, Gabriel Jesus and Pedro were selected ahead of the 26-year-old by then-Selecao manager Tite, although Cunha is back in favour under Carlo Ancelotti and has a strong chance of making the cut this time around. Click the play button above to hear what the former Wolves attacker had to say about dealing with the "very painful" experience of being snubbed three years ago ⬆️

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