Chris Burton

Thibaut Courtois admits that Lamine Yamal “lit a bit of a fire” under the latest Clasico clash between arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. Said contest took place at Santiago Bernabeu on October 26. Ugly scenes unfolded at the end of a 2-1 victory for the hosts, with teenage wonderkid Yamal attracting plenty of attention during the post-match skirmishes.

Lionel Messi has sent another “we’ll be back” message to Barcelona after being crowned the “most beloved player” in the club’s history. The Argentine superstar has been awarded that honour following a supporter vote. He feels proud to have received such a title, given the calibre of talent that he was up against, and remains determined to head back to Catalunya at some stage.

Neymar issued a public apology after conceding a controversial penalty in a game that has kept Santos in a relegation dogfight. The Brazilian superstar was in action on Wednesday evening against Mirassol. An eventful outing saw him open the scoring inside four minutes, before being responsible for presenting Serie A rivals with an opportunity to level the scores.

Lionel Messi and Argentina have been told that they were “lucky” to savour World Cup glory at Qatar 2022. All-time great Messi completed his medal collection at that event, as he inspired the Albiceleste to a global title. Wesley Sneijder has suggested that the South Americans were fortunate to claim that crown, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal considered to have a better chance of landing the same prize in 2026.

Birmingham City players are being urged to take advantage of the fact that Tom Brady is on the other end of a phone line, with the NFL legend knowing what it takes to win it all. Former Blues striker Clinton Morrison has told GOAL, in an exclusive interview, why “big plans” for the future at St Andrew’s can see ambitious dreams turned into reality.

Carlo Ancelotti has issued a final warning to Neymar when it comes to 2026 World Cup selection, with the Italian tactician eager to ensure that he does not make any “mistakes” when naming his final squad. Ancelotti has yet to call upon Neymar since becoming Selecao boss, but insists that the door remains open to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar.

England manager Sarina Wiegman has broken her silence on comments made by Mary Earps in her explosive autobiography. In that, the former Lionesses goalkeeper questioned some of the selection calls made by the Dutch coach. Wiegman feels no need to explain any of the decisions that she has made down the years, with every one of those intended to help deliver collective success.

It remains a possibility that Liverpool could sell Mohamed Salah at some stage, David James has told GOAL, despite the Egyptian superstar signing a new contract at Anfield. Those terms are intended to take the prolific forward through to the summer of 2027, but the odd question has been asked of his output this season and interest from the Saudi Pro League remains.

London City Lionesses star Freya Godfrey has been handed a maiden call-up to the England squad, as Manchester City duo Lauren Hemp and Grace Clinton return to the fold. Sarina Wiegman has selected 25 players for the upcoming ‘Homecoming Series’ that will see the Euro 2025 winners take on China at Wembley Stadium and Ghana at St Mary’s in Southampton.

Veteran Brazilian defender Thiago Silva is wanted back at AC Milan, according to reports, with the Rossoneri looking to reunite the South American centre-half with his former Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic. Silva is now 41 years of age and back in his homeland with Fluminense, but he is not ready to retire just yet and could be lured back to European football.

Miami Dolphins star Jack Jones delivered a nod to Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo when gracing the latest NFL International Series game. Said contest took place at Santiago Bernabeu - a venue that Portuguese GOAT Ronaldo once illuminated. Jones took centre stage on this occasion and broke out CR7’s iconic ‘Siuuu’ celebration when delivering his own moment of match-altering brilliance.

Neymar has been branded “washed”, with fans reacting to the “sad watch” of seeing the Brazilian icon botch two attempted rainbow flicks during Santos’ surprising win over Palmeiras. Neymar is considered to have performed admirably in that fixture, but questions are being asked of whether the 33-year-old still possesses the kind of magic in his boots that once allowed him to illuminate the world stage.

Karim Benzema has revealed his true feelings about former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after taking in a supposedly frosty reunion with the Portuguese legend during their respective spells in the Saudi Pro League. Benzema and Ronaldo, who were once colleagues at Santiago Bernabeu, are now in the Middle East with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr.

Alisha Lehmann has seen her house in Italy burgled, with the Como Women star sharing a video on social media of her ransacked bedroom. The Switzerland international was not in at the time of the incident, but is being forced to clean up the mess left behind. Lehmann had been embracing a new challenge with Como, but will now be asking questions of her living arrangements.

Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthaus has explained why he will always side with Lionel Messi in the Argentine icon’s GOAT debate with Cristiano Ronaldo. Two legends of the modern era consider themselves to be the greatest of all-time, but opinion across the rest of the world remains divided. Matthaus knows what it takes to be considered the best player on the planet.

Frank Lampard has been told that the “sky is the limit” when it comes to his coaching career, with his reputation in management being rebuilt during a productive spell at Coventry City. The ex-England captain has previously worked with Chelsea and Everton in the Premier League and could soon find himself back in the top tier while being linked with other big jobs.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry poked fun at former rivals Tottenham when visiting their new home for the first time. The World Cup-winning Frenchman was among those in attendance for an epic boxing bout between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jnr. He found himself behind enemy lines when taking up a seat at ringside, with personal allegiances being pledged to a heavyweight outfit on the other side of north London.

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate admits that transfer speculation has left him in a “tight spot”, with questions continuing to be asked of how long he will remain at Anfield. The France international defender is into the final year of his contract, meaning that he could hit free agency in the summer of 2026. La Liga giants Real Madrid are being credited with interest.