To paraphrase the great Homer Simpson, it is not only easy to criticise, but fun, too. It is quite simple to sit and judge from this ivory tower, but hey, that's football after all, merely a game of opinions. Being a Premier League manager must be one of the loneliest gigs in the world, particularly when results are wayward and your job security is the subject of international speculation.
Jurgen Klopp warns Germany against fixating on winning the 2026 World Cup, stressing that global competition is fiercer than ever and nations like France, Spain and England cannot be underestimated. He urges patience, pragmatic planning, and development of versatile players, including an Under 21 league to bridge youth-to-senior gaps, emphasising that consistent growth outweighs overreaction to setbacks or early exits.
Wayne Rooney is backing Harry Maguire for a World Cup recall with England after seeing the Manchester United defender come through “bullying” that saw him become a “meme” at one stage. The commanding centre-half has not enjoyed the easiest of times at Old Trafford, but he was given plenty to smile about when netting a dramatic winner against Liverpool last time out.
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 the United Kingdom 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.
With the October international break now in the rearview mirror, club football returned in style over the weekend, with some huge clashes headlining Europe's biggest leagues. Manchester United plunged great rivals Liverpool into even deeper crisis in the Premier League, Bayern Munich got the better of Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker while there were changes of leader in both Serie A and Ligue 1.
Lionel Messi proved his class once again when sending a heartfelt message to Argentina’s promising youngsters after seeing them suffer an agonising defeat to Morocco in the FIFA U20 World Cup final. The Albiceleste are the current holders of the global crown at senior level and had been hoping to capture another in the youth ranks. Messi has offered his support after seeing that dream crushed in dramatic fashion.
Jurgen Klopp has dramatically left the door open to a second stint as Liverpool boss, with the charismatic German admitting: “It’s possible”. The Premier League and Champions League title winner is not missing coaching, though, as he fills a role with Red Bull, but is ruling nothing out and has hinted that a sensational return to Anfield could be made at some point.
Juventus suffered their first defeat of the season with a 2–0 loss to Como, triggering an uneasy situation at Turin. While the club are publicly backing Igor Tudor, reports suggest the hierarchy, led by general manager Damien Comolli, is quietly exploring contingency options. With tough away fixtures ahead against Real Madrid and Lazio, the next fortnight could define Tudor’s future as pressure mounts for Juventus to rediscover their identity and form.
The last time Manchester United won at Anfield, Great Britain was still in the European Union, Donald Trump was best known as the presenter of The Apprentice and Leicester City were top of the Premier League. Marcus Rashford had not yet played a first-team game, Arne Slot had not yet entered management and Ruben Amorim was seeing out his playing career in Qatar.
Mexican Football Federation president Mikel Arriola says El Tri are aiming to face Portugal in the long-awaited reopening of Estadio Azteca, with only a few technical details left to finalize. He also confirmed plans to take the national team to Central America as part of its 2026 World Cup preparations. Mexico have already faced opponents from Asia and South America in their buildup.
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo chooses to remain silent in a WhatsApp group comprising ex-Red Devils stars because he fears the Englishman's status as a "journalist". Following his retirement from professional football, Ferdinand has kept himself busy by working as a pundit for various broadcasters. He also hosts his own podcast on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents.
Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac has leapt to the defence of his summer signing Jobe Bellingham after a costly mistake from the Englishman allowed Bayern Munich to score the winner in Der Klassiker this weekend. Coming off the bench, Bellingham attempted to clear a cross from Luis Diaz, but the ball got caught under his feet, and Michael Olise capitalised on the mistake.
Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net again and super-sub Vinicius Junior baited two red cards as Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 on Sunday night. Los Blancos were dragged into a rather ugly contest, but the Frenchman's second-half goal saw them get the job done and go two points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona at the La Liga summit ahead of next week's Clasico.
Bruno Fernandes passionately defended Ruben Amorim's tactics amid criticism of the manager's system, after Manchester United registered a "massive" victory over rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. United beat the Reds 2-1 to claim their first win at Anfield since 2016 as Amorim also secured back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time in his tenure.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has revealed the reasoning behind his surprise decision to bench big-money summer signing Benjamin Sesko for the crunch clash with heated rivals Liverpool at Anfield. Amorim’s team selections were ultimately vindicated after watching his side sensationally beat the Premier League champions 2-1 in a pulsating clash on Merseyside.
