Barcelona and Spain teenager Vicky Lopez has been named the best young women’s player in the world and has picked up the Kopa Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in Paris. The 19-year-old played a key role in Barcelona’s stunning season, winning Liga F and Copa de la Reina titles, and also helped Spain make it to the finals of Euro 2025 in the summer.
Paris Saint-Germain and France star Ousmane Dembele is heading to the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night in a custom-made tuxedo. The 28-year-old attacker is the red-hot favourite to land the prestigious prize after a stellar season that brought four trophies for his club side but faces competition from Barcelona and Spain teenager Lamine Yamal.
La Liga giants Real Madrid are expected to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday for the second year in a row. Los Blancos famously failed to attend in 2024 after learning that star man Vinicius Jr had been pipped to the prestigious Golden Ball by Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri. Tensions between Real Madrid and UEFA still linger in the wake of the snub as the club feel they have been unfairly treated.
With the Ballon d'Or ceremony just hours away, a former winner has given his verdict on the two frontrunners. He revealed his vote would go to Barcelona's Lamine Yamal for his "unpredictable" style, but concedes that Ousmane Dembele's Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain might "tip the scales" in his favour.
Former Manchester United star Christian Eriksen believes that public criticism from club legends such as Gary Neville and Roy Keane is not helping the Red Devils. Ruben Amorim's side have endured another tough start to the Premier League season and the Denmark international feels more realistic expectations are needed from pundits and former players.
Harry Kane admits that an NFL crossover remains “in the back of my mind”, but says a move into American football remains “a long way away”. The prolific Bayern Munich and England striker has never hidden the fact that he would like to test himself as a placekicker. There is, however, plenty left for him to achieve in his sport of choice before considering any switch into another.
Fermin Lopez left the field looking visibly distraught after Barcelona's league win against Getafe. The midfielder dropped to the pitch, holding his groin and the back of his leg, before leaving the field as coach Hansi Flick hugged him. The club have now received the test results, and the 20-year-old is slated to be sidelined for around three weeks.
Gary Neville has ranked Manchester City's new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma above Arsenal's David Raya and compared the Italian with former Manchester stars Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar. Neville labelled the former Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper an "absolute animal" after watching him shine in City's 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday.
Harry Kane could win the Ballon d'Or at Bayern Munich if he leads them to Champions League glory, according to the club legend Lothar Matthaus. The German icon explained that he is most impressed by the striker's "playmaker" assists, not just his goals, and urged him to finish his career in the Bundesliga.
AC Milan’s offer of a new contract remains on the table ready for Christian Pulisic to sign, but the Serie A giants have “no meetings scheduled” with the USMNT star. The United States international was expected to have committed his future to the Rossoneri by now, but the relevant paperwork remains incomplete and discussions regarding fresh terms have ground to a halt.
Bernardo Silva has claimed that Arsenal had an "unfair advantage" over Manchester City during their Premier League clash at the Emirates on Sunday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after Gabriel Martinelli's dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser cancelled out Erling Haaland's early goal in the first half, with the Gunners extending their unbeaten run against City to six matches.
The terms of a “secret” release clause in Harry Kane’s contract at Bayern Munich have been revealed, with it possible that the former Tottenham striker could return to the Premier League in 2026. In order for that to happen, two key conditions must be met - with any suitors in English football likely to be keeping a close eye on events in Germany.
Ruben Amorim insisted that Manchester United are his "only club" while reacting to Jose Mourinho's appointment at Benfica. Mourinho has signed a two-year contract with Benfica after being sacked by Fenerbahce right at the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
Bayern Munich icon Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has backed Thomas Muller's MLS move, suggesting it's the perfect preparation for a future leadership role at the German club. The board member believes Muller "did the right thing" by signing for Vancouver Whitecaps in the summer and hinted that the door is open for the 36-year-old to return to Munich in an off-field capacity.
Manchester United vs Arsenal has become one of the biggest fixtures in the WSL calendar since it was first played in 2019. The most recent meeting between the sides on Sunday afternoon was watched by a crowd in excess of 8,000 for the third year in a row at Leigh Sports Village.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been assured that “Wrexham won’t struggle” this season, meaning that they can relax a little, but the Red Dragons have been told what they need to do in order to be competitive in the Championship. Phil Parkinson is being backed to steer the Welsh outfit away from any kind of danger during the 2025-26 campaign.
Cesc Fabregas claims that Como sensation Nico Paz is getting Lionel Messi-esque treatment from Serie A rivals. World Cup winner Fabregas once played alongside Messi at Barcelona, with opponents eager to keep the ball away from him as much as possible. Paz is, much like his Argentina international team-mate, considered to be another match-altering talent.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has spoken to the media about Cole Palmer's condition at a press conference on Monday morning. It comes after the Blues star lasted just 21 minutes in the weekend defeat to Manchester United, which was his first start since a groin injury hampered his start to the 2025-26 season.
Dele Alli has been warned that, with his form having “fallen off a cliff”, that his next port of call is likely to represent a “last chance” in the professional ranks. The former Tottenham and Everton midfielder finds himself in the free agent pool after being released by Como. There has been talk of EFL clubs, including ambitious Wrexham, showing interest.
Egypt boss Hossam Hassan has entered a last-minute please for Mohamed Salah to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or as he appealed for fair treatment for the Liverpool forward. Hassan also hailed Salah as a "role model for all success seekers" in a passionate social media statement. Salah scored 34 goals across all competitions for the Reds last season and played a pivotal role in the team's Premier League title success.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave the comforts of Great Britain 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.
Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to play in Europe again, says ex-Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen, with the Portuguese committed to a new two-year contract at Al-Nassr. He is already 40 years of age, with the “spectacular” money on offer in the Middle East expected to ensure that CR7 sees out his record-shattering playing career in the Saudi Pro League.
Fara Williams spoke about Matt Beard from the heart during BBC Sport's WSL coverage of Manchester United vs Arsenal, after his sudden passing at the age of 47 rocked the women's football world. The Lionessses legend turned pundit knew the former Liverpool manager better than most after playing a central role in his greatest career triumphs.
With two Big Six clashes and a Merseyside derby, there was a lot to get excited about in the Premier League this weekend. And with last-minute goals, red cards aplenty and a couple of narrative shifts, it sure did not disappoint. Pep Guardiola did his best Jose Mourinho impression and took his Manchester City side to Arsenal to defend deep and play on the counterattack.
Alan Shearer has claimed that a Liverpool star is "not the same player" he was last season, pointing out at a worrying theme under Arne Slot. The Reds have made a perfect start to their Premier League title defence with five successive wins and also opened their Champions League campaign with a win over Atletico Madrid, but one player is struggling for rhythm.