Analysis

Inter Miami finally lifted MLS Cup in 2025. After reloading in the transfer market, the Herons are built not just to repeat - but to dominate in 2026.

"We’ve known Jobe [Bellingham] for several years, and of course we have followed his progress very closely. He has taken another huge step forward in his development over the last year, and even at the age of 19 he has become a real leader," Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said after Bellingham's £28 million ($37m) transfer from Sunderland in June. "His commanding presence in central midfield is remarkable, and he will improve our team in various systems."

Before last season, very few casual fans would have been aware of Pafos FC's existence. The Cypriot outfit played in Europe for the first time in their 11-year history, reaching the last 16 of the Conference League, and followed up that impressive run by clinching their maiden league title. The latter achievement earned Pafos a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds, and helped attract one of the most famous footballers of his generation.

Erling Haaland has already conquered most Champions League records, but Manchester City's trip to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday offers him a chance to break new ground by becoming the first Norwegian player to score against a Norwegian team in the competition's history. Even though Bodo is a 24-hour drive from Haaland's hometown of Bryn and way up in the Arctic circle, this is still a homecoming for the nation's most famous athlete.

This is Legacy, GOAL’s podcast and feature series following the road to the 2026 World Cup. Every week, we dive into the stories and legacies that shaped football’s greatest nations. Today we look at Spain’s search for a new symbol, 16 years after the golden glow of 2010. From Andres Iniesta’s magic in Johannesburg to the rise of a fearless teenager lighting up Barcelona, it’s the story of Lamine Yamal, and how one young prodigy could lead La Roja back to the top of the world...

With the 2026 World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at the state of Canada's full back positions.

As the Champions League picks back up again, GOAL's writers look at the state of the competition and make some big predictions as the group phase draws to a close.

The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are back and GOAL breaks down what's at stake for Americans playing in the competitions.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones 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.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including some important goals from two strikers in the Championship.

Before heading off to represent Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, Brahim Diaz thanked Real Madrid fans for all of their support in 2025 before adding, "See you all next year, full of excitement." However, the player and his club's supporters could not be experiencing more contrasting starts to 2026. While Brahim was bursting with joy after Morocco beat Nigeria on penalties on Wednesday to move just one win away from ending the nation's 50-year wait for a second AFCON title, Madridistas were exploding with rage after watching their team suffer a second demoralising defeat in five days.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including Pulisic looking to get back on track against Lecce.

The USMNT Transfer Notebook tracks American player movements, with latest developments for those in the U.S. national team pool

Darren Fletcher played alongside twin brothers Rafael and Fabio da Silva while at Manchester United, but little did he know that many years later, his own twin sons would be vying for a place in the Red Devils' first team. Fletcher opted against playing either of his sons, Jack or Tyler, during his brief spell as interim coach, perhaps out of fear of accusations of nepotism.

Every summer, Brentford seem to dance with death. They almost always sell off at least one of their best players and don't usually replace them, at least in a like-for-like sense. Yet since they were promoted to the Premier League in 2021, the Bees have never really faced the threat of relegation back to the Championship. It was, however, only this past summer that they were widely tipped to battle the drop.

Manchester City fans sure have enjoyed watching Manchester United’s demise over the past 13 years, with each new coach that has failed at Old Trafford giving the Blues plenty of fresh material to sing about on the terraces.

After a frustrating year in Liga MX, Cade Cowell told GOAL why a Red Bulls move could reignite his career and put his USMNT World Cup ambitions back on track.

GOAL sat down with the centerback to discuss why he left Nashville SC to join Toronto FC and his ambition to play in another World Cup.

While effectively ruling himself out of the running to take over at Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp pointed out that "the coaching market is being reshuffled" right now - because Xabi Alonso isn't the only manager to lose his job at an elite European club since the turn of the year. On January 1, less than six months after lifting the Club World Cup, Enzo Maresca was fired by Chelsea after publicly criticising his employers. Just four days later, Manchester United also got rid of Ruben Amorim for speaking out of turn.

EXCLUSIVE: Yan Diomande tells GOAL how his unlikely American journey - from UPSL fields to RB Leipzig - shaped one of Europe’s fastest-rising stars.

GOAL breaks down the five big reasons the central defender was American soccer's standout in 2025.

GOAL continues its Meet the USMNT series by examining Folarin Balogun’s path to the USMNT and the expectations that follow him into a World Cup year.

Some 13 months on from a devastating provisional doping suspension and close to 14 months since his last appearance for the club, Mykhailo Mudryk is Chelsea's forgotten man. An upcoming anniversary, however, brings his troubles back into sharp focus; January 15 will mark three years to the day since Chelsea completed the signing of the then-coveted young winger from Shakhtar Donetsk, but he will find little reason for celebration.

The Danish-born Palestinian international made a real impact before suffering a devastating ankle injury last October. Fit and firing again - he's out to prove that his strong run was no fluke.

From knee scooters and crosswords and a World Cup lock screen, USMNT and Houston Dynamo midfielder Jack McGlynn explains how injury recovery sharpened his 2026 push.

Xabi Alonso is gone, but Real Madrid’s deeper problems remain. Did the club fail its coach - and can anyone truly manage this team?

While Arne Slot seems to think that Liverpool's starting line-up is stronger without Mohamed Salah, the winger has been conspicuous by his absence in recent weeks, with the Reds struggling to score goals without their talisman. It's clear that they need their Egyptian King back at Anfield as quickly as possible. Salah, though, is desperate to extend his stay at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Indeed, he's not even attempting to hide just how much the tournament means to him.

The final image of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager - and one that tells the story of his time in charge at the Bernabeu - was of someone else telling him what to do. After Sunday's Supercopa de Espana loss to Barcelona, Alonso gestured to his players that they should give a guard of honour to their victorious opponents as they went to collect the trophy. Kylian Mbappe, though, was having none of it, and insisted his team-mates follow his lead. They did just that - and so too did Alonso.

This is Legacy, GOAL’s podcast and feature series tracking the countdown to the 2026 World Cup. Each week, we explore the stories and the spirit behind the nations that define the world’s game. Today we look back at France '98; from the heartbreaks of Seville and Bulgaria to the night Zinedine Zidane lifted the trophy in Paris, this is the story of how France broke its curse and forged a winning identity that still defines Les Bleus today.