Arne Slot brutally branded Manchester United a "long-ball team" as he claimed Liverpool "hardly conceded a chance" in their disappointing 2-1 loss at Anfield on Sunday. United registered their first victory at Anfield since 2016 and secured back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since Ruben Amorim took over as head coach in November last year.
Real Madrid outcast Endrick has made up his mind on a potential move to Marseille, which could see the Brazilian youngster link up with Mason Greenwood in France in the January transfer window. After a difficult debut campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, which saw the teenager struggle for game time, things have worsened under Xabi Alonso, as he has yet to feature in a La Liga or Champions League match in the new season.
Ruben Dias has explained why Erling Haaland is “very similar” to Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Manchester City and Portugal defender having played with both. At club level, Dias has seen Haaland hit another purple patch that has helped him to reach 324 career goals three years quicker than five-time Ballon d’Or winner CR7 managed - with the prolific Norwegian seemingly taking his game to even greater heights.
Manchester United secured a stunning victory an Anfield to condemn Liverpool to an unbelievable fourth consecutive defeat as the visitors won a pulsating derby 2-1. There was controversy just seconds into the match after Bryan Mbeumo fired the visitors in front, despite a head injury to Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up. Cody Gakpo equalised for Arne Slot’s side, but Harry Maguire’s header in the 84th minute sealed a memorable win for United.
Harry Maguire ended Manchester United's long, long wait to win away at Liverpool as he snatched a 2-1 victory which could kickstart the Ruben Amorim era at last. Maguire headed home Bruno Fernandes' swerving cross in the 85th minute to restore United's advantage shortly after Cody Gakpo had cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo's quick-fire opener.
Mason Greenwood has been given a harsh reality check after putting in a four-goal performance for Marseille in their 6-2 mauling of Le Havre. The former Manchester United forward put in a talismanic display for his Ligue 1 employers, but has still been informed that he “can do more” by demanding coach Roberto De Zerbi - who has explained how Greenwood can “become one of the best players in the world”.
David Alaba has regained full fitness after overcoming an injury nightmare and is now prepared to fight for a regular place in the Real Madrid starting lineup under Xabi Alonso. The Austrian defender no longer wants to be the team's fifth-choice centre-back behind Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio after working so hard to get back on the pitch.
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero was replaced by Kevin Danso in Spurs’ starting line-up after suffering an injury during the warm-up ahead of the Premier League clash with Aston Villa, which the Villans won 2-1. Romero missed a huge chunk of last season due to injury and it’s another major headache for Spurs boss Thomas Frank, who is already without a number of senior players on the long-term injured list.
Atlanta United fired head coach Ronny Deila after just one season, the team announced on Sunday. The 2021 MLS Cup-winning coach led the Eastern Conference side to a 5-16-13 record and 14th-place finish in his first season in charge. Atlanta were expected to be among the favorites for MLS Cup, but won only one of their final 18 games.
Harry Kane has earned “crazy” praise after posting Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo-esque numbers, with the Bayern Munich superstar reaching 400 goals at club level. Those are numbers that few players in the modern era can claim to have achieved, with the most prolific of No.9s continuing to prove that he deserves to occupy a standing alongside the greats.
Mathys Tel has revealed the pain of being left out of Tottenham's Champions League squad left him fuming, but has vowed to use the snub as motivation and prove his doubters wrong. Spurs' decision was due in part to the club's struggles to meet UEFA's homegrown player quota, which forced manager Thomas Frank to reduce the squad size from 25 to 22, meaning several players had to be excluded, including Tel.
Jamie Redknapp hailed Bukayo Saka after the winger inspired Arsenal to a gritty 1-0 win over Fulham that took them back to the top of the Premier League. On a day when Mikel Arteta's men struggled for fluency, Saka's leadership and composure shone through, underlining once again why the England star is so crucial to the Gunners' title ambitions.