FEATURES

This is Legacy, GOAL’s podcast and feature series that is counting down to the 2026 World Cup. Each week, we explore the stories and the spirit behind the nations that define the world’s game. This week, we revisit the matches that shaped Morocco's identity, the coaches and players who carried the hope of a nation, and the moment that proved nothing is impossible when a country decides to dream together.

With the World Cup now just around the corner, memories of the last tournament in the USA are coming to mind. From a German perspective, these are not happy memories.

Javier Aguirre’s Mexico roster mixes history, trust, and risk, with Guillermo Ochoa chasing a sixth World Cup and German Berterame left out despite a late push.

A big 3-2 win over Senegal showed that the USMNT might just be ready for bigger games - and are prepared for the World Cup.

Who's hot? Who's not? GOAL ranks each of the current 16 National Women's Soccer League teams.

Despite the convincing 4-0 win over Finland, Germany still lacks tactical discipline at times. Julian Nagelsmann is right to trust his young players, and his instincts are sound. Here are three takeaways from the penultimate friendly before the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The World Cup has given many players the platform to shine brightly - and then fizzle out. GOAL looks at some of the best.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni included Lionel Messi in his 2026 World Cup squad on Thursday, even though his captain isn't "fully fit". Of course, neither revelation was particularly surprising. Messi was widely expected to be a part of his the Albiceleste's title defence - just as it was always unlikely that he'd been in optimal physical condition.

After years of build-up, the 2026 World Cup is almost upon us. The best players in the world are beginning to descend on the United States, Mexico and Canada with dreams of lifting the most prestigious trophy in global football ahead of the action getting under way on June 11.

The 2025-26 European season is over, and it ended just as the 2024-25 did 12 months earlier, with Paris Saint-Germain lifting the European Cup at the end of the Champions League final. Saturday's win over Arsenal in Budapest was a much tighter affair than their thrashing of Inter in Munich, but was greeted with no less joy by the French giants and their supporters as they clinched a double having already won Ligue 1.

While discontent over exorbitant World Cup ticket prices is growing worldwide, 14,000 fans in Mexico will watch the opening match for free. This perk stems from an investment made 60 years ago—and it has weathered recent opposition.

Two goals, one assist – Deniz Undav is making a strong case for a place in the World Cup starting line-up and presenting the national coach with a pleasant selection headache.

What a season it has been for European women's football. The Champions League campaign was certainly a memorable one, with some thrilling ties throughout the knockout stages and an enthralling introduction to the league phase format, with stars aplenty shining on the biggest stage before Barcelona beat Lyon in the final.

When Thomas Tuchel was hired as the new England manager in October 2024, he was given a simple brief: Win the 2026 World Cup. Some 20 months on and the tournament now looms large, while confirmation of the Three Lions' squad has crystallised the daunting task at hand for the German tactician as they arrive in North America.

And there we have it. The 2025-26 European football season is in the books, capped by Paris Saint-Germain beating Arsenal in the Champions League final to defend their continental crown. Soon the past nine months or so will become distant memories, such is the speed at which the footballing world moves on, especially when major tournaments on the horizon.

The World Cup has had no shortage of iconic moments across nearly 100 years of history. Every four years, billions of fans congregate to watch a tournament that has provided more drama, heartbreak and joy than any other event in sporting history. Football's grandest stage, the World Cup has always offered a platform for legends to be born, but it has also seen reputations destroyed and the downfall of so many famous faces.

GOAL breaks down who stood out and who has work to do after the U.S. win

Canada face Uzbekistan and Republic of Ireland in their final pre-World Cup friendlies, with Jesse Marsch managing injury concerns after Marcelo Flores’ heartbreaking setback and searching for goals from Jonathan David and Cyle Larin.

Christian Pulisic looked back to his best, Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun impressed, and the USMNT offered real reason for World Cup optimism against Senegal.

Khadija Shaw and Alex Greenwood starred as new Women's Super League champions Manchester City did the double on Sunday, thanks to a 4-0 win over Brighton in the FA Cup final. It took Andree Jeglertz's side some time to get going in the capital but once they did, they wasted little time, with two goals in the latter stages of the first half putting City into a commanding position that they never let slip.

The European club season drew to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, with Paris Saint-Germain defeating Arsenal on penalties to retain their Champions League crown. Not since Real Madrid nearly a decade ago had anyone successfully defended the title, making his a truly momentous night for Luis Enrique's men. However, defeat shouldn't take any of the shine off Arsenal's historic campaign, with the Gunners having won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders again in 2026.

The Champions League final. It's the biggest match on the club calendar in football, always featuring historic clubs and so often the best players on the planet at that moment. Sometimes, it lives up to expectation in the most extraordinary fashion. Sometimes, sadly, it just doesn't. Either way, there is usually drama, as was the case in Saturday's final as Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal on penalties.

Paris Saint-Germain have done it again! A club once derided as the biggest bottlers in the Champions League showed their mettle by edging out Arsenal 4-3 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw in Budapest, to deservedly retain their European crown on Saturday. Unlike last year's rout of Inter, PSG had to dig deep to defeat the Gunners, who proved an unsurprisingly tough nut to crack after taking an early lead through Kai Havertz following a fortuitous break of the ball.

Johan Vazquez scored and delivered Mexico's best performance as El Tri edged Australia 1-0 at the Rose Bowl. GOAL rates every player after an uneven display that offered Javier Aguirre valuable World Cup roster clues ahead of his final squad announcement.

Arsenal suffered penalty shootout heartbreak at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, as Gabriel Magalhaes skied the all-important spot-kick to hand the holders a second-consecutive European crown in Budapest. Kai Havertz had given the Gunners an early lead before Ousmane Dembele's second-half equaliser, and a staunch Arsenal defence took the showpiece to extra-time.

Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their Champions League crown as they ran out 4-3 winners on penalties over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw in Saturday's final. Ousmane Dembele had scored from the spot to pull the Ligue 1 winners level in the second half, and despite Nuno Mendes missing in the shootout, the Gunners twice fired off target to hand the European Cup back to PSG.

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from the team's pre-Senegal preparation in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

The USMNT's World Cup squad takes the field together for the first time as players battle for roles and momentum ahead of a friendly against Senegal.