Lists

With just under 20 minutes to go in the first Clasico of the current campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso made a double substitution with his side 2-1 up on Barcelona. Federico Valverde accepted his withdrawal with good grace; Vinicius Jr did not. Five times he incredulously asked "Me?!", to the understandable bewilderment of his manager. "Come on, Vini, damn it!," Alonso pleaded. But there was no calming the winger down.

Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr has reportedly told the club he currently has no plans to renew his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu due to a difficult relationship with manager Xabi Alonso. The Brazilian is said to be one of five players at Real Madrid who are not happy with the new manager's methods after he replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the helm in the summer.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued an apology after he clashed with a television cameraman in the wake of Saturday's disappointing Premier League defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park. Guardiola exchanged words with Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes after the final whistle and was also spotted confronting a camera operator in a bizarre exchange.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has backed Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian to emulate Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal but warned against comparisons ahead of the Champions League showdown between the European giants. Although his minutes have been carefully managed and he is not yet a guaranteed starter, Estevao has made an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge, making five goal contributions already.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has offered an optimistic injury update on talisman Cole Palmer. The 23-year-old had been on the brink of a return after two months out with a groin problem when he suffered a broken toe in a freak accident at home. Maresca says that the Chelsea star is now training on the grass and is hopeful he will be able to make a first-team return shortly.

Tottenham are finally looking to "fill the void" left by club legend Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich as they target a new striker. Kane left his boyhood club in the summer of 2023 in search of a new challenge as he joined the Bundesliga giants for a record fee. The England international has enjoyed a purple patch since moving to Germany and also won his maiden trophy of his career when Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title in 2025.

Arne Slot is not only facing an uphill battle to save Liverpool's season, but also his job. That is a sentence no Liverpool supporter would have imagined reading barely six months on from seeing the Dutchman deliver the club's second Premier League title, and yet it is no exaggeration. The Reds have plummeted to 11th in the table after losing six of their first 12 games in the 2025-26 campaign, which leaves them a whopping 11 points behind early pace-setters Arsenal already.

Arne Slot's Liverpool are reportedly once again in pole position to land Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the January transfer window. The Reds narrowly missed out on the defender last summer but Palace are now considering a sale in the winter window to avoid losing the England international for free in summer 2026. Bayern Munich are also admirers, but the Reds are leading the race to finally land Guehi for a fee of around £35 million ($46m).

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been told to drop struggling superstar Mohamed Salah by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney. The Reds slipped to their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games on Saturday against Nottingham Forest and sit in the bottom half of the table. Rooney feels it's now time for Liverpool to drop their talisman if they want to get back on track.

GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.

Lionel Messi's former World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate, Alejandro Gomez, has finally returned to action for an Italian second-tier club after serving a two-year doping ban. Gomez, who was part of Argentina's triumph in Qatar three years ago, has not touched a football since October 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance. He last played for Monza in Serie A.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he will put the club first when it comes to potential January transfers. Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are both yet to start for the Red Devils this season and have been linked with winter exits in a bid to play regularly in the second half of the season ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Amorim has previously suggested both players will not be allowed to leave but has now offered a fresh update.

Como and Switzerland star Alisha Lehmann named a Chelsea star as the toughest-ever opponent she has contested against, while also revealing whether she would rather win the World Cup with the Switzerland national team or the Ballon d'Or. Lehmann left Aston Villa for Italy to join Juventus in the summer of 2024 after spending six years in England and joined Como in the summer.

While the November international break was one for the ages as teams around the globe kept their World Cup dreams alive in dramatic circumstances, the return of club football marks a magic time in the calendars of many fans, as it means we are now at the beginning of four uninterrupted months of club action. This is when narratives truly take form, with teams able to build momentum and set off on potentially season-defining runs.

Arne Slot's future is in the spotlight after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield plunged the Reds deeper into crisis. The loss was Liverpool's sixth in seven Premier League matches and means Slot's side are in the bottom half of the table after 12 games played. Questions are now being asked of the Dutchman and his methods, particularly after a big-spending summer that saw costly stars such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arrive.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted after his team's north London derby win over Tottenham that he prevented Leandro Trossard from leaving the club in the summer transfer window. Trossard was linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners invested heavily in their squad, but Arteta did not want him to depart. The Belgium international has been in good form so far in the 2025-26 season and shone again in the win over Spurs.

