Lists

Cristiano Ronaldo has slammed critics who questioned Joao Felix’s decision to join Al-Nassr, branding them 'idiots' after a Portuguese podcast mocked the forward’s move. Felix left Chelsea this summer for Saudi Arabia in a £26 million deal and has already impressed. Ronaldo, who has been central to Al-Nassr’s project, leapt to his team-mate’s defence on social media.

On Monday, the winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or Feminin will be crowned in Paris. The last four editions of the prestigious accolade have gone to players representing Spain, with both Alexia Putellas and then Aitana Bonmati claiming back-to-back triumphs. It's possible that a member of La Roja comes out on top this time around as well, with Mariona Caldentey a front-runner alongside those two. But muscling in among them is someone who has helped break all of their hearts this year: Alessia Russo.

Monterrey announced the signing of former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial from AEK Athens, adding yet another big name to a blockbuster Liga MX transfer window. But reports quickly surfaced claiming that Pumas had already reached an agreement with the French striker. What really happened? Both clubs have now spoken.

Manchester City made it back-to-back WSL wins with an impressive 5-1 victory over in-form Tottenham at Brisbane Road on Friday evening. Goals from Aoba Fujino, Vivianne Miedema, Kerstin Casparij and Laura Coombs saw Andree Jeglertz’s side build on their win over Brighton on a night which was capped off by midfielder Grace Clinton also scoring on her debut for the club.

U.S. legend Tony Meola voiced concern over Yunus Musah’s recent form, calling it part of a troubling decline dating back to his final year at AC Milan. Meola urged the midfielder to change course, regain confidence and aim to develop on his potential. Musah struggled mightily in Atlanta's 4-0 defeat by PSG in a midweek Champions League match.

Sunday's matchup between the two USMNT players paints a portrait of Tillman's rise, Reyna's fall under Mauricio Pochettino

As Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach set square off this weekend, Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna will face each other on opposite sides - a timely backdrop for a debate within the USMNT. Tony Meola says he remains a “Gio fan” when both are at their best, but says Tillman’s recent rise gives him the edge in the race for the No. 10 role going forward.

There are several notable names on coach Marko Mitrović's U.S. men's national team roster for the 2025 U20 World Cup in Chile, announced Friday by the federation. Former Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, now with Parma on loan, leads a squad that features several rising MLS stars, along with Dortmund's highly-touted prospect, Cole Campbell.

Discover the leading goal scorers in men's World Cup history and how they made their mark.

Liverpool and Everton could be in danger of seeing another Merseyside derby postponed due to stormy weather conditions in the United Kingdom. The Reds and Toffees had to reschedule one of their meetings in the 2024-25 campaign, with questions being asked of whether their latest clash - scheduled to take place at Anfield on Saturday - will go ahead as planned.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been mocked by a bookmaker following the club’s poor start to the season. Amorim has come under fire following an early run which has seen the Red Devils win just one of their opening four Premier League games and suffer an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two minnows Grimsby Town.

Everton striker Beto has paid tribute to his compatriot Diogo Jota, revealing the late Liverpool and Portugal forward was the first person to text him following his move to Merseyside. The footballing world was left devastated after Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 25, tragically died in a car crash in the Spanish province of Zamora in July.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including Weah in Le Classique after historic UCL goal

Manchester United legend Bryan Robson believes Paul Pogba struggled at Old Trafford because he “forgot about football” and cared more about his social media presence. The midfielder joined the Red Devils from Juventus for a then-world record fee of £89 million (€105m/$120m) in 2016 but found it difficult to live up to the fanfare which surrounded his eye-catching return to the Theatre of Dreams.

GOAL US writers discuss the Champions League, which featured high-profile matches and last-second heroics

Though Lionel Messi is reportedly close to signing a multi-year contract extension to remain with Inter Miami, manager Javier Mascherano struck a cautious tone on Friday, choosing his words carefully ahead of the Herons’ matchup against D.C. United at Chase Stadium. “I’m certainly not the one who should make that announcement,” he said.

