Analysis

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, headlined by a goals from two strikers and an assist from a player fighting for a role next summer

Lionel Messi finally got his MLS Cup with Inter Miami, but the Herons will face an offseason full of change as they look to defend the trophy

The World Cup draw yielded a number of fascinating groups - and the hype for the 2026 tournament can truly build

The winger, who has been a steady contributor for the MLS Cup hopefuls, talked to GOAL about his impressive season since returning to North America

MLS's dream contest should yield plenty of storylines, and seems finely-poised to be a highly watchable fixture between two well-matched teams

The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route - and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.

This Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Brighton and London City Lionesses should have produced an enticing showdown between two of England’s most exciting young strikers, with Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang in the Seagulls’ corner and rising star Isobel Goodwin representing the newly-promoted big spenders.

The Canadian side, who might not even play in their home country next year, are just one away from a title - and that is no accident

Well, it certainly could have been easier. If England could have picked their opponents for the 2026 World Cup group stage, they probably would not have chosen a Croatia team that finished third at the last tournament and knocked them out in the semi-finals at the previous one in Russia, or a Ghana side containing two of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League.

Canada got the rub of the green as preparations for the 2026 World Cup kicked into full gear. Les Rouges will face Switzerland, Qatar and the winner of a European playoff to open the tournament next summer. On paper, it’s a winnable group - but if the playoff unfolds as expected, Jesse Marsch’s team could be staring down global giants Italy in the early stages.

The U.S. men's national team has learned their World Cup group as Mauricio Pochettino's side was paired with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European foe to start next summer's tournament. The USMNT's fourth opponent will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, who will face off in March's playoff.

Mic’d Up: McCarty breaks down the MLS Cup - why benching Suárez was a “career-defining” call, how Müller made Vancouver must-watch, and which side he thinks has the edge.

With several months between matches and a World Cup on the horizon, MLS players are finding different ways to stay sharp through the winter to ensure they get off to a strong start

Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller meet in an MLS Cup final full of storylines, from farewells to uncertainty, driving what should be a strong match this Saturday.

From Ibrahima Konate winning the title with Liverpool, to William Saliba anchoring Arsenal's charge to the top of the table or Leny Yoro's big-money signing for Manchester United, French centre-backs have had a massive influence in the Premier League's recent history. Now, the race to sign Les Bleus' next great defender is on as the top clubs from England and beyond circle Tylel Tati.

Steven Heighway knew when Steven Gerrard was still only 14 years of age that the midfielder was going to "make it" as a footballer. The man himself, though, was less convinced of his quality - at least when he took his first tentative steps in the professional ranks. When Gerrard warmed up in front of the Kop for the first time ahead of his Liverpool debut on November 29, 1998, the nerve-racked teenager "could almost hear them saying, 'Who's this skinny tw*t?!'"

It was all looking so good for Manchester United at the start of this season. Into the Women's Champions League proper for the first time and unbeaten through their first seven games of the new Women's Super League campaign, the Red Devils were flying. But as Marc Skinner's side return to action after the final international break of the year, they're looking to avoid a fourth defeat in just five games.

In his annual State of the League address, Don Garber said MLS is ready to compete with the world’s biggest leagues and wouldn’t rule out promotion/relegation.

The draw is here. Who needs the easiest group? Who could make a run? And did FIFA’s seeding just tilt the field? GOAL's writers weigh in.

After years of waiting, the 2026 World Cup draw is finally here. GOAL takes a look at what are the ideal scenarios, and nightmares, for the tournament's three co-hosts in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

When Wrexham lost 3-1 at home to Queens Park Rangers on September 13, they were 21st in the 24-team Championship, with just four points from their opening five games. It felt like a brutal reality check for fans dreaming of promotion to the Premier League just two years after getting out of the National League. Manager Phil Parkinson refused to panic, though.

December 2024 was a strange month for Joshua Zirkzee. It began with a two-goal salvo against Everton, but ended in humiliation as he was hauled off 33 minutes into United’s defeat by Newcastle, his substitution greeted with mocking applause from his own fans.

Tadeo Allende struggled early, but his hot streak has arrived at the perfect time - and Inter Miami may need him more than ever in their push for MLS Cup.

Mic’d Up: The former USMNT midfielder breaks down the team’s revival, Pochettino’s culture reset and what he expects from next summer’s World Cup.

Not a single Real Madrid player spoke to the media on Sunday night. They don't have to, of course, but after Los Blancos drew 1-1 with struggling Girona, every single squad member walked through the mixed zone without acknowledging the awaiting press. It was emblematic of a shift at the club, the good vibes within this great institution falling apart.

Not since David and Victoria Beckham began their relationship in the late 1990s had there been a football couple as high profile as Gerard Pique and Shakira when they got together in 2010. Defender Pique was a key cog in Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona side of the late noughties and early 2010s, while Shakira had been a global pop sensation since the release of hit single 'Hips Don't Lie' in 2005. This was the kind of story the tabloids thrive off - and even more so when it goes badly wrong.

With FA president Gilbert Martina - once a fish farm investor and health-care CEO - at the helm, Curacao have risen fast. GOAL explores how a near-impossible dream came true.

GOAL takes a look at which American players are playing the best heading into the final weeks of 2025.

'Baby Lukaku'. That is the nickname, coined by Romelu Lukaku's former team-mate Kevin Mirallas, that Belgian journalists love to use when they write about Promise David. It's easy to see why, too, with the Union Saint-Gilloise striker one of European football's most unsung talents, a true Hidden Gem.