Lists

There have been so many compelling storylines to entertain the world so far this season as we reach the Premier League's halfway point. Liverpool's inexplicable collapse after winning the title and splurging over £400 million in the summer. Sunderland's remarkable return to the top flight after nearly a decade away. Whatever the heck is going on at Manchester United. And then we have Aston Villa.

After a breakout year at both club and international level, Gilberto Mora now sits atop Liga MX’s market value rankings heading into the Clausura 2026. Transfermarkt’s final update of the year lists the 17-year-old Xolos de Tijuana standout alongside Club América’s Allan Saint-Maximin. U.S. international Alejandro Zendejas also made the top 10.

Florian Wirtz has been likened to a Liverpool legend after finally scoring his first goal for the club in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League victory over winless Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Germany star has been praised for ending his long wait to break his duck, while team-mate Federico Chiesa has been defended following a quiet performance at Anfield.

Russell Martin has reportedly been identified as one of the leading candidates to become the next head coach of the Columbus Crew. The 39-year-old Scottish manager is being considered to fill the vacancy left by Wilfried Nancy, who departed the defending MLS champions in December 2025 to take charge of Scottish Premiership giants Celtic FC.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has generated unprecedented demand, with approximately 150 million ticket requests submitted during the first half of the current Random Selection Draw ticketing phase. Interest from fans in more than 200 countries means the tournament - hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico - is oversubscribed by a factor of roughly 30.

GOAL U.S. writers take a look at some of the biggest storylines in American soccer

Wrexham made it back-to-back Championship victories with a 2-1 win over Preston North End on Monday, but Phil Parkinson's side will be sweating on the fitness of talisman Kieffer Moore after the striker limped off with a suspected injury at the SToK Cae Ras. Goals in either half from Nathan Broadhead and Oliver Rathbone saw the Red Dragons build on their eight-goal thriller against Sheffield United by inflicting the Lilywhites' first defeat since late November.

Liverpool are all set to terminate young starlet James McConnell’s loan with Ajax as Championship clubs circle ahead of the January transfer window. The Liverpool academy graduate made his senior debut in 2024 and left for Dutch giants Ajax on a season-long loan after penning a five-year deal with his boyhood club in the summer.

Seven-time champions Egypt remain unbeaten in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite resting star man Mohamed Salah in the 0-0 stalemate with Angola on Friday. The Liverpool forward remained on the substitutes bench for the entire match as the much-changed Pharaohs wrapped up their Group B obligations with a goalless draw at the Adrar Stadium in Morocco.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard made a transfer admission as he regretted that the Merseyside club did not sign ‘animal’ Declan Rice in 2023. Rice moved to Arsenal from West Ham in the summer of 2023 for a record fee of £105 million as the Gunners beat the likes of Manchester and Liverpool in the transfer race. In the last two-and-a-half years, Rice has massively risen in stature and is now one of the best players in England.

GOAL reviews the top USWNT performances abroad in 2025, from Girma, Thompson and Macario at Chelsea to Heaps and Yohannes at Lyon, Tullis-Joyce at United and Fox at Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca has conceded he is struggling to put his finger on why Chelsea keep throwing away leads this season following their latest collapse against Aston Villa on Saturday. The Blues head coach admits he is at a loss to explain why his side are failing to maintain “control” in the Premier League - a worrying trend which he says is "not random".

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed the key behind the Cityzens' revival as he sent out a Premier League title race warning to Arsenal. The Gunners were momentarily replaced at the summit following City’s late victory over Nottingham Forest last Saturday, before the north Londoners reclaimed top spot following their win over Brighton later in the day.

Florian Wirtz has been placed on a ‘special bulk programme’ as Liverpool's summer signing continues to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League. After enduring a tough start to his journey in England following his £116million ($156.5m) summer arrival, the Germany international finally opened his account in the Premier League last weekend as he scored the winning goal against Wolves.

