Analysis

GOAL breaks down who boosted their case, who still has questions to answer, and what Mauricio Pochettino may have learned from the USMNT's final pre-World Cup friendlies.

It's strange that there isn't more hype around Kylian Mbappe as the days tick down to the 2026 World Cup getting underway, but you can probably put that down to what was a largely forgettable club season with Real Madrid. He will be mightily relieved to be away from the cauldron that is the Bernabeu having become persona non grata during the run-in, shifting his focus to making history with France in North America.

The USMNT fell short against Germany in their final pre-World Cup tune-up, but Mauricio Pochettino still saw signs of progress as Antonee Robinson delivered a stunning goal, Malik Tillman impressed in a deeper role, and Miles Robinson endured another difficult outing.

Brazil are in a bad way. We know this because Neymar's fitness has been a topic of national debate for the past few months. Believe it or not, there are a significant number of Brazilians that believe that the Selecao has no chance of winning this summer's World Cup without a 34-year-old forward who has neither been fit nor good enough to play for his country since 2023.

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from the team's pre-Germany preparation in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

USWNT face Brazil in São Paulo as the Olympic rivals meet again in a key World Cup qualifying tuneup. GOAL breaks down the biggest storylines ahead of kickoff.

Fresh off a win over Senegal, the USMNT face their toughest pre-World Cup test yet against Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Germany. GOAL breaks down five key storylines.

"Who else?!" Those were the words of Jude Bellingham as he careened away in celebration after his quite remarkable bicycle kick had drawn England level in the 95th minute of their Euro 2024 round-of-16 game against Slovakia. The Three Lions had been terrible up to that point, but Bellingham’s heroic moment had kept them alive, continuing a season where he had been the difference-maker for Real Madrid again and again.

Liverpool have a new manager. Just over a year after Arne Slot led the Reds to a record-equalling 20th English championship, the Dutchman has been replaced in the dugout by Andoni Iraola. The change of coach has already lifted spirits around Anfield after a disastrous Premier League title defence that featured 12 defeats, while Liverpool were also hammered at home by Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, humiliated by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals and swept aside by Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight of the Champions League.

GOAL sat down with Gio Reyna to discuss his reputation, his growth since Qatar and why this World Cup gives him the chance to change the story around him.

Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was never short of a good quote, but one of his best offered an insight as to how exactly a football team should be run: "A football team is like a piano - you need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing." It’s a punchy line, and in modern-day international football, it rings painfully true.

Erling Haaland has openly embraced his reputation as the footballing equivalent of The Terminator. A few years ago, he even wished all of his followers on social media a 'Happy Haalandween' by sharing an image of himself portrayed as half-man and half-goal-scoring machine. However, to think of Haaland solely as a stone-cold killer in front of goal does a disservice to an emotional and colourful character who has never wanted anything but the best for his native Norway.

El Manawy will head to his fourth World Cup this summer, and after taking on an ambitious journey in 2022, his goals for next month are loftier.

GOAL spoke with the Chicago Fire boss about his plans for this summer, his connection with the team and his memories of 2022

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from camp in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

It's September 13, 2024, and Mauricio Pochettino is all smiles. Dressed in a blue suit with a big U.S. Soccer pin on the lapel, Pochettino is being introduced to the wild world of American soccer for the very first time. Flanked by his new bosses, Pochettino seems determined to make the right first impression; in America, first impressions are generally best made by being bold.

Javier Aguirre’s Mexico roster mixes history, trust, and risk, with Guillermo Ochoa chasing a sixth World Cup and German Berterame left out despite a late push.

A big 3-2 win over Senegal showed that the USMNT might just be ready for bigger games - and are prepared for the World Cup.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni included Lionel Messi in his 2026 World Cup squad on Thursday, even though his captain isn't "fully fit". Of course, neither revelation was particularly surprising. Messi was widely expected to be a part of his the Albiceleste's title defence - just as it was always unlikely that he'd been in optimal physical condition.

And there we have it. The 2025-26 European football season is in the books, capped by Paris Saint-Germain beating Arsenal in the Champions League final to defend their continental crown. Soon the past nine months or so will become distant memories, such is the speed at which the footballing world moves on, especially when major tournaments on the horizon.

In the age of PSR and UEFA's financial regulations, the free agent market has probably never been more significant as clubs look to pick up a potentially key player without having to spend a penny. We're now into June, and there are a whole host of big names who will be out of contract at the end of the month - undoubtedly sparking a scramble for their signatures in the coming weeks.

GOAL breaks down who stood out and who has work to do after the U.S. win

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from the team's pre-Senegal preparation in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

The USMNT's World Cup squad takes the field together for the first time as players battle for roles and momentum ahead of a friendly against Senegal.

Brenden Aaronson briefly left USMNT camp for his wedding, giving teammates a chance to reflect on family, growth and the bonds that have shaped this World Cup group.

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from the opening two days of the U.S.'s camp in the first installment of the USMNT notebook.

Saturday's eagerly-awaited Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest is the classic clash of styles. Arsenal boast the best defensive record in the competition, having conceded fewer goals (six) and kept more clean sheets (nine) than anyone else. The big question is, though, will Mikel Arteta's men be able to contain one of the most talented attacking teams in European football history?

The 38-year-old defender wrote himself off years ago, and plenty of others have done the same since then. He is still here, though, against all odds for one final run.

There was no real concern about recent rumors in USMNT camp as players, coaches and executives lock in on World Cup preparation