Jadon Sancho has been warned that his career is “going to turn into a circus” if he struggles at Aston Villa this season. The winger joined Unai Emery’s side on a season-long loan from Manchester United on deadline day in an attempt to get his career back on track. Sancho had been told he was not part of United boss Ruben Amorim’s plans for the 2025-26 season, with the 25-year-old training away from the rest of the squad before completing his switch to Villa.

Manchester United players have reportedly become worried over the changing atmosphere in the dressing room following the club’s difficult start to the season. The Red Devils currently sit 14th in the Premier League table after suffering two defeats from their opening four league games, while Ruben Amorim’s men also suffered an embarrassing 12-11 penalty shootout defeat against League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

Vinicius Junior’s frustrations at Real Madrid have surfaced after he was benched again, this time in the Champions League win over Marseille. Xabi Alonso admitted the Brazilian was not ready to talk immediately after the match, but revealed the forward was in better spirits during training. Madrid now face Espanyol in La Liga, with selection questions looming.

Lionel Messi is being urged to follow David Beckham's example and become an owner when his playing career in MLS is over. A new contract for the Argentine superstar at Inter Miami is being speculated on, with American soccer eager to see the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner remain part of their brand for the foreseeable future. It could be that he stays on for many years to come.

Jose Mourinho marked his Benfica homecoming with a simple sunrise post from the club’s training ground, captioned 'Good morning SL Benfica'. But his first update as Benfica coach sparked chaos online, as Fenerbahce fans swarmed his Instagram with angry comments after his remarks that managing the Turkish side was a 'mistake' and that the club was 'not his level'.

Lamine Yamal's Spain have stormed back to the summit of international football, claiming top spot from Lionel Messi's Argentina in the latest FIFA men's world rankings for the first time since 2014. Their rise comes after victories over Turkey and Bulgaria in World Cup qualifying, ending the world champions' two-year reign at the top, as they slip to third following a costly defeat to Ecuador, with France moving up to second.

Ilkay Gundogan has lamented Galatasaray's mental fragility following their 5-1 Champions League thrashing by Eintracht Frankfurt. The ex-Manchester City star claimed his side were superior until the German team equalised, after which their "heads were hanging down". Gundogan admitted they "invited" Frankfurt to score and must improve as a group as they look to bounce back from the humiliation.

Real Madrid's performance manager, Antonio Pintus, has detailed what makes Luka Modric a unique talent at 40. The coach explained that the AC Milan star's professionalism and dedication are key, but it's his 'different mentality' and relentless hunger for victory that truly separates him and fuels his remarkable longevity at the top level.

Giorgio Chiellini and Juan Mata have become the latest high-profile names to enter British football ownership, following in the footsteps of Luka Modric and Wrexham’s Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The pair have joined Mercury13’s investment in Bristol City Women, marking a significant new chapter as the legends turn their focus to shaping the future of the game.

Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk has fired back at Germany national coach Julian Nagelsmann over his comments about Leroy Sane. The national team boss has said Sane will have to perform beyond his usual expectations to make the squad after he joined the Turkish giants from Bayern Munich. Buruk, though, pointed to the recent loss to Slovakia as proof Germany aren't as good as Nagelsmann believes.

Palmeiras appear to have produced another prodigiously talented teenager. In the past three years alone, the Brazilians have sold four gifted academy graduates to European sides: Endrick, Luis Guilherme, Vitor Reis and Willian Estevao. Luiz Benedetti is almost certain to become the fifth.

Marcus Rashford marked his first big Champions League night in Barcelona colours with a stunning brace against Newcastle at St. James’ Park. The forward became only the second Englishman to score for Barca in Europe, earning glowing praise from Hansi Flick, Ronald Araujo and Joan Garcia after firing the Catalan giants to a vital 2-1 win.

There are obviously two ways of looking at Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday evening. On the plus side, they scored another late winner. On the negative side, they needed another late winner.