Lists

James Maddison dressed his eldest son, Leo, up in a Jude Bellingham Real Madrid kit. In a pair of wholesome snapshots taken at home, Maddison's boy throws his arms wide in pure, unfiltered delight while wearing a blue Real Madrid third strip, complete with the midfielder’s name and the iconic No.5 plastered across the back.

Arsenal look set to go through an extended period without key centre-back and squad leader Gabriel. The Brazilian defender has become a crucial part of the success Mikel Arteta's team has enjoyed in recent seasons, both as a defensive force and a threat at attacking set-pieces. But in the same way that a William Saliba injury derailed their 2022-23 Premier League title challenge, losing Gabriel is a huge blow.

Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he plans to phone 60 unselected England players as the Three Lions boss has a blueprint set for the 2026 World Cup squad. Fresh from completing a flawless Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with eight wins and no goals conceded, the German coach has revealed his next task is not tactical, but conversational. Tuchel is known for his meticulous planning and almost forensic attention to detail, and now he will personally contact over 50 England players in the coming months to explain their status and outline what they must do to force their way into contention.

England have been eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in spectacular fashion, losing 4-0 against Austria in the round of 16. Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez's red card shortly after the Young Lions fell behind early in the second half proved to be a crucial moment, with Austria eventually going on to run up the score-line in the latter stages of the knockout tie.

With the next four editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup, apart from the 2025 edition currently in full swing, set to be held in Qatar, there is every chance that we might see the next superstar of global football announce himself to the world in the Middle-East nation.

Viktor Gyokeres has been told that he is "too heavy", with the Arsenal striker was advised to lose weight to achieve Premier League success. The Gunners' bold summer gamble on the Sweden international was meant to herald a new era at the Emirates Stadium, but his first weeks in north London have been dominated by concerns rather than celebration. He was signed for a total fee of £63.5 million from Sporting CP, but questions have been raised over his physical readiness for English football's unforgiving pace.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has admitted that he found it strange how Queens Park Rangers played the final moments of their historic game against Manchester City in May 2012, adding fuel to a longstanding conspiracy theory peddled by Wayne Rooney that Manchester United were done out of the title. Sergio Aguero's last-ditch winner famously secured the title for City instead.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been urged to steer clear of signing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton as there is too much hype around him. United are in the market for a new central midfielder either in January or more likely in the summer of 2026 after prioritising strengthening in other areas in the squad last window such as attack and goalkeeper.

Arsenal have an "AI dossier" which is reportedly powering Mikel Arteta's Premier League title pursuit, with the manager being assisted with input on transfers, tactics and even injuries. This quiet revolution is an attempt to build the most technologically advanced operation in English football. They have computer models humming with millions of data points to predict problems before they happen.

Ex-Manchester United winger Antony has admitted that the decision to turn down Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window was driven by a desire to prioritise his family, with Real Betis and the life he had started to build in Spain ultimately the better choice in that respect. The Brazilian was on loan with Betis last season and made that move permanent in September.

Como coach Cesc Fabregas believes that Argentine midfielder Nico Paz should not be restricted, describing him as an incredible talent. The former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder compared Paz to a magician on the pitch, saying he can pull a trick out of his hat at any moment, which is why he should never be “caged”.

Sahara stripes and bold green trim headline Algeria’s World Cup kit release

Karim Adeyemi’s World Cup preparations were overshadowed by the revelation that the Borussia Dortmund winger accepted a €450,000 fine for illegal weapons possession. The 23-year-old blamed a “mystery TikTok box” for the items, prompting shocked reactions from Rudi Voller and Julian Nagelsmann as the German Football Association (DFB) scrambled for clarity. The controversy erupted just hours before Germany’s key qualifier.

Florentino Perez has moved to reshape Real Madrid’s financial future, preparing to sell a 10% stake through a newly created commercial company after already securing €360 million from Bernabeu-related profits. The president outlined the plan to club members, insisting it will “protect us as an institution” and allow Madrid to raise funds without becoming a public limited sports company.

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.

Colombia unveils World Cup kit inspired by magical realism and national pride

Germany centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck fired a warning to their rivals Spain, England, France, Argentina and Portugal following a sensational 6-0 win over Slovakia in their final World Cup qualifying game on Monday. The Borussia Dortmund centre-back asserted that Germany "can beat any opponent" as long as they produce similar displays at next year's marquee event.

German national team coach Julian Naggelsman has warned teenager Assan Ouedraogo to stay grounded after he became the second youngest goalscorer in Germany’s history. The 19 year-old found the net just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in Germany’s 6-0 win over Slovakia as they secured automatic qualification for the World Cup as winners of their qualifying group.

Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho has reportedly held transfer talks with three Turkish clubs amid his latest underwhelming loan spell. Sancho was included in Ruben Amorim's bomb squad in the summer before he secured a loan move to Aston Villa. However, he has struggled for minutes under Unai Emery and is already thought to be contemplating another change of scenery.

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.

Granit Xhaka has been linked with a stunning January move to Juventus just six months after joining Sunderland, with Italian reports claiming the midfielder is “back in fashion” for the Serie A giants. His entourage is said to be open to offers, but it has been reported in England that Sunderland have assured the Swiss star is not for sale as he continues to drive the Black Cats’ impressive season.

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.

Former Netherlands and Real Madrid star Wesley Sneijder has claimed it's "possible" that Lamine Yamal will surpass Lionel Messi, while predicting that the Barcelona wonderkid will stay at the club until at least 2035. At just 18, Yamal has already established himself as one of the top players in the world, finishing second to Ousmane Dembele in the race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken revealed that he apologised to the Italian team after Norway’s celebrations went overboard following their 4-1 win over Italy at the San Siro. A brace from Erling Haaland helped Norway secure their first World Cup finals qualification since 1998, marking a historic moment for the nation. With the defeat, Italy must now navigate the play offs phase in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Lamine Yamal sent another message to Barcelona fans ahead of the club’s long-awaited return to Camp Nou, promising that “history will be written” at the renovated stadium. The teenager has been building excitement all week, sharing new images and captions as Barca prepare to host Athletic Club in their first match at their iconic home in over 900 days.

Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli did not raise any hopes regarding Paul Pogba's return to competitive football ahead of this weekend's Ligue 1 clash against Rennes. Pogba had suffered an ankle sprain ahead of this month's international break, but returned to team training last weekend. That said, Pocognoli is "trying not to get ahead of himself" as far as Pogba's return is concerned.

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.

Estevao Willian has been labelled a "football genius" and backed to challenge for the Ballon d'Or after becoming a regular for both Chelsea and Brazil at the age of 18. The youngster formally joined the Blues this summer from Palmeiras and has already established himself as an important player under Enzo Maresca.