Sean Walsh

This is Legacy, GOAL’s podcast 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 how one of the game’s most iconic players lost the love of his people, became the most hated man in the land and then won back their hearts in a way only he could. This is the story of David Beckham's rise and fall after England’s dramatic elimination from the 1998 FIFA World Cup...

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.

In the week leading up to Arsenal vs Manchester United, a topic of debate was whether this version of the Gunners, who are chasing an unprecedented quadruple, would beat the 2007-08 Red Devils who won the Premier League and Champions League. As many have now pointed out, Mikel Arteta's side can't even beat the 2025-26 version.

Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League table was cut to four points after they were surprisingly beaten 3-2 by Manchester United on Sunday. The Gunners played with a nervousness and anxiety unbefitting of potential champions, with the home crowd audibly frustrated with their team throughout proceedings in north London.

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor has conceded her side are unlikely to win the Women's Super League this season after defeat to Arsenal left them six points behind leaders Manchester City having played a game more. The Blues were beaten for the second time in their last three home games.

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson was pleased with his side's attacking initiative during their stunning 3-2 win at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. The Red Dragons trailed 2-1 heading into stoppage time at the end of the second half, but managed to take all three points from their visit to Loftus Road with two incredibly late goals.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has suggested it would be unwise to sanction the sale of Andy Robertson before the transfer deadline as he still 'needs' the left-back. Robertson is in talks with Tottenham over a move but the Reds are facing a mounting injury crisis and Slot is determined not to lose any further players.

Kazakhstan isn't a nation known for its love of football. That doesn't mean it's non-existent, however, and with a new teenage sensation emerging as one of the country's best players already, the nation sandwiched between Europe and Asia could be on the verge of a golden generation.

Manchester United reportedly want to open talks with Bruno Fernandes over a new contract, but will ultimately let the captain decide whether he stays or goes. Fernandes' current deal runs until 2027 and though the club have the option to extend it by a further 12 months, they would like to discuss fresh terms.

Manchester City's captains have agreed to cover the costs of the journeys made by supporters who travelled to their 3-1 defeat at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday. City's miserable start to 2026 continued with a surprise loss in the Arctic Circle which dented their chances of securing automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

Tottenham eased the pressure on under-fire head coach Thomas Frank with a 2-0 win at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday. Spurs edged closer to qualification for the last 16 with a performance which showcased the energy and spirit they've been missing for most of the season.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to seal a move away from Camp Nou, but has rejected the chance to head to the Premier League after receiving an offer from West Ham United. Ter Stegen is no longer the first-choice stopper at Barca after losing his starting spot to summer signing Joan Garcia.

Tottenham Hotspur fans turned on Thomas Frank during Saturday's 2-1 loss at home to rivals West Ham United, breaking into chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" against the head coach. Callum Wilson scored a stoppage-time winner for the visitors after Cristian Romero had cancelled out Crysencio Summerville's opening goal.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has revealed he will leave the club at the end of the season, while captain Marc Guehi is on the verge of completing a £20 million move to Manchester City. Glasner and Guehi's respective contracts at Selhurst Park are up in the summer of 2026 and neither will put pen to paper on fresh terms.

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.

You will struggle to come across anyone in football more obsessed with Chelsea than their former midfielder and cult hero, John Obi Mikel. The Nigerian played 372 times for the club over an 11-year stint, helping them win 10 trophies, including their first ever Champions League in 2012. Though he retired in 2022, Mikel is still a prominent voice in the Chelsea sphere, regularly discussing their exploits on 'The Obi One Podcast'. Mikel sat down with GOAL to chat about the modern-day Blues, how they compare to his generation, new head coach Liam Rosenior, the club's BlueCo owners, his failed move to Manchester United and his recent transfer to Google Pixel.

West Ham United's players stand to have their salaries significantly reduced if they are relegated to the Championship at the end of this season. The Hammers currently sit 18th in the Premier League table and are seven points from safety after a dreadful first half to the 2025-26 campaign, with pressure mounting on head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.

Real Madrid's new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has played down the prospect of replicating the managerial style of his former boss Jose Mourinho. Arbeloa has been placed in charge of the first-team squad at the Bernabeu following Xabi Alonso's surprise exit from the club on Monday, departing after only 34 matches at the helm.