Manchester United Women have completed the signing of Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich. In a major statement of intent from the club, the Germany international striker has joined the Red Devils on a contract until June 2029, becoming their second new addition in the January transfer window following the earlier arrival of Sweden defender Hanna Lundkvist.

Liverpool icon Ian Rush has revealed he thought he was going to die after collapsing at home. The legendary Reds and Wales forward was rushed to Countess of Chester hospital on December 11 after contracting 'superflu'. Rush, who is now an ambassador for the Merseyside club, suffered from breathing difficulties and spent the first two days in intensive care.

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has labelled former club Arsenal as Premier League title “favourites” ahead of Tuesday’s crunch clash between the two teams. The Spaniard has taken the opportunity to add plenty of extra spice to a mouth-watering fixture which will see Mikel Arteta’s leaders play host to the high-flying Villans at the Emirates Stadium.

Barcelona are eyeing a move for Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic on a free transfer as the Catalan giants see the striker as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski. The veteran Polish forward, who will soon enter the final six months of his current contract, has yet to decide on his future at Barcelona and has not penned a fresh extension yet.

Manager Ruben Amorim has stressed Manchester United will not make any new signings in January unless there is “common ground” between himself and director of football Jason Wilcox over which players will improve the squad. The Red Devils continue to be linked with a host of names - including several midfielders - ahead of the winter transfer window opening on New Year's Day.

Ahead of the winter transfer window, GOAL reevaluates its grades for the biggest summer moves involving USMNT stars.

Amad Diallo hailed Manchester United team-mate Bryan Mbeumo as a "good lad" after the pair swapped shirts following their Africa Cup of Nations clash between Ivory Coast and Cameroon. The former scored a brilliant goal as the two African heavyweights played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday as both nations inched closer to the knockout stages of the competition.

Kylian Mbappe’s ownership era at Caen has taken a bold new turn after the French club appointed former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Gael Clichy as head coach. The 40-year-old steps into his first senior managerial role amid supporter unrest, with the club banking on his elite pedigree to spark a revival as they struggle in the third tier of French football.

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are "actively looking" to make signings in the January transfer window as they continue to struggle with injuries. The Gunners spent £267 million ($360m) on players this summer, but they may dip back into the market next month as Ben White, Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori, and more, are all currently sidelined.

Ruben Amorim has praised Bruno Fernandes for his exemplary attitude while he is out injured. The Manchester United captain suffered a soft tissue injury against Aston Villa, ruling him out for the busy festive period. He still attended United's 1-0 win over Newcastle and Amorim said he continues to take a deep interest in the team, watching training sessions after doing his recovery work.

Paul Pogba has thanked former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo while accepting his Best Comeback Award at a special ceremony. The French midfielder was banned for four years after testing positive for high testosterone levels while playing for Juventus in September 2023 but after his suspension was reduced to 18 months, he made his return to football at Monaco after 811 days out of the sport.

Rasmus Hojlund’s revival in Italy has gathered pace after another decisive display for Napoli, prompting Antonio Conte to explain why the striker is now thriving following his Manchester United exit. The Napoli boss praised the Dane’s growing understanding of the role, while stressing that his side are still chasing the elite standard set by Serie A’s top contenders.

A lot of leagues and competitions take the festive period off but there was no break for players in England, Italy and Portugal over the weekend, while the action at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco resumed on December 26. The Premier League's top two, Arsenal and Manchester City, both picked up hard-fought wins on Saturday but Aston Villa remain very much in the title race after a massive win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Gary Lineker believes that struggling Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres needs to take a leaf out of in-form Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin's book. The Gunners hoped the Sweden international would be the final piece of the jigsaw in their bid to end their decades-long Premier League title drought. But as the former Sporting CP star underwhelms, ex-England international Lineker has pinpointed a way the forward can improve in front of goal.

Nicolas Jackson’s future is once again under the spotlight after his agent dropped a telling hint about the striker’s next move, with doubts growing over a permanent stay at Bayern Munich. The Senegal international’s loan spell in Germany appears to be nearing its natural end, opening the door to a new destination as interest builds elsewhere in Europe.