Lionel Messi made MLS Cup playoffs history with a dominant individual display as Inter Miami thrashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 to progress to the Eastern Conference finals. The World Cup-winning Argentina legend was involved in every goal, contributing one of his own and three assists for his team to leave the David Beckham-owned club just two games away from winning their first-ever MLS Cup.

Pundit Jamie Carragher has issued an apology to Eberechi Eze after seeing the Arsenal star bag a hat-trick for the Gunners in a 4-1 north London derby victory over Tottenham. The Liverpool legend admits he has "undervalued" the transfer and now feels the former Crystal Palace man has the ability to make a real impact for Mikel Arteta's side as they bid to land the Premier League title.

An angry Leeds United fan who tried to confront manager Daniel Farke following the defeat to Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday has been arrested. The incident occurred midway through the Premier League clash, as Unai Emery's side came back from behind to beat the hosts 2-1. With the loss, the Whites now sit in the relegation zone with 11 points from 12 matches.

William Saliba could not resist taking aim at Tottenham star Richarlison following Arsenal's thumping 4-1 win over Spurs in the north London derby on Sunday. Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick as Mikel Arteta's side claimed the bragging rights and moved six points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Saliba celebrated the victory on social media after the game, with Declan Rice quick to join in.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational overhead kick on Sunday night in the Saudi Pro League as table-toppers Al-Nassr maintained their perfect start to the 2025-26 season with a ninth win from nine games. The 40-year-old rolled back the years with an eye-catching acrobatic effort in stoppage time and promptly set a challenge for fans on social media after the victory for his side at Al-Awwal Park.

The high-tech ball uniting Canada, Mexico and USA in every kick

Eberechi Eze's brilliant hat-trick secured Arsenal bragging rights in the north London derby as Mikel Arteta's men romped to a 4-1 win over a sorry Tottenham side on Sunday. Leandro Trossard got the ball rolling for the Gunners before an Eze double either side of half-time put the hosts in control. Richarlison's wonder strike gave Spurs some hope, but another classy finish from Eze ensured Arsenal went six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has been backed to manage Liverpool one day but the pundit making the suggestion does not believe Arne Slot's job at Anfield is under threat. The Reds tried to bring the Spaniard to Merseyside after news of Jurgen Klopp's impending exit was announced in 2024. While he stayed at Bayer Leverkusen before joining Madrid this year, an old team-mate of his thinks a Reds return is possible.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte played down talk of leaving after the club president made a controversial 'taking the team back' social media post following their win over Atalanta on Saturday. Conte reaffirmed his commitment to the club he had led to a title win only six months back. With the 3-1 victory over Atalanta, Napoli have climbed back to second position in Serie A.

Manchester United fans have reacted to another Emiliano Martinez mistake as the Aston Villa goalkeeper committed an error to gift Leeds the lead at Elland Road. The Argentina number one was heavily linked with a move away from Villa to Old Trafford over the summer, but United opted to instead pursue their interest in Belgian youngster Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has questioned whether Xavi Simons has the capabilities to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League after a slow start at Tottenham. Spurs edged out Chelsea to sign the playmaker for £52 million this summer but so far, the former RB Leipzig star has struggled to make an impact. While Henry has his doubts about the Dutchman, he did admit to having an anti-Bundesliga bias.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has reignited the drama surrounding Barcelona's Negreira case, as Los Blancos' chief pointed to the perceived injustice in Barca's "best sporting era" coinciding with alleged payments of more than €8 million to referees over a 17-year period. Perez also cited the clear imbalance in red cards issued to the two clubs during the period, stating that the situation is "not normal".

Jude Bellingham's generosity has shone through with the Real Madrid star prepared to give a youth player 'his armour' following a cruel injury blow. Bruno Iglesias recently suffered a serious shoulder injury for the second time in his young career. The 22-year-old slipped and fell awkwardly in training as the Castilla star was preparing for an emotional return to Salamanca.