Analysis

For a player so crucial to Manchester City’s most glorious period ever, the manner of Kyle Walker's departure was bizarre to say the least. Pep Guardiola had let the cat out of the bag that the then-captain wanted to leave the club on loan for AC Milan at the end of a press conference after City had hammered Salford City in the FA Cup in early January.

Last time Manchester City fans saw Grace Clinton in action, she was wearing the red of their biggest rivals and kickstarting a Manchester United comeback that allowed the Red Devils to secure Champions League football at their expense. They'll have had much more favourable feelings towards the England international last Friday, then, as she re-introduced herself to those who suffered in the away end at Old Trafford back in May by netting a goal for the other side of the city, one which put them 4-0 up at Tottenham.

With CONMEBOL lobbying for further expanded competition, GOAL US writers debate the viability of a 64-team tournament

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in extending Richards' stay, but is that the best move for the USMNT centerback?

The Grammy Award winning artist's new jersey is ridiculously cool while also promoting charitable causes around the game

On statistics alone, it might look like Bryan Mbeumo has made a slow start to life with Manchester United. He has one goal in his five matches since his £71 million ($95m) move from Brentford, contrasting with four goals at the same stage of last season with the Bees. But ask any fan who has been their best player so far in this stop-start season and they will most likely name the Cameroon forward.

Everton might not have had any players in the Lionesses’ squad as they lifted the European Championship title this past summer but the Toffees’ influence on England’s success was certainly significant. Chloe Kelly, who made her breakthrough on Merseyside, was the most prominent example, after reprising her role as a national hero on more than one occasion. However, it is the more recent cases of Aggie Beever-Jones and Jess Park that have helped Everton carve out a glowing, and growing, reputation as the place to be right now if you are an aspiring Lioness.

The American midfielder's fine form across the first month of the campaign offers plenty of hope for Milan and USMNT fans, alike

As the Uruguayan great's production has declined, he will have a tough decision to make when his contract expires in November

GOAL US writers debate if Dembele deserved the Ballon d'Or and who could be the first American to win the award

EXCLUSIVE: After his a long-awaited USMNT return, the son the former national team coach hopes for more chances to come

Ousmane Dembele was presented with the Ballon d'Or for 2025 at a typically lavish ceremony in Paris on Monday night, capping a remarkable redemption at Paris Saint-Germain for a player regarded by Barcelona fans as one of the worst signings in the club's history.

It is the year 2025 and Ousmane Dembele is a Ballon d'Or winner. It's a reality that might require a little getting used to, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar's path to this point has been far from smooth, but it is a fitting end point nonetheless.

GOAL US unpacks the main weekend storylines from the Premier League, La Liga and other top competitions in The Euro XI

With an expanding set up, including World Cups and U.S. championships, amputee soccer provides competitive opportunities

Say what you will about the merits of the Ballon d'Or, but last year's ceremony was undeniably dramatic. The event organisers, France Football, have always insisted that "no player or club knows who has won the Ballon d'Or" before the victor is announced on stage - but Real Madrid refused to even turn up after learning hours in advance that Rodri had beaten Vinicius Jr to the men's prize.

If the voting process for the Ballon d'Or were truly fair, Lionel Messi would have 14 Golden Balls to his name instead of eight. The Barcelona legend was by far the best footballer in the world between 2008 and 2021, but had to concede defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo five times, and Luka Modric once, as the Real Madrid duo were rewarded for spearheading their team's unprecedented success in the Champions League.

USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman found the net as Bayer Leverkusen battled Borussia Monchengladbach to a 1-1 draw in a Bundesliga clash on Sunday. The former PSV man broke open an otherwise drab affair with a tidy finish inside the box after 70 minutes. Fellow midfielder Gio Reyna came off the bench for Gladbach but was largely ineffective.

"Off the pitch I'm a calm guy that just wants to have fun and enjoy my life," Erling Haaland told Time Magazine in July. "On the pitch I want to attack like a Viking." The Manchester City striker's love for the Scandinavian seafaring conquerors is well known. He dressed up as a Viking at a Halloween party just a few months after joining City. And while speaking to the prestigious American current affairs magazine, he zeroed in on his fascination with them.

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.

The mercurial midfielder has no obvious role in the manager's system, and the Spaniard faces a challenge working him into his XI

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

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

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.

Before Sir Jim Ratcliffe invested in Manchester United, he tried to buy Chelsea. Although he grew up on a council estate in Failsworth in north Manchester and attended games at Old Trafford with his father as a child, Ratcliife took a liking to Chelsea as an adult while living and working in affluent west London.

The South Korea captain has brought attacking quality to LAFC, as well as a willingness to be a face for the league

When it was revealed that Leah Williamson would miss the start of the new Women's Super League season, most assumed Lotte Wubben-Moy or Laia Codina would take her place in the heart of Arsenal's defence. Wubben-Moy came into the campaign fresh off the back of a new contract and a role in England's Euro 2025 triumph, while Codina's status as a key starter in Spain's World Cup win in 2023 tells you the level she can reach. And yet, both have been usurped by 18-year-old Katie Reid.

Barcelona's first stop on the long road to European glory takes them to Newcastle, where they will come up against a formidable opponent and equally formidable atmosphere at St James' Park without the talismanic Lamine Yamal. The injured 18-year-old has been ruled out, having found himself at the centre of a feud between club and country, but loanee Marcus Rashford will be determined to make an impact in his absence.

GOAL Convo: Robles on MLS NEXT rule changes, including three-period games, meant to American soccer forward