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Olivier Giroud has revealed his plans to emulate iconic striker Cristiano Ronaldo. Giroud returned to France over the summer following a year in America with MLS side LAFC. The experienced striker has made a solid start to life back in his homeland with Lille having scored two goals in his opening six Ligue 1 appearances and has no plans to stop playing anytime soon.

Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has guided the German giants back to the summit of domestic football since taking charge in 2024. The Belgian tactician has combined astute tactical adjustments with excellent man management to spark a remarkable turnaround in the club’s fortunes. His methods have brought out the best in several players, most notably England striker Harry Kane, who has thrived under Kompany’s leadership.

Gianluigi Donnarumma highlighted the major difference between the style of play in Serie A and Premier League. Having spent six years in the Italian top-flight with AC Milan, the Italy national team captain made a summer switch to Manchester City, taking his goalkeeping talents to the English first division. Donnarumma firmly believes that Italian football is "no less than the others."

Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente has found himself at the centre of controversy after defending his use of tinted glasses. His detailed Instagram post about light exposure, melatonin, and “protecting biology” sparked online debate. However, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has surprisingly come to his defence, showing support for his views.

There was more than just a hint of excitement in the air as the final stages of the match at Liberty Stadium approached in January 2013. The score was 0-0 between the home team Swansea City and Champions League holders Chelsea. But with the Swans having won the first leg of their League Cup semi-final 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, they were within touching distance of preparing for a final appearance at Wembley.

Arda Guler was full of praise for Kylian Mbappe while describing his relationship with the Real Madrid talisman. The duo's chemistry on the pitch has led to comparisons with former Madrid stars Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo, with Guler adding that Mbappe and him "understand each other perfectly." Real Madrid have won nine games out of 10 this season, thanks to the brilliance of Guler and Mbappe in attack.

Thibaut Courtois is of the opinion that his Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham has to play for England at the 2026 World Cup. A surprising debate has been sparked there, with the all-action midfielder being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest Three Lions squad. He is still recovering from injury, but questions have been asked of Bellingham’s character and how he fits into the puzzle being pieced together by a demanding German coach.

Real Madrid are facing fresh injury concerns ahead of El Clasico as Dean Huijsen’s fitness remains in doubt. The 20-year-old centre-back, who suffered a micro-tear in his left soleus muscle against Villarreal, is racing against time to recover before the high-stakes clash with Barcelona. With key defenders like Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold also sidelined, Madrid’s backline faces a major test in the coming weeks.

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken has warned defender Nico Schlotterbeck that, while he respects the player’s decision to delay signing a new contract, the German side will not allow the situation to drag on indefinitely. The German international, who has attracted interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool, has a deal running until 2027.

Elyaz Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, is emerging as one of the brightest revelations of the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Playing at the heart of France’s defence, the 19-year-old has logged the most minutes in Bernard Diomede’s side, displaying composure and maturity that go beyond his age and the immense weight of his surname.

The end of the October international window is upon us, club football fans. Get ready for four more weeks of Premier League fun before we're lulled back into the November break. Fortunately, there's non-stop action before then to look forward to, beginning with some mouth-watering fixtures this coming weekend, including Manchester United's trip to Liverpool.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo finally made good on a promise in the wake of his team's 2-2 draw with Hungary in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night. The Al-Nassr forward had long promised to swap his shirt with Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai, and the midfielder confirmed after the match that he had finally got his hands on the Portugal icon's jersey.

Trinity Rodman was injured during the Washington Spirit's CONCACAF W Champions Cup group stage win over Monterrey Wednesday night and had to be removed from the game. The USWNT star couldn't put any weight on her right leg as she departed. Rodman was in distress after attempting a tackle, and left the field on crutches at half time.

Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas praised Haji Wright following the striker's match-winning brace against Australia, calling it a defining performance that establishes the Coventry City forward in Mauricio Pochettino's plans for the 2026 World Cup. Wright scored both goals in the USMNT's 2-1 victory over Australia on Tuesday night.

Chelsea winger Estevao has been named among the list of nominees for the 2025 Golden Boy Award. The Brazil international will compete against the likes of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham and Real Madrid talent Franco Mastantuono for the trophy which was last won by Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, who is unable to defend his crown due to the competition’s rules.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Clásico Joven, Cruz Azul manager Nicolás Larcamón said the rivalry between La Máquina and América continues to grow in importance - and is now the biggest fixture in Mexican football. Los Azulcremas enter the weekend sitting second in the table with 27 points, while the Celestes are in fourth with 25.

USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes announced her arrival on the Champions League stage with an extraordinary long-range strike for OL Lyonnes, scoring from 57 yards in a commanding 3-0 victory over Austrian side St. Pölten on Wednesday. The 18-year-old scored her first Champions League goal just hours after being named to Emma Hayes' USWNT roster.

Manchester United are reportedly prioritising a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton after cooling their interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. The Red Devils were keen to strengthen in the middle of the park by signing the Cameroon international in the summer but have now decided to rethink their shortlist following the 21-year-old’s difficult start to the 2025-26 season.

With two open-play goals in their last three games, a lot of the talk coming into Chelsea's Women's Champions League clash with Paris FC on Wednesday night was about the dominant force in English football, and one of the front-runners for this trophy, not being quite themselves in front of goal. But Sonia Bompastor's Blues were able to quieten those doubters in their final game before the international break, with a 4-0 victory over the Parisians at Stamford Bridge.

Hayes is using the October friendlies to form a side that more closely resembles the XI that will feature at the 2027 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel delivered a rousing team talk as England booked their place at the 2026 World Cup, saying he accomplished a “childhood dream” following the emphatic 5-0 victory over Latvia. The Three Lions will compete at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after powering through their qualifying group with two games to spare.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente gave a huge billing to Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as the La Roja boss claimed that the Gunners star is as good as Rodri and Pedri. On Tuesday, Merino scored twice as Spain thrashed Bulgaria 4-0 in a World Cup qualifying game at home. The win also helped the reigning European champions maintain their 100 per cent record in the qualifying rounds.

The competitive La Liga fixture, to be held in Miami, comes after years of conflict over a possible match outside of Europe

Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly looking to leave Manchester United in January after falling out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim. Having made just three Premier League appearances so far this season, the striker is now attracting interest from two Serie A clubs as he aims to boost his chances of making the Netherlands’ squad for the 2026 World Cup by exiting Old Trafford.

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is reportedly facing legal action over a party held for his 25th birthday which saw him build his own theme park for around 500 attendants. The Brazil international threw the lavish celebrations in Rio de Janeiro in July, with the military police being called to the event after one local complained about the level of the noise being generated by the gathering.

There has been a twist in Rangers' manager hunt as Steven Gerrard has once again emerged as favourite to take charge at Ibrox Stadium, days after he pulled out of the race for the head coach's role. After Rangers parted ways with Russell Martin earlier this month, Gerrard was poised to return to Glasgow and he even held talks with the club hierarchy, but he later withdrew his name.

Two-time World Cup champion Christen Press announced her retirement from professional soccer on Wednesday, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year career as one of the most accomplished forwards in United States women's national team history. The 36-year-old star scored 64 international goals, ranking ninth all-time in USWNT history.

The USMNT boss has a roster emerging that he can trust, with several playing their way into - or out of - World Cup contention

Harry Kane moved into an elite goalscoring club as he scored twice to help England qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The Bayern Munich striker bagged a first-half brace to help the Three Lions defeat Latvia 5-0 and book their place at next summer’s tournament, continuing a rich vein of form which has seen him score 21 goals in just 13 games for club and country this season.